Jazz Articles

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Joe Zawinul: Faces and Places

by Kris Perdew
October 25, 2017

It is reassuring and life-affirming to hear in Faces and Places, a return to form for Joe Zawinul at age 70. On this album, the Austrian-born keyboardist revisits many of the themes he originally unveiled with his famous collective Weather Report three decades ago. On this exceptional set, Zawinul is joined by Cameroonian bassist and singer Richard Bona, former Shakti member Zakir Hussain on tablas and Portuguese jazz stylist Maria Joao on vocals--all luxurious complements to a core band including ...

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Steve Khan: Backlog

by Mark Sullivan
May 17, 2017

Latin jazz has rarely featured the guitar, but that hasn't stopped Steve Khan. Backlog continues in the vein of previous albums including Parting Shot (Tone Center, 2011) and Subtext (Tone Center, 2014): creative Latin arrangements of Great American Songbook standards and modern jazz tunes that are rarely played in Latin style (or in any style, in the case of the more obscure choices). The two previous installments included a number of Khan originals, but Backlog is entirely devoted to covers. ...

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Steve Khan: Backlog

by James Nadal
February 27, 2017

In what could best be described as an enduring exploration, Steve Khan has undertaken the role of expanding and redefining the role of the guitar in the hybrid genre of Latin Jazz. Backlog continues with the concept established as far back as 2005 on The Green Field (Tone Center), in the transformation of straight-ahead jazz compositions into unique Khan improvisations drawing deeply from the Afro-Cuban tradition. The percussion duo of Marc Quiñones and Bobby Allende have been an ...

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Steve Khan: Backlog

by Mark F. Turner
February 24, 2017

Steve Khan's love affair with Latin music germinated in the 1980's with his stellar Eyewitness recordings and continued to develop in a number of releases including 2011's Parting Shot and 2014's Subtext both on Tone Center Records. Backlog is third in this series and represents some of the esteemed jazz guitarist's finest work to date. A consummate musician, Khan's credits include heavy work in the '70s and '80s with pop and jazz icons Donald Fagen, Michael Brecker, ...

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Various Artists: Mahavishnu Redefined: A Tribute to John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra

by John Kelman
June 18, 2009

With guitar icon John McLaughlin's greater visibility, thanks to recent tours with his 4th Dimension group and Five Peace Band collaboration with pianist Chick Corea, there's been a flurry of reassessment of his vast and vital output as a repertory source. Drummer Gregg Bendian's Mahavishnu Project delivered first-time performances with Return to the Emerald Beyond (Cuneiform, 2007), guitarist Jeff Richman's Visions of an Inner Mounting Apocalypse (Tone Center, 2005) recruited name guitarists to rework classic Mahavishnu Orchestra (MO) material, 4th ...

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Ahmad Mansour: Free Speech

by Mark F. Turner
February 6, 2008

Iranian-American Ahmad Mansour has been stirring things as a modern jazz guitarist bent towards the edgier side. With heavy does of rock, jam-band and an attitude that shakes it all up, Free Speech is an introduction to his music in a live setting. Recorded in Europe in 2006, the recording finds Mansour in a power trio with longtime associates, bassist Stomu Takeishi and drummer Ted Poor, both dynamic musicians who have recorded with jazz artists including trumpeter ...

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Prophetz of Time and Space: String Theory

by John Kelman
February 16, 2007

Steve Vasconcellos sure knows how to pick them. With a core group including legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra violinist Jerry Goodman, Weather Report drummer Leon “Ndugu Chancler, in-demand LA saxophone ace Brandon Fields and Miles Davis percussionist Munyungo Jackson, the bassist's five year-old Prophetz of Time and Space has plenty of potential as an approachable but uncompromising contemporary electric jazz group. String Theory meets its promise head-on, and the disc will appeal to those who like their fusion on the lighter side. ...

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David Garfield & Friends: The State of Things

by John Kelman
March 22, 2006

Unless you frequent Los Angeles clubs like The Baked Potato and La Ve Lee, chances are you haven't heard of keyboardist David Garfield. But you've heard him. Appearing on over a hundred albums, Garfield has worked with artists like trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and guitarist Larry Carlton. He's a co-founder of Los Lobotomys and Karizma, two fusion-based jam bands that have included drummers like Vinnie Colaiuta and Simon Phillips, as well as guitarists Steve Lukather and the perennially-underrated Michael Landau.

No ...

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Steve Khan: Got My Mental

by John Kelman
March 14, 2006

The great thing about the ECM label is that it never deletes a title, which means that new fans of legacy artists like pianist Keith Jarrett can go back and explore their artistic development. Sadly that's rarely possible with most labels, and it's becoming even more challenging when an artist's career spans several, as is the case with guitarist Steve Khan.The fact that the lion's share of Khan's discography as a leader is out of print is unfortunate. ...

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Various Artists: Mysterious Voyages - A Tribute to Weather Report

by John Kelman
April 22, 2005

Weather Report's fifteen-year tenure was not only the longest of the fusion groups that emerged from the post-Bitches Brew era--including John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea's Return to Forever, and Herbie Hancock's Headhunters--it was arguably the most broadly influential. Starting out as an electric free jazz collective but ultimately honing a sound that included world beat rhythms and a more orchestral approach defined by the distinctive sounds and compositions of saxophonist Wayne Shorter and keyboardist Joe Zawinul, Weather Report also ...