Jazz Articles
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Liz Cole: I Want to Be Happy
by Richard J Salvucci
"Unfortunately, I became entangled in a variety of day jobs and set music on the backburner for a shameful number of years. Finally, I have realized that I don't want to work in an office." How often has some frustrated artist said just those words, or some variant? The music business is a tough one, and how many singers, pianists or other instrumentalist have harbored similar thoughts? Yes, everyone pays dues, but some pay more than others, and for a ...
Continue ReadingGregory Alper: Palisades Apocalypse
by Katchie Cartwright
Rachel Carson served us with this warning in 1962: “We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost's familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road--the one less traveled by--offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of ...
Continue ReadingRob Brown: Walkabout
by Fran Kursztejn
Despite spending the majority of his career as a side man for William Parker and Matthew Shipp, Rob Brown is perhaps the most recognizable alto saxophonist on the East Coast. Recognizable not because he is famous (far from it), but simply because he is rather difficult to mistake. His sound is abrasive, bellowing and free, oozing with a crooning full-force poignancy reminiscent of his late mentor Lee Konitz. Perhaps it is the singular presence of Charlie Parker in his oscillating ...
Continue ReadingJonah David, Leon Anderson, Russ Spiegel, Shuffle Demons and more
by Benjamin Boddie
Today's Music--Right Now! Fantastic music by Jonah David, Leon Anderson, Russ Spiegel, Nnenna Freelon, Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Shuffle Demons, Kevin Fort, Renegade Queens, Posi-Tone Swingtet, Jeremy Pelt, The Empress, MTB, Artemis. Christopher Boscole, Steve johns, Yellowjackets, Max Leake, Fred Hersch, WDR Big Band, Rachel Therrien, Rodney Jordan, John Ellis, Chacho Ramirez, Diane Marino, Nels Cline, and more. Playlist Jonah David “Little Sunflower" from Waltz For Eli (Swish Tap Records) 00:00 Leon Anderson “The Bruz Of AD2" from Live ...
Continue ReadingThe Music of Carla Bley, Part 1: The Early Years
by Larry Slater
The Jazz world is full of highly original, creative musicians who forged their own unique paths. Carla Bley, who died on October 17, 2023, followed her own highly individual path as a composer, arranger and bandleader. As one critic commented, “No album by the legendary composer, pianist, and bandleader sounds like anyone else could have created it." One of the most creative spirits in jazz, Carla Bley's music spanned decades and included big band, small ensemble and duet ...
Continue ReadingTwo hours of Roy Ayers as a sideman, and his earlier work as a leader
by Andy Crowther
A real journey of discovery and education for me here, I learnt so much and hope you do too. Two hours of Roy as a sideman, and his early work as a leader. Playlist Curtis Amy Featuring Victor Feldman “A Soulful Bee, A Soulful Rose" from Way Down (Pacific Jazz) 00:00 Gerald Wilson Orchestra “Lighthouse Blues" from On Stage (Pacific Jazz) 09:48 Curtis Amy “Tippin' on Through" from Tippin' On Through (Pacific Jazz) 17:13 Vi Redd “Medley: Perhaps ...
Continue ReadingJazz Highlights for Record Store Day 2025
by Kyle Simpler
For most Americans, April brings to mind tax deadlines and spring cleaning. But for vinyl collectors, April means something far more exciting: Record Store Day. Each year, music lovers line up early for a chance to snag limited-edition releases--many of them archival treasures, rarities, or long-lost recordings brought back to life. While the overall selection spans multiple genres, 2025's offerings deliver an especially rich batch for jazz fans. Here are some of the most notable jazz releases for Record Store ...
Continue ReadingMichael Buckley & Hugh Buckley At Magy's Farm
by Ian Patterson
Michael Buckley & Hugh Buckley Magy's Farm Dromara, N. Ireland March 22, 2025 If the flapping of a butterfly's wings on one side of the world can cause a tornado on the other side--or so the theory goes--then surely the ripple effects from one flight cancellation would be no less significant. For the small band of jazz fans making their way to Magy's Farm, a unique concert venue in hilly Dromara, the only ripple ...
Continue ReadingMatt Carmichael: Dancing With Embers
by Neil Duggan
Scottish tenor saxophonist Matt Carmichael captured attention with his first album Where Will The River Flow (Porthole Music, 2021), garnering over 8 million streams. His second album, Marram (Edition Records, 2022), developed his blend of jazz and Scottish folk, winning “Best Album" in the Scottish Jazz Awards. He follows this with Dancing With Embers, which changes focus to concentrate on song structure and a sense of intimacy, rather than improvised solos, resulting in an album that is more biased towards ...
Continue ReadingUniversity of Nevada-Las Vegas: Let The Good Times Roll
by Jack Bowers
If energy and enthusiasm were enough to earn a prize, the University of Nevada Las Vegas Jazz Ensemble 1 would surely have one in hand to salute its newest album, Let the Good Times Roll, a textbook lesson in buoyant and heavy-duty big-band jazz. While co-directors Dave Loeb and Nathan Tanouye enlist no fewer than seven talented guest artists to lend a hand, several of the album's highlights take place when none of its guests is in the lineup. To ...
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