Jazz Articles
Our daily articles are carefully curated by the All About Jazz staff. You can find more articles by searching our website, see what's trending on our popular articles page or read articles ahead of their published dates on our Coming Soon page. Read our daily album reviews.
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Atlantis Quartet: Live at Berlin
by Glenn Astarita
Naming a debut live album after the venue itself is a bold move, proclaiming the music and space as one. With Live at Berlin, recorded during the opening week of Minneapolis' newest jazz haunt in February 2024, Atlantis Quartet--saxophonist Brandon Wozniak, guitarist Zacc Harris, bassist Chris Bates, and drummer Pete Hennig--does not merely make the case; they etch it in neon. This album captures a band and a room in perfect, combustible alignment. For nearly two decades, this ...
Continue ReadingAtlantis Quartet: Live at Berlin
by Kyle Simpler
Since arriving on the scene in 2006, the Minneapolis-based Atlantis Quartet has established itself as a vital voice in modern jazz. With five albums already under their belt, the group continues to honor tradition while exploring new sonic territory. Live at Berlin captures their remarkable group chemistry during an engagement at the city's newest jazz venue, Berlin. Atlantis Quartet features four of Minnesota's most exciting jazz musicians: saxophonist Brandon Wozniak, guitarist Zacc Harris, bassist Chris Bates and drummer ...
Continue ReadingHeirloom: Familiar Beginnings
by Kyle Simpler
New music often serves a dual purpose. While it usually introduces fresh sounds, the music's structure generally contains a degree of familiarity, combining recognition with discovery. This idea of exploring new musical territory without abandoning its roots seems to be the guiding concept for the Milwaukee-based quartet Heirloom. With their debut album, Familiar Beginnings, they introduce a refreshing new sound grounded in jazz tradition. The album's title hints at the intersection between discovery and remembrance, and Heirloom delivers ...
Continue ReadingJake Baldwin: Vanishing Point
by Troy Dostert
Trumpeter Jake Baldwin has been an important presence in the Minneapolis jazz scene since the early 2010s, known especially for a stylistic breadth that can cover the gamut from conventional post-bop fare to rock-inflected fusion. On Vanishing Point, his fourth release for Shifting Paradigm Records, he digs deeper into the latter mode, making good use of a strong band to support a set of infectious, edgy, melody-driven excursions. The album crackles with energy from the outset, as the ...
Continue ReadingJimmy Farace: Hours Fly, Flowers Die
by Jerome Wilson
There have been many recordings of saxophones backed by string sections since Charlie Parker experimented with the idea many years ago. The majority of those have featured tenor or alto sax players. However, on his debut album, Jimmy Farace demonstrates how the baritone sax can excel beautifully in this format. The full instrumental lineup on this set has Farace in front of a quintet, which also includes guitar and piano, meeting up with the KAIA String Quartet. The ...
Continue ReadingEric Siereveld's Organic Quintet: Sweet William
by Jack Bowers
On their second recording together, trumpeter Eric Siereveld and his New York-based Organic Quintet are more a sextet most of the way, as guest trombonist Steve Davis lends a master hand (two, actually) on six of the album's eight numbers. The term “organic" springs from the fact that one of the ensemble's anchors is organist Steve Snyder, and the pleasurable studio date is in part a family affair as Steve Davis' son, Tony Davis, is the group's ...
Continue ReadingZoo Too Trio: Poetry Legroom
by Kyle Simpler
The jazz trio has long captivated both musicians and listeners, with iconic recordings from artists like Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson serving as cornerstones of the genre. But with Poetry Legroom Zoo Too Trio challenges and redefines the conventional format, sidestepping tradition in favor of something more exploratory, cinematic, and emotionally expressive. Pianist Michael Cain, guitarist Keith Price, and drummer Pheeroan AkLaff each bring distinct musical vocabularies to the project, yet the result is remarkably unified--less a rotating soloist showcase ...
Continue ReadingJackson Potter: small things
by Kyle Simpler
When musicians who are both skilled at their craft and passionate about what they play come together, it translates clearly into their music. Such is the case with Jackson Potter's sophomore release, Small Things. This is an engaging and well-crafted collection that highlights his compositional skills along with his fluency in contemporary jazz guitar. With a sound that captures the lyrical fluidity of Jim Hall and the swinging clarity of Herb Ellis, Potter strikes a compelling balance between tradition and ...
Continue ReadingJackson Potter: small things
by Dan Bilawsky
Grandiose gestures are well and good, but it's actually the small things, both independent and aggregated, that often prove most impactful. Those micro events or occurrences can lead to serious matters or link together to create an incredibly meaningful web of wonders at the macro level. That's a fact that Jackson Potter most certainly recognizes. For this, his sophomore date, the Minnesota-reared, New York-based guitarist demonstrates remarkable maturity and attention to detail while weaving together a smartly balanced program with ...
Continue ReadingBrad Shepik: Hard Believer
by Dan McClenaghan
The first burst of noise from a recording can be telling, predictive of what will come. The Believers' Hard Believer title tune says as much. A guitar, bass and drums group, the music comes to life with some resonant metallic chords. The drums and bass push their weight around. It is assertive music laid down with a gentle and intricate touch. This “Hard Believer" is an introspective entity. Guitarist Brad Shepik, bassist Sam Minaie and drummer John Hadfield ...
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