Jazz Articles

Club d'Elf: Perhapsody Live 10.12.06

by Chris M. Slawecki
February 16, 2008

A floating ensemble in every best sense of the word, Club d'Elf is tethered to bassist Mike Rivard and the more or less house rhythm section from Rivard's extended residency at the Lizard Lounge, a progressive if not experimental music club in Boston. After releasing numerous live albums--the best laboratory for their mainly improvised, genre-munching music--they released their first studio album, Now I Understand (Accurate), in late 2006. What did they do at their studio album release party? Why, perform ...

Club d'Elf: Perhapsody: Live 10-12-06

by Doug Collette
September 21, 2007

Perhapsody, the seventh in a series of live releases by Club d'Elf, contains extended tracks like “Salvia Pt. 1" and “Jar of Hair," where the music ebbs and flows with a passion derived from the spontaneity of the bandïs interactions. Meanwhile, the absolutely impeccable quality of the recording maintains that heat of the moment rather than nullifying it.

Certainly the excitement level was high in the venue at this autumn, 2006 release party for Club d'Elf's long-awaited studio recording Now ...

Scott Steen: Playing Favorites

by John Barron
June 21, 2007

Los Angeles-based trumpeter Scott Steen has made a name for himself as a long-time member of the popular swing band, Royal Crown Revue, and as a featured soloist for vocalist Bette Midler. On Playing Favorites, Steen, taking the reigns as leader, pays tribute to his musical heroes with a swinging set of standards and hard pop classics.

Steen reminds listeners of the controlled, yet tremendous power of Freddie Hubbard on Herbie Hancock's “Cantaloupe Island" and “One Finger Snap." The trumpeter ...

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: Symbiosis Osmosis

by Mark Sabbatini
February 11, 2005

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey Symbiosis Osmosis Kufala Recordings 2005

How can you not love these guys? Actually, it's not that hard if you're a fan of Kenny G or George W. Bush. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey's Symbiosis Osmosis opens with a song dedicated to the president called “Dubya! Stop Lying!" It's followed by another that pianist Brian Haas--a recent co-founder of “The Dead Kenny Gs"--introduces as “We're Not Scared Of You Because ...

Nicholas Payton & Sonic Trance: Live in New York 1.24.04

by Jeff Stockton
January 6, 2005

On the surface, Nicholas Payton's Sonic Trance is a fusion band. The leader occasionally tricks out his horn with effects, pianist Scott Kinsey moves over to electric keyboard from time to time, and percussionist Daniel Sadownick does his best to establish an Agharta vibe on congas. But there is no electric guitar in Sonic Trance, and Vicente Archer lays down the groove over the course of this hour-long concert solely on acoustic bass. Every trumpet player is forced at one ...

Zony Mash: Farewell Shows

by John Kelman
January 5, 2005

Quirky like Medeski, Martin & Wood but more overtly groove-centric, keyboardist Wayne Horvitz's Zony Mash has always been the intelligent alternative to the often-meandering jam band mentality. Horvitz's idiosyncratic compositions provide a framework for the rest of the group--drummer Andy Roth, bassist Keith Lowe and guitarist Tim Young--but Zony Mash has developed a collective sound since its formation in '97. Revolving around improvisation, it's equally informed by funk groups like The Meters, blues-based bands including The Allman Brothers and, to ...

Zony Mash: Farewell Shows

by Dennis Cook
October 2, 2004

The Hammond B3 organ and the Rhodes electric piano must possess a sorcerer's charm. Keyboardists in every genre, especially in jazz, have fallen under the sway of these instruments since their emergence in the '60s, often to point of distraction. Downtown NYC veteran Wayne Horvitz is no exception, and his Seattle based Zony Mash mixed up classic boogaloo with smatterings of prog, stomp rock and Charles Earland funk grinders. These shows, recorded on December 12, 2003 in their hometown, represent ...

The Slip: Live At Lupo

by Dennis Cook
September 22, 2004

Uncompromising creativity. That's the harmonic buzz underscoring every note that pours from The Slip. On their first full concert release, these players announce immediately that they are forging their own path, but they've made it wide enough for anyone with the ears to hear to join them, living proof that an adventurous spirit can also be catchy as all get out.

Opener “Old George," with its bullets and boxes, shows that pop music need not lack character or complexity. And ...

Club d'Elf: Live: Vassar Chapel 2/26/01

by AAJ Staff
May 21, 2004

Boston area bassist Mike Rivard has led a running jam at the Lizard Lounge for over five years now, which is an impressive tenure for such an exploratory project. Club d'Elf, as the adventure is known, released its double-disc debut, As Above , in 2001 to critical acclaim; this year's output includes three (count 'em, three) more double-disc live sets recorded live in Athens, GA; New York City; and Poughkeepsie, NY, respectively. The ultra-low budget packaging leaves something to be ...

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey: Slow Breath, Silent Mind

by Eric J. Iannelli
March 1, 2004

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey tiptoes along the fine lines separating rock and jazz and all the various sub- and sub-sub- genres of the two. There’s a salient jam band ethos in their music, right next to the influences of classic and psychedelic rock, hard bop and experimental/avant jazz. This broad source of inspiration has won them a following from the university party scene to somewhat fussier critical circles.

Culled from recorded performances during a two-month U.S. tour in ...