Jazz Articles
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Tomeka Reid: Tomeka Reid Quartet
by Patrick Burnette
Even jazz fans who follow recordings coming out of Chicago might still not have heard of cellist Tomeka Reid. Before 2015, when Tomeka Reid Quartet was released, she worked mostly as a sideman (side-person?) with such local luminaries as Nicole Mitchell and Dee Alexander, as well as participating in the AACM. Given that it's her debut as leader, Quartet is a remarkably assured recording, programmed with an excellent sense of pace and point. Performances don't outstay their welcome and fit ...
read moreMatthew Shipp Trio: Piano Song
by Troy Collins
Matthew Shipp has long been considered one of the leading pianists of his generation. Collaborating with artists from wide ranging genres over the past three decades, Shipp has maintained a distinctively singular vision with an immediately recognizable sound. Publicized as Shipp's final release for Thirsty Ear, Piano Song follows in the footsteps of The Conduct of Jazz, his 2015 trio recording for the revered label, although he is slated to remain curator of the imprint's ground-breaking “Blue Series."
read moreMatthew Shipp Trio: Piano Song
by Mark Corroto
The finest compliment you can pay an artist is that his music is instantly recognized in a blindfold test. Sure, back in the day most experienced listeners could identify a Bud Powell, Bill Evans, or Oscar Peterson recording. It's just, these days, there are so many Powell, Evans, and Peterson soundalikes, schooled in the art of emulation, that identity is no longer a prized commodity. That is, unless you value an original voice, one like that of Matthew Shipp.
read moreMatthew Shipp Trio: Piano Song
by Matthew Aquiline
It's difficult to encapsulate pianist Matthew Shipp's inimitable musical vision and approach exclusively with words. The elusiveness of his aesthetic stems from its malleability: Shipp retains his unwavering objective of unfettered expression, yet never fully eschews tradition, yielding an unrivaled brand of stirring music. A consummate innovator, Shipp's singular musical vocabulary has matured and diversified over decades of enterprising music, spanning a multitude of genres and musical ensembles. 2016 was a particularly fruitful year for Shipp, with releases ...
read moreMatthew Shipp Trio: Piano Song
by Karl Ackermann
Recent months in 2016 have seen the release of at least a half-dozen albums featuring Matthew Shipp including The Uppercut (ESP-Disk) with Polish reed player Mat Walerian, Live in Sant'Anna Arresi, 2004 (AUM Fidelity), a duo release with the late David S. Ware, the Bobby Kapp duo recording Cactus (Northern-Spy Records) and The Core Trio Live Featuring Matthew Shipp (Evil Rabbit Records). The four represent a broadly diverse array of music and now Piano Song further expands the artist's portfolio. ...
read moreMatthew Shipp Trio: Piano Song
by Jakob Baekgaard
Depending on your perspective, tradition can both be a blessing and a burden. Especially in jazz, it is hard to say something new and this is true as well when it comes to the noble art of the piano trio. Thelonious Monk has been there, Bill Evans has been there and Cecil Taylor has been there--just to name a few innovators. It has become harder to identify gigantic stylistic leaps, but subtle innovations happen all the time. Recently, ...
read moreMatthew Shipp Trio: The Conduct of Jazz
by Glenn Astarita
Influential progressive jazz pianist/improviser, Matthew Shipp boasts an extensive discography as a group leader, soloist and in-demand session artiste. During the past three decades he's amassed an immense discography amid his affiliations with like-minded musicians representing the USA and Euro-jazz circuits. On this piano trio date, Shipp exemplifies to a very high degree, his uncanny knack for seamlessly bridging the avant-garde space with modern jazz. Unlike similar experimental or outside motivations by many of his peers, the pianist's muse is ...
read moreTomeka Reid: Tomeka Reid Quartet
by Hrayr Attarian
As an accomplished composer and improviser, cellist Tomeka Reid, is an integral part of Chicago's creative music scene. In addition to being an educator, Reid is a versatile and tireless performer both in her hometown and beyond. Moreover her unique style graces the works of such luminaries as flutist Nicole Mitchell, multireed player Anthony Braxton as well as her own collaborative trio albums. The tense and thrilling Tomeka Reid Quartet is her first release as a leader. The, ...
read moreMatthew Shipp Trio: The Conduct of Jazz
by John Sharpe
A glance at pianist Matthew Shipp's discography reveals that small group work has long been a focus. Indeed in recent times one of the prime outlets for his artistry is his classic piano trio, which ranks among the pre-eminent outfits in modern jazz. The Conduct Of Jazz represents Shipp's twelfth release in the format. Although there has been gradual change in personnel over the years--Newman Taylor Baker makes his debut on the drum stool alongside monster bassist Michael Bisio, replacing ...
read moreMatthew Shipp Trio: The Conduct of Jazz
by Troy Collins
One of today's foremost pianists, Matthew Shipp has demonstrated the breadth of his artistry in numerous settings over his three decade career, including genre-defying electro-acoustic experiments. Recent years have found him narrowing his focus to concentrate on intimate acoustic efforts however, especially in one of the jazz tradition's most venerable formats--the classic piano trio. The Conduct of Jazz is the fifth trio recording to feature Michael Bisio as Shipp's principal bassist since 2011's The Art of the Improviser ...
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