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.
Sign in to customize your My Articles page —or— Filter Article Results
Karen Borca / Paul Murphy: Entwined
by John Sharpe
Entwined pairs pioneering bassoonist Karen Borca with drummer Paul Murphy in an unadorned duet setting. It arrives hot on the heels of her leadership debut Good News Blues (NoBusiness, 2024). While the latter comprised archival concert tapes of sets from the 1998 and 2005 Vision Festivals, the former is an undated studio session which presents both in close detail. The seven cuts include four which were also featured on the live date and raise the possibility that this was recorded ...
Continue ReadingNew Music From Bailis, Petrillo, Ortiz & More
by Bob Osborne
A selection of brand new releases from around the world together with four more great examples from the recent re-issue of the Strata-East catalogue provides for a fascinating two hours of music. Playlist David Bailis “Ordinary Trash" from Running Through My Mind (Create or Destroy) 00:00 Pat Petrillo “Late Night Diner" from Contemporaneous (Innervision Records) 04:25 Aruán Ortiz “Légitime Défense" from Creole Renaissance (Intakt Records) 08:49 Billy Lester Trio “I'll Remember April" from High Standards (Ultra Sound ...
Continue ReadingSFJAZZ Spring Concerts
by Ronald Davis
A collection of photos from various artists at SFJAZZ in San Francisco during their 2025 Spring Season featuring Ravi Coltrane, Faye Carol, Tom Scott, SambaDa, Mark Hummel, Kenny Barron, Howard Wiley, Grupo Falso Baiano, Herlin Riley, and Marvin “Smitty" Smith. ...
Continue ReadingShorty Rogers And His Giants
by Steven Cerra
Shorty Rogers--trumpet, flugelhorn, arranger--was born on April 14, 1924 and died November 7, 1994. Born Milton Rajonsky, Shorty was the biggest name in West Coast jazz. He studied in New York before going into the army, and on his discharge worked first with Woody Herman's First and Second Herds, and from there in the Stan Kenton band of 1950-51. Besides his own trumpet playing, which was delivered in a bright, almost humorously optimistic yet contrarily low-key style, Rogers's ...
Continue ReadingRavi Coltrane Quartet: Live at Jazz Alley in Seattle
by Paul Rauch
Ravi Coltrane Quartet Jazz Alley Seattle, WA August 21, 2025 I suppose there are still those who attend Ravi Coltrane sets out of curiosity, or some attempt to somehow access the Coltrane legacy in real time. It's true that the son of John Coltrane and Alice Coltrane has not been one to record in great frequency, and that he has spent a lot of touring currency on performing the music of his mother, music he ...
Continue ReadingFieldwork: Thereupon
by Dan McClenaghan
Early in his recording career, pianist Vijay Iyer formed his most compelling group, Fieldwork. The initial album release, Your Life Flashes (Pi Recordings, 2002) broke new ground and put down the roots from which everything Iyer has created in 20-plus years has grown and flourished. Iyer's recording career began in 1995 with Memorophilia (Asian Improv). The ensuing 30 years have seen more than a score of albums from the pianist in a leadership role as well as dozens ...
Continue ReadingRoberto Magris: Lovely Day (s)
by Edward Blanco
Veteran Italian jazz pianist Roberto Magris has enjoyed a four-decade career with the accumulation of over thirty albums as leader, in addition to appearing as a sideman on another 10 recordings. Yet, this highly versatile, creative and talented musician has never recorded a solo performance project until now. With Lovely Day(s), Magris finally keeps his promise to do so after so many solo tracks throughout his vast discography and the many times he has expressed to producers that he would ...
Continue ReadingSoft Ffog: Focus
by Glenn Astarita
Soft Ffog, a Norwegian jazz-prog quartet from Bergen, emerged with their self-titled debut in 2023. Led by guitarist Tom Hasslan, the band features keyboardist Vegard Lien Bjerkan, drummer Axel Skalstad and bassist Trond Frønes. With nods to 1970s giants like Camel, Focus Soft Machine and Mahavishnu Orchestra, they blend intricate prog rock with improvisational jazz, evoking a retro spirit that feels fresh rather than dated. Their 2025 sophomore album Focus sharpens this vision across four sprawling tracks, marking ...
Continue ReadingJames Brandon Lewis: Ware
by Ludovico Granvassu
Here is a track from one of the year's most acclaimed musicians, James Brandon Lewis, who, as of late, doesn't just land in the best-of lists--he takes up multiple slots. From Abstraction Is Deliverance (Intakt Records) --featuring Lewis' tightly-knit quartet with Aruán Ortiz on piano, Brad Jones on bass and Chad Taylor on drums --"Ware" is a deeply felt tribute to David S. Ware--a giant saluted by a new giant of the tenor saxophone, fully aware of the ...
Continue ReadingRIP Nancy King and Terry Reid
by Jerome Wilson
This program pays tribute to two musicians who have recently passed away, vocalist Nancy King and singer-guitarist Terry Reid. It also includes music from Max Roach, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Tubby Hayes along others.Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 Cal Tjader “I Can't Get Started" from Catch The Groove: Live at the Penthouse 1963-1967 (Jazz Detective) 1:11 Teddy Charles “Edging ...
Continue Reading
