Jazz Articles
From The Heart To The Hips To The Head
by Robert J. Lewis
And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music. --Friedrich Nietzsche Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible. --Frank Zappa The six decades spanning 1920 to 1980 describe more than just a chronological segment in the history of music; they represent a tectonic shift in the Western cultural psyche, mirroring the migration of music's epicenter from Europe to America. The period was one of ...
Continue ReadingSal Mosca: For Lennie Tristano
by Jack Kenny
Sal Mosca was absorbed by the ideas of Lenne Tristano. The life force that is in the music of Tristano is not waning. The ascetic ideas and the edgy magnificence of the music continue to enthrall without press agents, advertising, PR consultants: just musicians who continue to be captivated by the purity of the music. Don Messina produced this Sal Mosca album together with Kathy Mosca. Messina completed a seven-year project to transfer all of Mosca's personal recordings to ...
Continue ReadingAnat Cohen at Miner Auditorium
by Steven Roby
Anat Cohen Miner Auditorium San Francisco, CA December 11, 2025 The lobby of the SFJAZZ Center on Thursday night buzzed with the warm, affectionate energy of a family reunion. People of all ages embraced and caught up in the aisles, creating a communal atmosphere for a sold-out night that celebrated a major milestone: Anat Cohen's 50th Birthday Celebration. She delivered a master class in musical architecture, guiding the audience through a study of how an ...
Continue ReadingIvo Perelman, Nate Wooley, Matt Moran, Mark Helias, Tom Rainey: A Modicum Of The Blues
by Hrayr Attarian
An intrepid and groundbreaking saxophonist, Ivo Perelman excels in the company of like-minded artists. Thus, the majority of his work is either in duos or with small ensembles. The soulful A Modicum of the Blues is an entirely improvised five-movement suite featuring a quintet of long-standing collaborators. It is a masterful blend of fiery spontaneity and contemplative quietude enveloped in a cinematic ambience. “Part 1" opens with dramatic flair as the musicians alternate brief phrases interspersed with silent ...
Continue ReadingBela Fleck & the Flecktones at the Salt Shed in Chicago
by Sandra Kozintseva
Bela Fleck & The Flecktones stopped by the Salt Shed in Chicago on their “Jingle All the Way" reunion tour in December 2025. The band, with original members Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, and Roy “Future Man" Wooten, was joined by Jeff Coffin, Sierra Hull, and the Alash Ensemble for this holiday show. They played tunes from across their catalog, including reinvented holiday classics from Jingle All the Way (Rounder Records, 2008). ...
Continue ReadingLightning Trio: Lightning
by John Eyles
Lightning is the debut album from the Norway group Lightning Trio, which comprises pianist / synthesizer player Sondre Moshagen, double bassist Kertu Aer and drummer Steinar Heide Bo, who first met one another at the jazz program in Trondheim, Norway, in autumn 2022. After participating in 2024's Jazzintro launch program, the trio was named Young Jazz Musicians of the Year 2024 at the Molde Jazz Festival; in their citation, the judges praised the trio's “clear and compelling group chemistry" as ...
Continue ReadingRIP Gordon Goodwin and Phil Upchurch. Classics by Bobby Timmons, Peggy Lee, and others
by David W. Daniels
Recognizing the transition of Gordon Goodwin and Phil Upchurch. Additionally, classic music from Clifford Brown, Lou Donaldson, and more. Newly released music from La Tanya Hall, Yusef Lateef, Lettuce, and others. Recognizing birthdays for McCoy Tyner, Diane Schuur, and others.Playlist Alchemy Sound Project “Divergency" from Further Explorations (Alchemysoundproject) 00:00 Clifford Brown “Get Happy" from The Complete Blue Note and Pacific Jazz Recordings (Blue Note/Pacific Jazz) 8:13 Bobby Timmons “Soul Time" from Moanin' Blues (Prestige) 13:04 Buddy Rich and ...
Continue ReadingRufus Wainwright, Theo Bleckmann, Anne Mette Iversen, Terry Callier & More
by Ludovico Granvassu
Here is your weekly antidote to background music, where we lean in, listen close, and find what's truly worth hearing. And there's plenty of gems worth hearing in this playlist, with a special focus on remarkable singers like Rufus Wainwright, Theo Bleckmann and Terry Callier.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Rufus Wainwright, Pacific Jazz Orchestra “Surabaya Johnny" I'm a Stranger Here Myself--Wainwright Does Weill (Thirty Tigers) 0:16 Host ...
Continue ReadingRahsaan Roland Kirk, Haeun Joo, Ishmael Ali & Satoko Fujii
by Maurice Hogue
Two never-heard-before releases present Rahsaan Roland Kirk holding forth at two 1960s gigs, recorded live at the Village Vanguard in New York and at The Penthouse in Seattle are the highlights in this episode of One Man's Jazz, along with a tasty piano trio recording by South Korean pianist Haeun Joo, Chicago cellist Ishmael Ali, a reunited Satoko Fujii Quartet and the innovative NL-Switch Orchestra from The Netherlands. Polish saxophonist Maciej Sikala and his trio make their first appearance on ...
Continue ReadingBryan Stovell: The Secrets Of Viral Jazz
by Kerilie McDowall
Nanaimo, BC's multi-award-winning and highly esteemed Bryan Stovell has been mentoring and developing the talent of Canada's greatest jazz musicians for decades. Stovell's school bands have won numerous provincial and national awards, and his groups have performed in Japan, Europe, the United States, and every major city in Canada. Some of Stovell's former Nanaimo Musicians Association band members and students include the international elite of Canada's jazz world, like past Nanaimo residents and multi-JUNO winners Ingrid Jensen and ...
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