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.

Album Review

Bruce Kaphan Quartet: Bruce Kaphan Quartet

Read "Bruce Kaphan Quartet" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
July 14, 2012

What can be more American than jazz played on pedal steel guitar? After all, both are United States' cultural products. Yet pedal steel guitarists are rarely found outside the different sub-genres of country music. Enter Bruce Kaphan, a virtuoso of this instrument and a talented composer who peppers Bruce Kaphan Quartet with abundant jazzy sensibilities. Kaphan includes a couple of standards in the repertoire, allowing the steel guitarist and his band mates ample opportunity to demonstrate their ...

Album Review

Bruce Kaphan Quartet: Bruce Kaphan Quartet

Read "Bruce Kaphan Quartet" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
June 17, 2012

The pedal steel guitar is so closely associated with American country and western music that its image can scarcely escape that infinite gravity of categorization. Even when it has wobbled its way into jazz, the instrument has always operated beneath the label of “Western Swing" or “Alternative Country." Several notable players have distinguished themselves in the hinge of Western Swing, including Bob Wills' steel guitarist Leon McAuliffe, Hank Williams' steel guitarist Don Helms, and Buddy Emmons. Many of the country ...