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.

Radio & Podcasts

Leonard Slatkin: Classical to Jazz to Hollywood and back

by Mike Jones
April 7, 2026

This week we are so excited to have the phenomenal conductor, Leonard Slatkin! Leonard is an icon of the classical music world but he grew up surrounded by jazz giants and Hollywood legends. Not many people can say that Frank Sinatra tucked him in as a child! Leonard was kind enough to chat with Mike about all things music from Hollywood soundtracks to jazz Icons to the future of classical music. ...

Groove Orbit

How John Coltrane Changed Rock Music: Beyond Psychedelia

by Kyle Simpler
April 6, 2026

Something happened to me Something oh so groovy Something happened to me yesterday These lines are from The Rolling Stones' 1967 song, “Something Happened To Me Yesterday." Although not one of The Stones' most memorable hits, it does hint at some important considerations. First, and possibly foremost, this song is often interpreted as reflecting the era's fascination with LSD, and shortly after the release of this song, psychedelia quickly became part of the mainstream. Second, ...

Album Review

Jon Irabagon: Focus Out

Read "Focus Out" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
April 6, 2026

Jon Irabagon remains among the most uncompromising voices in contemporary jazz. A first-generation Filipino American from Chicago, he draws deeply from the AACM legacy--Anthony Braxton, Henry Threadgill, Muhal Richard Abrams--and his home city's tradition of bold, searching saxophone work. Since his 2008 Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition win, Irabagon has used his Irabbagast Records imprint to sustain a commitment to fierce originality and collective dialogue. Focus Out serves as a formidable statement from his working quartet, featuring Irabagon ...

Play This!

Jamile and Vinicius Gomes: Endangered Species

by John Chacona
April 6, 2026

The musical exchange between Wayne Shorter and Brazil yielded some of the great man's most indelible compositions. Happily, the conversation happens in the other direction, as Jamile and guitarist Vinicius Gomes demonstrate on “Endangered Species." With its wide intervallic leaps and skylarking melodic trajectory, the song is for virtuosos only; notably, only Esperanza Spalding seems to have attempted it. On Boundless Species (La Reserve Records, 2025), Jamile also takes on Herbie Hancock's “Actual Proof" (wordlessly), and Guinga's “Mingus Samba," sailing ...

Album Review

Airelle Besson & Lionel Suarez: Blossom

Read "Blossom" reviewed by Ian Patterson

by Ian Patterson
April 6, 2026

Trumpet-accordion duos are rare enough to be filed under 'endangered species,' so infrequent are sightings. Dave Douglas and Guy Klucevsek broke cover with a number of duets on the quartet album Charms of the Night Sky (Winter & Winter, 1998), but it was another quarter of a century before the population doubled with the appearance of Eric Vloeimans' and Will Holshouser's live duo album Two For the Road (V-Flow Records, 2022). One or two trumpet-accordion pairs have since been spotted ...

In Pictures

Francesca Tandoi Trio at Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa

by Marek J. Śmietański
April 6, 2026

A collection of photos from the Francesca Tandoi Trio concert at The Polish Theatre in Bielsko-Biała on March 18, 2026 featuring Francesca Tandoi, Stefano Senni and Pasquale Fiore . Other photo reports from the same festival: Dave Holland & Lionel Loueke at Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa, Aaron Parks Trio & Kurt Rosenwinkel at Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa, Steve Coleman and Five Elements at Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa, Wayne's Sessions for Miles and Lee at Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa. The rest coming soon... ...

Radio & Podcasts

Eyal Vilner Big Band, Nicole Zuraitis, Entre Amigos, Leslie Vincent, Chenxi Pan & More

by Mary Foster Conklin
April 6, 2026

Today's broadcast concludes Women's History Month, but we keep the party going year round with new music from Jack Wood, Eyal Vilner Big Band, Nicole Zuraitis, Entre Amigos, Leslie Vincent and Chenxi Pan, with birthday shoutouts to Sarah Vaughan, Aretha Franklin, Pearl Bailey, Jackie Warren, Astrud Gilberto, Mimi Jones, Ledisi, Hiromi, Karen Hammack, Yelena Eckemoff, Vanisha Gould and Miki Yamanaka, among others. Happy listening and please support the artists you hear--see them live, buy their music so they can continue ...

Radio & Podcasts

Jesse Davis, Jazzlab Orchestra, Xavi Rekja, New Jazz Underground

by Cheryl K.
April 6, 2026

During this week's two-hour program of jazz and improvised music--vocalist Rebecca Rafla; saxophonist Jesse Davis; saxophonist/composer Oded Tzur; the Jazzlab Orchestra; saxophonist Tia Fuller and pianist Shamie Fuller-Royston; Neves E Silva; trumpeter Adam O'Farrill's Elephant; the David Smith Quintet; and Jazz Sabbath. Playlist Cal Tjader/Mary Stalling “I Didn't Know About You" from Cal Tjader Plays Mary Stallings Sings (Fantasy) 3:49 Rebecca Rafla “Sunday" from Fundamentally Unfinished (Rebecca Rafla) 5:12 Jesse Davis “Do You Know What It Means to ...

Radio & Podcasts

Jaleel Shaw: Painting the Invisibility in Jazz

by Stephen Braunginn
April 6, 2026

Discover how music, family, and culture shape alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw. We discuss his album, Painter of the Invisible, and the personal stories woven into his jazz, from his Philly roots to his latest inspirations--including the gentle sounds of his new baby. Playlist Jaleel Shaw: “Gina's Ascent" from Painter of the Invisible (Changu Records) 09:32 Jaleel Shaw: “Tamir (For Tamir Rice)" from Painter of the Invisible (Changu Records) 10:53 Jaleel Shaw: “The Invisible Man" from Painter of the ...

Album Review

Jim Witzel Quartet: Very Early (Remembering Bill Evans)

Read "Very Early (Remembering Bill Evans)" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
April 6, 2026

Very Early, a warmhearted tribute to the late great pianist Bill Evans, is led not by a pianist but by a guitarist, San Francisco-based Jim Witzel, an Evans admirer since his introduction to the pianist's singular music on Evans' 1961 album, Live at the Village Vanguard. There is a pianist on this tasteful quartet date, namely Phil Aaron, who does not try to emulate Evans, instead using his own strong and distinctive voice to enhance his musical point ...