Articles by Edward Blanco
Roberto Magris: Lovely Day (s)
by Edward Blanco
Veteran Italian jazz pianist Roberto Magris has enjoyed a four-decade career with the accumulation of over thirty albums as leader, in addition to appearing as a sideman on another 10 recordings. Yet, this highly versatile, creative and talented musician has never recorded a solo performance project until now. With Lovely Day(s), Magris finally keeps his promise to do so after so many solo tracks throughout his vast discography and the many times he has expressed to producers that he would ...
Continue ReadingZurHub: Countryside Motorways
by Edward Blanco
Israeli flautist Mattan Klein and fellow Jerusalem native guitarist Ezequiel Hezi Jait, based in both Tel Aviv and New York, present a stunning musical portrait on Countryside Motorways, blending the rhythms of Brazil with Israeli folk and classical music while drawing influence from legendary composers such as Hermeto Pascoal and the incomparable Chick Corea. The co-leaders are joined by three other fellow countrymen, including pianist Itay Simhovich, bassist Assaf Hakimi and drummer Dani Benedikt, forming a vibrant quintet known as ...
Continue ReadingMarc Seales: People & Places
by Edward Blanco
Seattle pianist Marc Seales, an established sideman and retired educator from the University of Washington, maintained a long-time friendship and collaboration with such jazz luminaries as Mark Murphy and guitarist great Larry Coryell, both of whom have since passed, and last, but certainly not least, tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts. Seales reunites with saxman Watts on their latest outing entitled People & Places, a collection of six originals, plus the re-imagined Wayne Shorter classic “Palladium," and “Home Light," a tune composed ...
Continue ReadingRichard Peña: The Latin Side of Jazz Guitar
by Edward Blanco
Presenting his fifth album as leader, Puerto Rican jazz guitarist Richard Peña unveils The Latin Side of Jazz Guitar, continuing his personal exploration of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, leading a quintet of stellar musicians documenting an eight-piece swinging set of light Latin-styled sounds. Considered one of the leading new generations of jazz musicians in Puerto Rico, Peña's intricate style blends the traditional harmonies of Latin music with the more modern colors of post-bop and fusion forging his own unique take on the ...
Continue ReadingLucas Apostoleris: It's Been Good
by Edward Blanco
Producing his third album as leader, Miami-based drummer Lucas Apostoleris delivers an engaging musical statement with the modern and contemporary jazz music of It's Been Good. On an album of all original compositions from the leader, Apostoleris demonstrates his abundant talents as a writer, providing creative and exciting musical moments throughout the session. This musician just happens to be a much-in-demand drummer in the Miami jazz scene, one of the players to go to when you need an exceptional drummer ...
Continue ReadingIttetsu Nasuda: Tailwind
by Edward Blanco
Hailing from Tokyo, Japan, Ittetsu Nasuda is a distinguished jazz pianist based in New York City whose exploration of contemporary and Afro- Cuban jazz and his overall affinity for the Latin jazz sound has helped him become a firmly established player within the jazz scene in the Big Apple. Tailwind is his recording debut; leading a vibrant quintet of New York-based musicians offering a 12-track set of original compositions that blends a hybrid of Afro-Cuban elements, a modern jazz sound ...
Continue ReadingRoberto Magris: Freedom Is Peace
by Edward Blanco
In 1998 international recording artist Roberto Magris formed a quintet of talented European musicians and called them his Europlane band which performed actively throughout Europe until 2003. More than twenty years later, the pianist assembles a new Europlane group and presents their first recording with Freedom is Peace, a powerful and captivating session of jazz with a soul-searching social conscious message reflective of the turbulent times we live in today and affirming that jazz can be a political statement which ...
Continue ReadingMichael Eckroth Group: Human Geography
by Edward Blanco
Grammy-nominated pianist/composer Micael Eckroth follows up his highly acclaimed Plena (Truth Revolution Records, 2021) with the vibrant and robust Human Geography, melding the sounds of contemporary jazz with elements of Afro-Caribbean music while exploring his affinity for the Latin sound and “paying homage to the culture of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the vast amalgam that comprise jazz." An Assistant Professor of music, jazz piano at Florida International University, Eckroth's geographical location in the diverse Anglo and mixed Hispanic community of ...
Continue ReadingKlas Lindquist: Handle With Care
by Edward Blanco
Considered one of “Sweden's most exciting jazz musicians," by the Goteborgs Posten, a major Swedish-language daily newspaper published in Gothenburg, Sweden, Klas Lindquist delivers his fifth album as leader with the intimate and sophisticated Handle with Care. As pianist Champian Fulton states in the liner notes, the album, “Spotlights Klas Lindquist as a soloist with a voice and perspective all his own." She essentially hits the nail on the proverbial head in describing the saxophonist's work on the recording, which ...
Continue ReadingRobin Simone: Robin Simone Hollywood Orchestra
by Edward Blanco
Three-time charting singer-songwriter and band leader Robin Simone fronts a seventeen-piece big band and dedicates her debut album “To those artistic dreamers, the lovers of Hollywood films and its incredible music." An industry musician who has worked on various national TV shows and who was inspired at a young age by her loving mother who sang songs from the movies, Simone chose this special concept album to share her musical dream for all to remember and enjoy the music of ...
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