Jazz Articles

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M'Balia: Halfway There

by C. Michael Bailey
November 7, 2015

Halfway There is the debut recording of one Philadelphia- native M'Balia Singley, a talented singer matriculating from Yale with a degree in history and Temple with one in law. That is an embarrassment of riches. But can counselor Singley translate all of this brain power into music? Her life arc had her practicing law and raising a family before returning to music. When she did return, she did so in the company of New York pianist Orrin Evans whose influence ...

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Clark / Thorne / Fell: Isthmus

by Robert Spencer
January 1, 1998

In the liner notes to this unique recording, violinist Graham Clark explains that his trio's idea was to “produce some beautiful and interesting music without having written anything beforehand. This is a 'warts and all' recording."

Maybe, but it is largely wart-free. Clark, bassist Jon Thorne and drummer Milo Fell are remarkably attuned to one another. Clark, as the lead voice, is a consistently melodic and pleasingly inventive violinist. Like the pianistics of his old boss Keith Tippett, occasionally his ...