Articles by Jay Deshpande
Lafayette Gilchrist: Soul Progressin'
by Jay Deshpande
On Soul Progressin', Lafayette Gilchrist mixes a funky sensibility with, above all else, a sense of play. The album showcases the young pianist's compositions in a no-holds-barred, gutsy display of honest sound. Throughout, Gilchrist is supported by the strong horn section (two trumpets, three saxophones) that defines his band, the New Volcanoes. Gilchrist presents a range of compositions on the album, but all of them straddle a line between genres while maintaining a genuinely personal, distinct feel. ...
Continue ReadingGlenn White: Sacred Machines
by Jay Deshpande
New York-based saxophonist Glenn White presents a set of eloquent and somewhat haunting tunes on Sacred Machines. The machines herein are a platform for the strong soloists in the ensemble, but the album's unity comes from a common palette that transcends the bandleader's harmonic tendencies (White wrote six of the disc's seven songs). Sacred Machines presents a pleasant interplay between able musicians, in a firm, stylistic environment. Although there is a degree of variation between the tracks--"Triality" ...
Continue ReadingHot Club of Detroit: Night Town
by Jay Deshpande
The Hot Club of Detroit will without a doubt soon be among the most popular bands playing in the gypsy tradition of jazz manouche. Django Reinhardt's band, the Hot Club de France, first brought the fiery, flamenco-infused sound to the realm of jazz. In homage to and elaboration of the tradition, the HCOD presents its sophomore release, Night Town. Despite the referential name, the Hot Club of Detroit doesn't just follow Reinhardt's footsteps. This quintet's sound is ...
Continue ReadingStephen Anderson: Forget Not
by Jay Deshpande
Pianist Stephen Anderson is an exemplar of the scholar-musician. Although jazz education is an ever-growing field, it's rare to find someone who succeeds in both disciplines, as a player and an academic. Perhaps because jazz is so fundamentally founded on “feel," it leaves less space open for the rational or analytical. But at least some of the tracks on Forget Not, Anderson's first release as a bandleader, would suggest that maybe one can do it all. From ...
Continue ReadingAndreas Oberg: My Favorite Guitars
by Jay Deshpande
Swedish guitarist Andreas Oberg's My Favorite Guitars is that rare thing among jazz albums: a wolf in sheep's clothing. As the title suggests, Oberg concentrates here on the songs of his major influences (probably the most prominent among them is Pat Martino, and to a lesser extent Django Reinhardt). And throughout the disc's twelve tracks, the guitarist plays over such a plush bed of synthesized strings and rich production, that at times one might lose sight of the raw materials ...
Continue ReadingNorberto Tamburrino: Prigioniero del Mare / Prisoner of The Sea
by Jay Deshpande
On his sophomore effort Prigioniero del Mare / Prisoner of The Sea, Italian pianist Norberto Tamburrino continues to chart his course through a host of original compositions. Although he tests the waters with more trio arrangements than on his preceding album, Deco (Splasc(H), 2006), his greatest strength continues to lie in his solo work. The album opens with original songs--two takes of the title track with J.D. Allen on tenor, and four other compositions set for trio. ...
Continue ReadingEyran Katsenelenbogen: 88 Fingers
by Jay Deshpande
Eyran Katsenelenbogen's solo piano work has received the highest praise that a jazz pianist can be given: he has been likened to Art Tatum. Although Tatum is widely considered the most virtuosic piano improviser of the last century, players are hardly ever compared to him. To be associated with the man who Fats Waller referred to as “God," one needs a perfect sense of time and an ability to entirely alter the harmony of a standard at lightning speed. Indeed, ...
Continue ReadingGeorge Kahn: Cover Up!
by Jay Deshpande
In the liner notes to Cover Up!, George Kahn discusses his goal of drawing upon the heritage of west coast jazz. For most people, this brings to mind Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, or the Lighthouse All Stars. For Kahn, though, it means a particular way of portraying the popular songs of his youth--tunes that fall outside the normal purview of jazz. On this disc, he provides graceful renditions of Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, John Mayer, ...
Continue ReadingDave Stryker Quartet: Strike Up The Band
by Jay Deshpande
Dave Stryker is a strong guitarist with an excellent back-catalog of credits to his name. While Strike Up The Band doesn't show off his full capabilities in their best light, it makes for a listenable jaunt, and a clear reminder that musicians on Stryker's level can seek out more demanding material. The album has a definite polish: Nils Winther's production is of a very high quality, and each of the four musicians plays with a distinctive and ...
Continue ReadingThe Alon Farber Hagiga Sextet: Optimistic View
by Jay Deshpande
No other way to put it: the Alon Farber Hagiga Sextet is a fantastic find. First formed in 2001 by saxophonist Alon Farber and drummer Dani Benedikt, Hagiga has developed a tasteful interplay while melding disparate musical traditions from around the world. As Israelis, the band-members draw on a heritage of confluence and intersection. Mirroring their nation's geography, Hagiga's sound is at the intersection of north African aesthetics, European jazz, and a distinctly Asian approach to improvisation. Combining this background ...
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