Jazz Articles
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February Looks Good at SFJAZZ
by Ronald Davis
A collection of photos from various concerts at SFJAZZ, San Francisco in February 2025 featuring Camille Thurman, The Darrell Green Quartet, Julian Lage, Jorge Roeder, Kenny Wollesen, John Medeski, Marc Ribot and Mavis Staples ...
Continue ReadingNicola Miller: Living Things
by Mike Jurkovic
It is more than fair enough to say that Nova Scotia-based saxophonist/composer Nicola Miller's vision and understanding of things is peppered with oddly curious axioms and an astute ear for the undertow that pulls us all further out to sea or crashing into the breakers. At least that is what Living Things, Miller's first bold statement as a leader leads one to believe given the odd shapes and delineations that such serpentine wanderings of the lead-off “Barge"--its slippery, open ...
Continue ReadingJowee Omicil, The Young Mothers, Clemens Kuratle, Travis Laplante
by Ludovico Granvassu
A tribute to Abbey Lincoln and gems from the 1970s bookend an episode which also features mesmerizing releases by The Young Mothers, Clemens Kuratle and Travis Laplante.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Jowee Omicil “Throw It Away" Throw It Away--Single (Bash! Village) 0:16 Host talks 4:57 The Young Mothers “Better If You Let It" Better If You Let It (Sonic Transmissions) 6:34 Host talks 17:02 Clemens Kuratle Ydivide ...
Continue ReadingErena Terakubo: From Sapporo to Jazz Stardom
by Stephen Braunginn
Alto saxophonist sensation Erena Terakubo from Sapporo, Japan, began her recording career early, releasing her first album when she was only 15 years old. Discover how a sax-playing M&M doll kicked off her journey to jazz stardom. She recorded her first album with Kenny Barron, Christian McBride, and Peter Bernstein while still in the 10th grade. Today, Erena Terakubo, six recordings later, is touring with alto sax star Vincent Herring, award-winning drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr. and performing at Dizzy's in ...
Continue ReadingThe Father of Early Jazz: James Reese Europe
by Karl Ackermann
In 2020, I published A Map of Jazz: Crossroads of Music and Human Rights (WS Publishing), a book that looks at the culture of jazz on a timeline with cultures of the world. At more than 500 pages, the book is incomplete by necessity; there is no well-marked path, and the history is sometimes nebulous. However, as a map and as jazz music, it leads to unfamiliar places. The series Backstories dives deeper into people and places along the genre's ...
Continue ReadingThe 1,400th Edition Of One Man’s Jazz
by Maurice Hogue
When you're older than dirt like I am, each show completed is a milestone, and happily, I'm still around to arrive at 1,400 in the life of this show. For some of these milestones, I try to do something a little different. I always say this show is about the music and the people who make it, so I decided to turn to those fine folk in the form of a request/dedication show--a step back in time to one of ...
Continue ReadingTyshawn Sorey and Sandbox Percussion at 92NY
by Paul Reynolds
Tyshawn Sorey and Sandbox Percussion 92NY “Max Roach at 100" New York City February 21, 2025 Serious and uncompromising artist that he was, drummer Max Roach would have appreciated the singularly offbeat--if you will--tribute that Tyshawn Sorey paid to him at 92NY. “Max Roach at 100" was a salute to a jazz giant that eschewed the artist's best-known jazz playing. No bebop or hard bop. Not even an unaccompanied drum solo, to recognize that ...
Continue ReadingBrad Shepik: Hard Believer
by Dan McClenaghan
The first burst of noise from a recording can be telling, predictive of what will come. The Believers' Hard Believer title tune says as much. A guitar, bass and drums group, the music comes to life with some resonant metallic chords. The drums and bass push their weight around. It is assertive music laid down with a gentle and intricate touch. This “Hard Believer" is an introspective entity. Guitarist Brad Shepik, bassist Sam Minaie and drummer John Hadfield ...
Continue ReadingMoe Staiano: Away Towards the Light
by Glenn Astarita
Drummer Moe Staiano's Away Towards the Light is a meticulously crafted sonic tapestry that unfolds slowly, revealing its complexities with each listen. Performed at the Edgetone 25th anniversary concert, the piece features four guitar groupings, three groups with two guitars and a group of three--alongside Staiano's snappy attack and bassist 'Jason Hoopes sturdy undercurrent. While not strictly minimalist, the work shares a kinship with composers like Philip Glass and Steve Reich, though one suspects they never cranked their amps to ...
Continue ReadingRuss Anixter's Hippie Big Band: What Is?
by Jack Bowers
Although the music of New York-based bandleader and arranger Russ Anixter may leave the average listener bemused and scratching his or her head, even the more perplexed among them would have to concede that Anixter has his personal North Star, and that he and the eleven-member Hippie Big Band follow it to the letter. Having grown up in San Francisco in the 1960s, Anixter was irresistibly drawn to bands such as The Grateful Dead, Santana and others who made improvisation ...
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