Jazz Articles
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Alina Bzhezhinska & Tony Kofi: Tabula Rasa-Blank Slate
by Ian Patterson
Having played together since 2015, harpist Alina Bzhezhinska and saxophonist Tony Kofi have developed a keen musical understanding. In 2024 they released the gorgeous duo album, Altera Vita (BBE Records), which moved the late Chris May to write: “This ineffably beautiful and restorative disc succeeds resoundingly in its mission statement. This is, say the duo, to offer listeners something that “guides us through the turbulence and discord" of what has become “an era yearning for serenity, spirituality and peace." Amen ...
Continue ReadingBrilliant Corners 2025: Days 5-8
by Ian Patterson
Brilliant Corners 2025 Black Box/Various Venues Belfast, N. IrelandFebruary 28-March 8, 2025 If the first four days of Brilliant Corners 2025 leaned towards long-form contemporary composition and free improvisation, the music of the last four days had a more spiritual tone, and a more heavily African-accented character. Many would say that all music comes from God, or that it is an offering to God, but as became clear, others find creative inspiration in much more ...
Continue ReadingVagif Mustafa-Zadeh: Azerbaijan's Jazz Pioneer
by Mehman N Mamedov
March 16, 2025, would mark the 85th birthday of one of the most outstanding jazz composers and performers, Vagif Mustafa-Zadeh. He can be considered a pioneer of ethno-jazz in the Soviet Union and, on a global scale, a unique and virtuoso jazz performer and composer who fused ancient Eastern musical traditions with Western music. First steps in music Vagif Mustafa-Zadeh was born on March 16, 1940 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. His father, a military doctor, originally ...
Continue ReadingJon Lloyd Quartet: Earth Songs
by Neil Duggan
Saxophonist Jon Lloyd has helped shape the UK jazz scene for several decades. Initially known for his energetic approach to free jazz, his creative ideas have gradually guided both himself and his group toward what he describes as “ECM quartet territory." Though ECM releases encompass a diverse range of musical styles, his description effectively evokes the quartet's sound. Their music features the contemplative soundscapes often associated with the label but also incorporates folk and classical influences, with space and stillness ...
Continue ReadingTakuya Kuroda: Everyday
by Konstantin N. Rega
Kobe-born, Brooklyn-based trumpeter Takuya Kuroda continues to find his groove and expressive essence on Everyday. Through his inspired amalgamation of jazz, funk, hip-hop and neo-soul, this release exhibits an ability to think beyond the boring and basic, to see what lies ahead. These nine energized but balanced compositions are further heightened by various talented musicians including Corey King, pianist Takahiro Izumikawa, bassist Rashaan Carter, drummer David Frazier and others. With almost 30 years of musical experience, Kuroda knows ...
Continue ReadingGreg Abate, Steve Allee, Dave Potter & Thomas Marriott
by Joe Dimino
From the powerhouse trumpeter out of Seattle, we launch into the 897th episode of Neon Jazz with a perfect fusion of grace and power. Leading the charge is veteran trumpeter Thomas Marriott, setting the tone with a track from his 2025 album, Screen Time--proving once again why he's one of the most compelling voices on the horn today. From there, we take a moment of reverence for the late, great Leon Brady, the Kansas City, Kansas legend whose lifelong mission ...
Continue ReadingNew Music From Andy Timmons, Anthony Papamichael, Samuel Halkvist, Frank Gambale And Yellow Jackets
by Len Davis
New releases with Andy Timmons Recovery, Anthony Papamichael, Project Oracle, Mark Hartsuch withMohini Dey and The Haas Company featuring Swedish guitarist Samuel Halkvist. Yellow Jackets latest Fasten Up, French drummer Antoine Cara with bassist Kevin Revyrand and Frank Gambale from Celestial Latitude Vol 2. Steve Khan with The Suitcase-Live bassist Tom Kennedy, Indian pianist Lydian Nadhaswaram, Cameron Graves with Live From Seven Spheres, John McLaughlin, The Montreaux Years and we finish with Japanese fusion band Fazjaz.Playlist Andy Timmons ...
Continue ReadingJenny Scheinman: A Violin In The Wild
by Lawrence Peryer
Today, the Spotlight shines On violinist and composer Jenny Scheinman.Jenny Scheinman grew up on California's remote Lost Coast, and now she brings us music that captures the wild beauty of her roots. Her double album All Species Parade (Royal Potato Family, 2024), brings together jazz and folk to create something wholly original that feels like the natural world itself.With a dream team of collaborators including Bill Frisell, Nels Cline, and Julian Lage on guitars, Jenny's violin ...
Continue ReadingSylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson: Bone Bells
by Jack Kenny
Sylvie Courvoisier and Mary Halvorson! The combination of two such unconventional musicians is both rewarding, challenging and unnerving. The two women are radical disruptors. Their visions and their ambitions are vast. Their range of influences is dizzying. Their creativity seems limitless; their refusal to be conventional is absolute. Even the mechanics of their instruments are subject to their inventiveness. The extent of their comprehensive insurrection is not really acknowledged. Does their gender obscure it? In many ways, their ...
Continue ReadingWajdi Riahi: Something That Feels Honest
by Ieva Pakalniskyte
Wajdi Riahi, a Tunisian-born, Brussels-based jazz pianist and composer, is rapidly emerging as a distinctive voice on the European jazz scene. His music, deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, is also infused with the rich melodic and rhythmic colors of his North African heritage, creating a captivating and highly personal sound. Riahi's playing is marked by a remarkable sensitivity, a lyrical touch, and a sophisticated harmonic approach, balanced with a willingness to explore moments of free improvisation and rhythmic complexity. ...
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