Jazz Articles

Michael Wolff & Impure Thoughts: Dangerous Vision

by Ken Franckling
January 19, 2005

From the opening trill of repetitive block chords on Michael Wolff's piano and a brash hip-hop drumbeat compliments of Mike Clark on the opening title track, listeners tuning in to Dangerous Vision will sense rather quickly that they're in for an exhilarating ride. This third recording by Wolff's working band, Impure Thoughts, is its finest moment on record. It is also a musical autobiography of sorts for Wolff, who is best known by many as the musical director for TV's ...

Dave Glasser: Dreams Askew, Dreams Anew

by Dave Nathan
April 18, 2002

This is Dave Glasser's first album for the Artemis label. Previously, he was part of the Nagel Heyer stable having made two albums for them as a leader and numerous ones as a sideman. Of the young alto sax players on the scene today, few can match the purity of tone that Glasser gets out of the horn. It combines the sultry sound of Johnny Hodges with Stan Getz's out and out beautiful tone. Add to this a shred of ...

Rickie Lee Jones: Live At Red Rocks

by Ashley King
January 1, 2002

Live records are perhaps the most precarious of balancing acts. For too many artists, ventures into unplugged territory prove to be nothing more than overproduced exercises in self-indulgence. On the contrary, Live At Red Rocks, the most recent release from Rickie Lee Jones, is a refreshingly satisfying jaunt into this well-traveled arena.

In contrast to her 1995 live release Naked Song s, Red Rocks is not about showcasing Jones as a stripped down, acoustic singer-songwriter. But rather it is about ...