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.
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Keefe Jackson / Jakob Heinemann / Adam Shead: Stinger
by Mark Corroto
Stinger marks the debut release from the trio of saxophonist Keefe Jackson, bassist Jakob Heinemann and drummer Adam Shead. Yet, from the cohesion and interplay captured on this recording, it is clear these three musicians have collaborated extensively. The group exemplifies the Chicago ethos of collective creation--both in compositional approach and improvisational execution. Jackson and Heinemann each contribute three compositions, while Shead handles the sound mixing, graphic design, and overall production, underscoring the project's collaborative spirit. Jackson has ...
Continue ReadingMicroplastique: Blare Blow Bloom!
by Glenn Astarita
Blare Blow Bloom! by Microplastique, a Chicago-based contemporary music group, is a wild ride through the avant-garde jazz landscape. The album is a cacophony of sound that somehow manages to be both chaotic and harmonious, a testament to the artists' musical prowess and fearless creativity. The press release states: “Performing the compositions of band leader Adam Shead, Microplastique creates music that is both absurd in its aesthetic and serious in its execution." The album features selections from concerts in Cleveland, ...
Continue ReadingMicroplastique: Blare Blow Bloom!
by Lawrence Peryer
Chicago's experimental music scene welcomes a new voice as Microplastique, four multi-instrumentalists, release their debut album, Blare Blow Bloom! (Irritable Mystic Records), on December 6, 2024. Formed in April 2023, the group includes Ben Zucker, Molly Jones, Josh Harlow and Adam Shead, with Shead composing and leading. Blare Blow Bloom! documents Microplastique's July 2024 US tour. Ten tracks from shows in Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Lafayette, and Indianapolis display the group's talent for reshaping composed material through improvisation. Each ...
Continue ReadingJason Stein / Marilyn Crispell / Damon Smith / Adam Shead: spi-raling horn
by Glenn Astarita
spi-raling horn by these genre-destroying avant-garde jazz artists is a whirlwind journey through the vast landscapes of jazz, where the boundaries between tradition and innovation blur into a kaleidoscope of ultrasonic exploration. This album is not just a collection of tracks, but a sonic crusade led by a quartet of virtuosos who wield their instruments like sorcerers conjuring spells. From the start, listeners are transported into a realm where bass clarinet giant Jason Stein with legendary piano great ...
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