Articles by Jud Branam
Diego Rivera: The Contender
by Jud Branam
Like the famous muralist from whom he got his name, Michigan tenor saxophonist Diego Rivera covers a lot of stylistic ground while adhering to a workmanlike theme on his new CD, The Contender. Rivera leads a powerful sextet through an 11-song set of brawny, orthodox post-bop that carries on the blowing session tradition in the best sense of the phrase. The title-track opener sets an aggressive and upbeat mood with an angular, John Coltrane-styled sax intro ...
read moreGene Ess: Blending Passionate and Pensive
by Jud Branam
Fresh off the release of Fractal Attraction (Simp, 2013), which blends traditional combo jazz lineups and approaches with a unique take on vocal jazz, Gene Ess is a man with a lot on his mind as it pertains to career, place--and music in general. Ess is enthusiastic about his love of jazz, classical and rock music, but is also pensive about the tough state of the music economy and the prospects for working jazz. He's also excited about ...
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