Jazz Articles
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Stefan Karlsson Trio: Music Is Forever: The Music of Russ Freeman
by Jack Bowers
Music may be forever, but until the advent of modern recording devices, it was also ephemeral. Once the notes had been played or sung, they were gone forever. Thankfully, we now have the means by which to preserve wonderful music such as that written by Russ Freeman--if not forever, at least for many years to come. Freeman, best known as a pianist with Chet Baker, Shelly Manne, and a host of others, was also an astute and tasteful composer, at ...
Continue ReadingThe Shapiro Project: True Colors
by Jack Bowers
The Shapiro Project is a quartet formed two years ago by grad students at the University of Nevada–Las Vegas who were pursuing degrees in Jazz Studies. Guitarist Eugene Shapiro, the group’s composer / arranger, serves as nominal leader with Rusty Blevins on tenor and soprano saxophones, Kevin Thomas on bass and a second Shapiro, younger brother Boris, at the drum kit. Lending a helping hand (six, actually) on the group’s debut album for TNC Jazz are UNLV faculty members Wayne ...
Continue ReadingThe Tom Ferguson Trio: Say When
by Jack Bowers
Piano trio Jazz as it should be played, with intelligence and brio, by Tom Ferguson and his empathetic teammates, bassist Tom Warrington and drummer Steve Houghton. For Ferguson, known primarily as an accompanist and educator, the debut is as long overdue as it is welcome, and we can thank TNC Records for coaxing the sixty (or seventy?)–something artist into a studio. After retiring in 1981 from his position as director of Jazz Studies at Arizona State University, Ferguson, a past ...
Continue ReadingThe Wayne de Silva Quartet: First Morning
by Jack Bowers
The references to Joe Henderson in the liner notes to Wayne de Silva’s CD, First Morning, aren’t misplaced; the young tenor saxophonist often mirrors Henderson’s temperament, both in spirit and in substance. On the other hand, he’s definitely no clone, using Henderson’s substructure as a springboard for his fresh improvisational concepts. The similarities between them are most apparent on the slower numbers, of which there are basically five (the program alternates roughly from fast to slow — or medium — ...
Continue ReadingJiggs Whigham / Gene Bertoncini: The Heart and Soul of Hoagy Carmichael
by Jack Bowers
One great composer, two wonderful musicians, ten memorable songs — a fabulous idea on paper, but one in which the ingredients are sometimes tastier than the meal. Not that trombonist Jiggs Whigham and guitarist Gene Bertoncini are a less than charming and accomplished duo; on the contrary, they perform the songs of Hoagy Carmichael with an abundance of “heart and soul” (on that tune and elsewhere). But fifty–eight minutes of trombone and guitar, no matter how well–played, can become wearisome ...
Continue ReadingWalter Blanton and Dharma: Voyage from the Past
by Jack Bowers
Grab your pencils and paper, students; there’ll be a pop quiz later. From Brian Sanders’ liner notes to Voyage from the Past: “Dharma begins with the notion that the relationship between composition and improvisation is circular rather than linear; that each process inspires the other. Dharma furthers our sense that music is conversation: participants [are] free to interject ideas, develop thoughts or move on as they wish to the next topic.” Are you with us so far? Trumpeter Walter Blanton’s ...
Continue ReadingThe Stefan Karlsson Trio and Friends: Music Box
by Jack Bowers
Recorded in 1997, Music Box is the first album by pianist Stefan Karlsson’s trio (Tom Warrington, bass; Ed Soph, drums), which is hard to believe in light of their conspicuous rapport and the high level of musicianship throughout. The talented threesome has since recorded a second album, No Place to Go But Up, and backed a number of other groups for Las Vegas–based TNC Jazz. Whereas No Place to Go featured the music of composer Kurt Weill, Music Box is ...
Continue ReadingJazz @ Six: Out of the Blue
by Jack Bowers
Jazz @ Six is a six–member co–op group comprised of faculty members at the University of Nevada–Las Vegas. These are teachers who can — play, that is — an opinion that even the most casual survey of Out of the Blue quickly affirms. Pianist Stefan Karlsson, UNLV’s director of Jazz Studies, is present on every track, as are bassist Tom Warrington and drummer John Abraham, with the others — trumpeter Rocky Winslow, tenor saxophonist Marc Solis, guitarist Joe Lano — ...
Continue ReadingThe Marvin Stamm Quartet: Elegance
by Jack Bowers
The “invisible man” returns. Trumpeter Marvin Stamm, who played with big bands led by Woody Herman, Stan Kenton and Thad Jones / Mel Lewis, among others, before vanishing in the early ’70s into the wilderness of studio work in New York City, is playing Jazz again — has been for some time now — and that is good news indeed for those of us who appreciate the sort of “elegance” he invariably espouses. Indeed, there’s no more appropriate word than ...
Continue ReadingThe Rocky Winslow Quartet & Guests: Simple Complications
by Jack Bowers
Trumpeter Rocky Winslow’s debut as leader is an enterprising album of assertive post–bop Jazz that is undeniably well–played but sounds much like many other enterprising albums of assertive post–bop Jazz. While almost every track is admirable, none is memorable. Winslow, who wrote five of the eight numbers that comprise the album and solos on all of them, leads a group of able–bodied sidemen and guests who manage to capture one’s interest even when the material is less than absorbing. Alto ...
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