Jazz Articles

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Ken Vandermark's TOPOLOGY Nonet w/Joe McPhee: Impressions Of Po Music

by Mark Corroto
July 24, 2013

Food scientists know that human taste buds favor three items, sweet, salty and fat. Although abundant today, our prehistoric ancestors scavenged for these scarce commodities. A musical arranger, like a great chef, can serve up delectable music by skillfully combining the three tastes.Our chef, the musical impresario Ken Vandermark, organized this nonet tribute to Joe McPhee and his influential music by inviting the great man to record with eight Chicago musicians. All would probably name McPhee as their ...

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The Engines: Wire and Brass

by Mark Corroto
May 15, 2010

The second disc by the Chicago collaboration known as The Engines is a live date recorded at the Hungry Brain in April of 2008. Each player, a talented leader in his own right, adds equal measure to create music that dodges inside and out of composed direction and free form improvising.

Originally organized as a trio by saxophonist Dave Rempis (the yin to Ken Vandermark's yang in the Vandermark 5), The Engines' drummer Tim Daisy ( the saxophonist's ...