Articles by Sean Patrick Fitzell
Jamie Saft Special Quintet at Cornelia St. Café
by Sean Patrick Fitzell
Jamie SaftCornelia St. CaféNew York, NYNovember 12, 2010Perhaps better known for his electric keyboard work in genre-flouting projects, Jamie Saft also possesses a deep jazz sensibility and prodigious piano technique. It was these talents he sought to exercise with his “Special Quintet" for a 2-night, 4-set stand at Cornelia Street Café. Not stodgy or rote, the first set was firmly grounded in tradition but retained a sense of surprise. Saft was joined by ...
read moreMichael Formanek CD Release Show at Jazz Standard
by Sean Patrick Fitzell
Michael FormanekJazz StandardNew York, NY October 27, 2010 Bassist Michael Formanek celebrated the release of The Rub and Spare Change with two sets at the venerable Jazz Standard, October 27, 2010. It was noteworthy as his debut for ECM Records and first new CD in about a dozen years. Once an assiduous presence of the New York scene, in the intervening years, he's been focused as an educator at Peabody Conservatory, leading ...
read moreMark Feldman: Taking an Eclectic Path
by Sean Patrick Fitzell
Violinist Mark Feldman started out in Chicago playing classical music and bar gigs before moving on to the Nashville scene. He emerged in New York's “downtown" circle with the likes of Arcado String Trio, trumpeter Dave Douglas, and composer-saxophonist John Zorn. His expressive, classically tinged technique was also sought for studio work with pop acts and film scores. For the last 10 years, he's been integral to guitarist John Abercrombie's quartet and has recorded several discs as a leader. Feldman ...
read moreSteve Cardenas: West of Middle
by Sean Patrick Fitzell
Guitarist Steve Cardenas sports an unassuming style, devoid of histrionics. He favors clean tones, solid rhythms and cagey harmonies for a subtle, supportive approach. It's a combination he's used to help shape the music of drummers Paul Motian and Joey Baron, bassists Alexis Cuadrado and Charlie Haden and vocalists Kate McGarry and Rebecca Martin, among others. On West of Middle, only his third record as a leader, Cardenas enlists drummer Rudy Royston and bassist Ben Allison, with whom he's developed ...
read moreFrank Kimbrough: Rumors
by Sean Patrick Fitzell
As a leader, pianist Frank Kimbrough's primary means of expression has been the trio format and a refined casualness permeates Rumors. Never harried, his ideas spill from the keys to be absorbed and distilled by bassist Masa Kamaguchi and drummer Jeff Hirshfield. The trio's affinity is manifest in the broad communication heard within the music. They subtly ease into the slow-building opener, “Six," the only non-Kimbrough composition; he evinces a delicate touch that Kamaguchi responds to with ...
read moreMedeski, Martin and Wood: Radiolarians - The Evolutionary Set
by Sean Patrick Fitzell
Medeski Martin & WoodRadiolarians: The Evolutionary SetIndirecto Records2009 In an age when jazz is usually driven by individuals and fleeting lineups, the ability of Medeski, Martin and Wood (MMW) to sustain and reinvigorate their collective creativity for nearly 20 years is astounding. Never risk-averse--whether jamming with turntablists or flouting expectations with an all-acoustic record and tour--they've kept the music fresh for themselves and their listeners. So it wasn't ...
read moreBen Goldberg: Go Home
by Sean Patrick Fitzell
A comfortable familiarity permeates Go Home, the latest project from veteran clarinetist Ben Goldberg and the first offering from his Bag Production Records. Culled from both studio and live cuts, these feel-good romps suggest the intimacy of a jam session. He enlists longtime collaborators Charlie Hunter on seven-string guitar, Ron Miles on trumpet and cornet and Scott Amendola on drums, and their easy rapport fosters the music's success. Trafficking in meaty mid- and slow-cooking tempos, the group ...
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