Jazz Articles

Masahiko Togashi & Masayuki Takayanagi: Pulsation

by Nicola Negri
August 1, 2016

Virtually unnoticed in the West, the Japanese free jazz scene in the 1970s was bursting with creativity. The musicians shared a strong sense of adventure, as they welcomed the developments of creative music and free improvisation from USA and Europe while trying to find their own voice with a completely personal approach to improvised music. One of the main protagonists of that season was Masayuki Takayanagi, a strikingly original guitarist and musical thinker with a strong passion for both mainstream ...

Helge Lien Trio: Asymmetrics

by Matthew Wuethrich
July 2, 2004

The ominous cover art and brooding band photo on the cover of the Norwegian Helge Lien trio’s second DIW release, Asymmetrics, promises a stormy affair, but true to the title, the nine tracks surprise and deliver instead a restrained, at times even gentle mood without, however, sacrificing intensity.

Willie Oteri: Spiral Out

by Marco Piva
April 16, 2004

The eclectic US guitarist Willie Oteri, who played with or supported artists like Bob Seger, Neil Young, Doobie Brothers, Chaka Khan and Passenger and has been a member of Jazz Gunn, has the chance to cooperate with producer Ronan Chris Murphy (who has worked with King Crimson amongst others) for this Spiral Out that he records with such artists as the rhythm section of King Crimson (Tony Levin on bass and Pat Mastelotto on drums), Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa) on ...

Ali/Belogenis/Morris: Live At Tonic

by Mark Corroto
November 1, 2001

The first track “Invocation: Trane Is In The House,” of this January 2001 live date just about describes it all. This trio formed from the embers of the creative luminescence that was John Coltrane sears through a New York winter evening. Drummer Rashied Ali is familiar with this territory, having held the drum chair from 1965 through 1967, the year of Coltrane’s death. Together Trane and Ali explored the outer reaches of free jazz, recording Meditations , and Interstellar Space. ...

Carla White: The Sweetest Sounds

by Dave Nathan
April 1, 2001

Carla White has been a staple of vocal jazz for almost 20 years. Yet it's the same old story. No matter how talented - - and she is high on the talent list - - White has had trouble getting her art put to disk. She had to go to Mexico for her last CD. Now this one is issued by a Japanese company. Half of the liner notes on my copy are in Japanese. It was recorded in 1996 ...

Carla White: The Sweetest Sounds

by C. Andrew Hovan
March 1, 2001

During the period when jazz had reached a popular appeal unlike anything seen before or since, the idea of a woman vocalist fronting a big band was a fashionable and alluring notion. It was the swing era and such names as Mildred Bailey, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'Day, and countless others came up through the ranks, first getting their starts as an adjunct to the dance bands. That kind of experience no longer exists for today's jazz vocalist, yet ...

Carla White: The Sweetest Sounds

by Jim Santella
March 1, 2001

Her breathy alto voice sets up a romantic scene for this session of standards. Carla White creates a particularly impressive scene every time she scat sings her way through one of these favorite tunes. Alongside Lew Tabackin, Dean Johnson and Peter Madsen, she's the agile instrumentalist, weaving her voice among their assertive lines. Straight-ahead jazz is timeless. With her ensemble trading fours and interacting seamlessly, White basks in the freedom to be herself.

Not quite as effective on slow, steamy, ...

Lee Konitz: Some New Stuff

by Andrew Lindstrom
February 1, 2001

One of the most exciting and unique aspects of “saxophonitz" Lee Konitz's playing and writing is his intense respect for both the intuitive nature of the improvisational process as well as the practical nuts and bolts of making music with others. This is a characteristic of many of pianist/pedagogue Lennie Tristano's pupils to a certain extent, but Konitz has always been the most creatively restless of that school (at one point Tristano himself felt “betrayed" by Konitz's individualism). A thorough ...

Br: Shadows

by Micah Holmquist
February 1, 2001

Peter Brötzmann is an impressive figure in more ways than one. To begin with, there is his status as a legend. From his 1968 debut Machine Gun to the present day, the German saxophonist has long stood for creativity and challenging conventions. Since then he has played with many of the great avant-garde masters such as Evan Parker, Cecil Taylor, and Ken Vandermark.

Brötzmann also has an impressive physical presence. A man of not inconsiderable girth and with his beard ...

Lee Konitz: Some New Stuff

by Mark Corroto
January 1, 2001

Recently, I’ve rediscovered the music of Lee Konitz. Actually never lost, I just kind of never favored his sound. Till now. Maybe he has mellowed, or I’ve aged, but to my ears he has set aside attitude to favor beauty.

Konitz, a Lennie Tristano disciple, has for years been undeservedly labeled with a cool-school moniker. His music was never consciously ‘cool’ as much as it was aloof and distant, giving the appearance of arrogance. His tone was acerbic, but had ...