Jazz Articles

Hermon Mehari on "Kind of Blue"

by David Unger and Samuel Thiebaut
November 9, 2026

This interview was conducted as part of the FranceTV.com special Miles Davis, 100 ans d'avance. Few jazz albums carry the weight of Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959). Revered, endlessly analyzed and almost impossible to escape, it can seem untouchable. Yet precisely because it has become such a monument, it also raises an intriguing question: how can a contemporary musician engage with it without simply paying tribute? Trumpeter Hermon Mehari and a quintet featuring Francesco Bigoni (saxophone), ...

Sylvie Courvoisier: Amalthea

Read "Amalthea" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic

by Mike Jurkovic
November 9, 2026

Let us risk saying that the current scribe of this review is being suggestive, sexist, and stereotypical, (but not misleading) when commenting that Sylvie Courvoisier's piano tempts and seduces man and woman alike, from beginning to end, on the stand-out, nee stand alone, Amalthea . It would surely not make said commentator wrong. With muses and temptations young and old coming at them from all sides--Courvoisier, kindred seductress, vibraphonist Patricia Brennan, and the gigolo rhythm section of bassist Thomas Morgan ...

Héctor Lavoe: ¡Que Sentimiento!

Read "¡Que Sentimiento!" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci

by Richard J Salvucci
November 9, 2026

Héctor Lavoe was one of salsa's first superstars. A native of Ponce, PR, he started singing as a child. After moving to New York, he hooked up with Fania, its founder, Jerry Masucci, and Willie Colon. Together, they conjured up a gangster image, mostly for show, for it was the sights, sounds, smell and feel of the Nuyorican barrio they embodied. The music went through a number of phases, but was always an amalgam of Afro-Caribbean, bogaloo and jazz: “bueno ...

Wolf—Future Perfect, 9. Blues Lesson

by Blue Note Portal
November 9, 2026

Before things began in earnest, Maya and Chloe pulled Wolf aside for an honest conversation. “You could step into a concert hall tomorrow and cut a classical record, and it would be phenomenal," Maya said, leaning against the wooden cabinet of the Hammond B3. “You still speak that language fluently. But the music we need to play at the Fillmore? That's a different neighborhood, and you'll need a map. The main thing is, there is no pressure--we only ...

Jörg Leichtfried: Solo Concepts for the Left Hand in Modern Jazz

by Kurt Ellenberger
November 9, 2026

Solo Concepts for the Left Hand in Modern Jazz Jörg Leichtfried 44 Pages Jamey Aebersold Jazz 2026 Solo jazz piano presents a pianist with many significant challenges, making it the most technically demanding role for a jazz pianist. In a solo performance, the jazz pianist must provide the melody, rhythm, improvisation, accompaniment, and the bass activity, so much of which is handled by other players in a trio, quartet, or quintet setting.

Marion Brown: Live in Europe 1968 & 1972

Read "Live in Europe 1968 & 1972" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
November 9, 2026

Live In Europe 1968 & 1972 captures Marion Brown at a pivotal juncture, balancing the kinetic energy of his earlier free-jazz work with a growing interest in more spacious improvisation. The saxophonist first achieved prominence thanks to his appearance on John Coltrane's monumental Ascension (Impulse!, 1965). However the raised profile did not translate into more work. He found greater acceptance following a move from New York City to Europe in 1967. Here he forged alliances with fellow expatriates bassist Barre ...

Amina Figarova, Caroline Davis, Jane Ira Bloom, Jamie Davis, Jennifer Roberts, Noe Socha, UNLV Combos & More

by Mary Foster Conklin
November 9, 2026

This broadcast includes new music from Jamie Davis, Amina Figarova, Caroline Davis, Jane Ira Bloom, Jennifer Roberts, Noe Socha and UNLV Combos, with birthday shoutouts to Ethel Waters, Cleo Laine, Julia Lee, Sippie Wallace, Jay Clayton, Andy Bey, Dori Langdon Previn, Allison Miller, Amanda Monaco, Emily Braden, Carmen Lundy, among others. Happy listening and please support the artists you hear--see them live, buy their music so they can continue to comfort, distract, provoke and remind the world that A Woman's ...

Ken Vandermark: A Living Poets Group

Read "A Living Poets Group" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
November 9, 2026

Artists such as Michelangelo, Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci relied on the Medici family to support their creative endeavors. Other influential patrons included Catherine the Great of Russia and Louis XIV of France, while in the 20th century, the Rockefeller Foundation and Peggy Guggenheim helped provide artists with the resources to create ambitious works. Today, crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter and Patreon offer alternative means of support, but they can hardly be expected to finance the large-ensemble projects favored by ...

William Parker, Joe Morris, Devra Hoff & Thollem

by Maurice Hogue
November 9, 2026

William Parker's magnificent bass playing is absent on his new release Waltz For Gregory, but he's still all over the album as composer, lyricist & producer. This one's got a bit of a Raining On The Moon vibe for me. Speaking of bassists, Devra Hoff's new Baile As Baile is an exciting solo excursion, while Joe Morris teams up with two of his top students for a really strong album in Dispersion. Pianist Thollem continues to stir the pot, punching ...

New music from James Leibow, Lee Ritenour and a feature on Japanese Fusion

by Len Davis
November 9, 2026

We kick off with some new music from guitarist James Leibow, followed by a live version of the classic Captain Fingers featuring Lee Ritenour. We also have the latest from Japanese drumming sensation Senri Kawaguchi recorded live, and the Katsushika Trio, featuring the legendary drummer Akira Jimbo And we're staying in Japan for the remainder of the program, with a selection of some outstanding Japanese fusion. First up, Naniwa Express, followed by Korenos, featuring Mitsuro Suto, who also makes an ...