Jazz Articles

like 298

Geoff Lapp: Stained Glass

by Budd Kopman
November 26, 2007

Pianist Geoff Lapp and his trio are in high demand in their native Montreal, Canada, and if Stained Glass is any indication of how the group plays live, it is easy to see why. The reasons given for entitling an album are many times not clear. “Stained Glass" evokes an image a church window, or maybe a Tiffany lamp, and the metaphor could be extended to many small pieces of different colors making up the whole, creating ...

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Dave Turner: Earth Tones

by John Kelman
November 29, 2006

It's been over two years since Montreal-based saxophonist Dave Turner debuted his new quartet, which finds the longtime altoist making an exclusive switch to the baritone instrument. With trombonist Dave Grott sharing the front line, the quartet may have looked bottom-heavy on paper--but it's proven to be a soulful and rich-sounding unit, aided by the young up-and-comer Vanessa Rodrigues on Hammond B3 organ.After the 2004 festival season, which included a terrific performance at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival, ...

like 122

Martine Carri: Blackfoot

by Jerry D'Souza
August 22, 2005

From Montreal, home of the best jazz festival in the world and some of the finest jazz musicians in Canada, comes Martine Carrière. She is on her second CD, bringing in tow a top-notch band of musicians. They have played with her before, and the empathy between them gives the music a natural air that captures the zest, happiness, and intimacy of the songs.

Carrière sings with a warm passion that light up a ballad, and she has ...

like 227

Jean Beaudet Trio: Les Danseurs

by John Kelman
April 6, 2004

Risk-taking is endemic to jazz; however what can appear to be a chancy approach, in the final analysis, can also be merely shtick--the much-hyped The Bad Plus being a prime example. Canadian pianist Jean Beaudet knows all about risk. With a recording career that now extends back twenty-five years, he has been touted as the torch-taker for two pianists who have been synonymous with musical adventure, Oscar Peterson and Paul Bley. The comparisons are not altogether untoward as he demonstrates ...

like 129

Joao Donato: Amazonas

by Craig Jolley
February 1, 2001

A less-celebrated contemporary of Jobim and Gilberto, pianist/composer Joao Donato has enjoyed a more diverse career than his fellow bossa nova pioneers. As a versatile, accomplished pianist also at home in extroverted Cuban rhythms Donato has recorded and played with Mongo Santamaria, Bud Shank, Cal Tjader, and Michael Franks as well as with many of the major Brazilian singers.

Amazonas suggests itself as a career summary with some of Donato's best tunes presented in the back-to-basics context of a piano ...