Jazz Articles

like 366

Jim Pepper / Amina Claudine Myers / Anthony Cox / Leopoldo Fleming: Afro Indian Blues

by Donald Elfman
September 6, 2007

It's American roots music in flying colors as four simpatico musicians dig deeply at a 1991 Austrian jazz festival. Native American (Craw) Jim Pepper, African-Americans Amina Claudine Myers and Anthony Cox and Puerto Rican Leopoldo Fleming wowed the audience with “native music--the blues, jazz, Indian and African music that seems all about the passion and power to unite. The concert opens with--what else?--the blues. It's basically Billie Holiday's “Fine and Mellow, and is a down-home groove. Myers ...

like 620

Afro Indian Blues

by Bill Siegel
July 22, 2006

Why now? Why review a recording of a concert that happened fifteen years ago? For one, because it's taken this long for anyone to get around to releasing the performance on CD. But even more importantly, because this is a major event and should get all the exposure possible. In 1991, at the time of the gig, Pepper was already sick with the cancer that would kill him within the year. But he's in strong form throughout, delivering ...

like 389

Archie Shepp: Tomorrow will be Another Day

by Florence Wetzel
July 25, 2004

Archie Shepp is in fine form on his latest CD, Tomorrow will be Another Day. The New Archie Shepp Quartet is an excellent group composed of Shepp on tenor, soprano and vocals, Amina Claudine Myers on piano and vocals, Cameron Brown on bass and Ronnie Burrage on drums and wave drum. The recording is a nice mix of songs and moods, and the combination of Shepp and Myers is formidable: both are strong performers with long histories, and their collaboration ...

like 234

Adam Pieronczyk: Amusos

by Johannes Voelz
April 3, 2004

He has released ten CDs under his own name, yet hardly anyone seems to have heard of him in the US. He has played with the most talented musicians of his country, yet international talent scouts have continuously overlooked him. Saxophonist Adam Pieronczyk, to be sure, is one of those well-kept secrets from the jazz periphery of Eastern Europe, a fully matured musician who just needs some spotlight to be discovered.

Born and raised in Poland, he ...

like 311

Conrad Schrenk Extravaganza: Save the Robots

by John W. Patterson
September 1, 2000

I am always impressed when fusion fans contact me, avidly expounding the virtues of some band or artist I have never heard of, (no folks, I am not omniscient), and I of course say, “Send it on. I'll have a listen." And so from Austria, a CD-R arrives, Xeroxed CD liner and all. Conrad Schrenk himself gave permission, hoping enough interest is generated, (following this review), that he may seek to get Save the Robots * re-released. “Conrad, take it ...