Jazz Articles

Jesse Davis: The Setup

by Russ Musto
December 3, 2003

This is the real thing: an authentic, unpretentious set of bebop, ballads and blues played with the profound feeling and burning intensity that many artists strive for but few achieve. Saxophonist Jesse Davis was a featured player in Robert Altman's Kansas City and on this date he seems to be on a mission to revitalize jazz with the energy and excitement of a “real" jazz club, as depicted in that film. The group, featuring Davis' frequent collaborator Peter Bernstein on ...

Jay Klum: Home Cooking

by C. Michael Bailey
February 13, 2003

Home Cooking is a simple pleasure. After having listened to labelmate Doug Lawrence’s Streetwise, I was half expecting a little funky tome replete with organ, guitar and tenor—all that would go well with a title like Home Cooking. Instead, the home cooking here is that kind of food that is warm and familiar—comfortable. I was also expecting Jay Klum to be a man and was pleasantly surprised to learn otherwise. Ms. Klum has a potent yet pretty voice that can ...

Doug Lawrence: Streetwise

by C. Michael Bailey
February 13, 2003

There is always more room for a good tenor-guitar-organ combo. Tenor saxophonist Doug Lawrence leads such a combo for his Alltribe debut. A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Lawrence has been performing since childhood. He currently leads the Doug Lawrence Orchestra and has recorded widely as a sideman and as a leader. For Streetwise, organist Dan Trudell, guitarist Ray Macchiarola, and drummer George Fludas join Lawrence for the festivities. Together, they pump out a liqueur-cool brand of organ-tenor jazz that ...

Jesse Davis: The Setup

by C. Michael Bailey
January 24, 2003

Jesse Davis is a meat and potatoes alto saxophonist. He sounds like the living extension of that part of Julian Adderley and Sonny Stitt which was unaffected by Charlie Parker. He has a beautifully virile, muscular tone brimming with confidence. On The Setup, Davis chooses a guitar trio for his rhythm section, lead by plectrist Peter Bernstein perfectly balancing Davis’s brawn with grace and intelligence.

Davis’s choice of repertoire for this recital is tasteful and smart. From the standards bin, ...