Articles by David Bixler
Luis Perdomo: El Arte Del Grammy
by David Bixler
This month we join in congratulating pianist Luis Perdomo for his recent GRAMMY award for El Arte del Bolero vol 2 in the category of best Latin jazz album. In this episode of LINER NOTES, Luis recounts the musical journey from his native Venezuela and then coming to New York initially to study before transitioning into one of the most in demand pianists on the scene, gracing the bandstand with musicians such as of Ravi Coltrane, Tom Harrell, and his ...
read moreA Conversation with Peter Bernstein
by David Bixler
The week of March 5 guitarist Peter Bernstein brings a quartet to the Village Vanguard in New York City that includes pianist Sullivan Fortner, bassist Doug Weiss, and the iconic drummer Al Foster. In this episode of LINER NOTES Peter expresses a genuine gratitude for being able to play music. He also offers insights on how he personally approaches this music as a guitarist, sharing valuable lessons learned from his legendary teachers Gene Bertoncini, Ted Dunbar, and Jim Hall.
read moreJoe Fiedler: Will Be Fire
by David Bixler
As an improviser, trombonist Joe Fiedler describes himself as living half in the inside world and half in the outside world. This is evident in his new recording Will Be Fire. For this project, Fiedler collaborates with guitarist Pete McCann, tuba virtuoso Marcus Rojas, and percussionist Jeff Davis, in an elegant instrumentation that pays homage to the late Arthur Blythe. In this episode of LINER NOTES Joe articulates his perspective on the evolution of the trombone and his aspirations for ...
read moreTime and Time Again with Loren Stillman
by David Bixler
The last several years have brought about significant change for saxophonist Loren Stillman. A lifelong New Yorker, Loren and his family did a 180, and moved to Montana several years ago. With the time afforded to him by the pandemic, Loren, having made a name for himself as an alto saxophonist focused his energies on the tenor. The fruit of his labor is a new recording, Time and Again, released on Sunnyside Records featuring himself on the tenor along with ...
read moreRon Blake: No Mistaking His Identity
by David Bixler
Holding down the bari chair at Saturday Night Live, performing with musicians like Christian McBride, and teaching at Julliard have saxophonist Ron Blake at full capacity. These time constraints left little time for him to focus on his own music, but fortunately he enlisted the help of his long time-friend guitarist Bobby Broom and has recently released Mistaken Identity, his first recording under his own name in fifteen years. In this episode of LINER NOTES Ron talks about the journey ...
read moreChristian Dillingham: Checking in from the Third Coast
by David Bixler
Bassist Christian Dillingham's debut release as a leader, Cascades on Greenleaf Music features ten original compositions written for his Chicago-based quartet. In this episode of LINER NOTES he speaks of his desire to capture the moment with this recording both in the recording process and in music that pushes the boundaries of the tradition that he is obviously rooted in. This episode features music from Christian Dilllingham's Cascades (Greenleaf Music). ...
read moreRez Abbasi: Charm
by David Bixler
Guitarist Rez Abbasi's recordings illustrate an artist that is pressing on, going for something new, rather than making alterations to what he has already done. So when sitarist Josh Feinberg approached him about a possible Indian-jazz collaboration he initially declined, as he already had several successful recordings of this nature with pianist Vijay Iyer and saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa. However, he fortunately reconsidered and they recorded Charm, a recording that is fresh and likely unlike anything that you have heard before. ...
read moreLinda May Han Oh: Navigating the Glass Hours
by David Bixler
Bassist Linda May Han Oh's recording The Glass Hours features the front line of vocalist Sara Serpa and tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, while pianist Fabian Almazan and drummer Obed Calvaire join her in the rhythm section. Being a new parent has caused her to reflect on what she does as a musician and in this episode of LINER NOTES she talks about how a new awareness of the fragility of life in a world that can be an unsafe place ...
read moreDerrick Gardner: African Explorations
by David Bixler
Trumpet player Derrick Gardener recently retired from his position at the University of Manitoba in order to move back to Chicago and focus on playing, but instead he found himself as the head of Jazz Studies at Northwestern University. In this episode of LINER NOTES Derrick explains how that happened as well as sharing some of the details about his life changing trip to Africa that transformed him as a person and gave birth to his latest record Pan Africa ...
read moreSteve Wilson: Setting the Pace
by David Bixler
LINER NOTES kicks off season six with saxophonist and educator Steve Wilson. In this episode Steve highlights his new quartet, The Analog Band, as well as an upcoming commissioned project with Billy Childs featuring Steve with wind symphony, two of the myriad projects that he juggles as one of today's most in demand leaders and sideman. Playlist Steve Wilson / Lewis Nash Duo: Live From Umbria Jazz (Island Birdie) Wilsonian's Grain: Live at the Village Vanguard (Spheresophically) The ...
read more
Giveaway
Days remaining: 8
