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.

Album Review

Walt Weiskopf: Fountain Of Youth

Read "Fountain Of Youth" reviewed by David A. Orthmann

by David A. Orthmann
July 15, 2017

Fountain Of Youth is the latest installment of Walt Weiskopf's mid-career renaissance. In reviews of Weiskopf's three previous Posi-Tone releases, I made the misstep of treating his imposing skills as a tenor saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader as separate, albeit compatible entities; this time around I realized that they are indeed parts of a larger, all-encompassing vision that winds through the disc's eleven tracks. Whereas Overdrive, Open Road, and The Way You Say It are--with few exceptions--driven ...

Album Review

Isamu McGregor: Resonance

Read "Resonance" reviewed by Troy Dostert

by Troy Dostert
July 15, 2017

On this album, his second as a leader since 2012's Live at the Baked Potato, pianist/keyboardist Isamu McGregor continues to hone his approach to crafting intelligent, challenging jazz fusion. With bassist Evan Marien and drummer Gene Coye once again at his side, he's got the right partners for navigating his maze-like compositions, and guest spots by tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, bass clarinetist Bennie Maupin and guitarist Deen Anbar also enhance the scope and stylistic diversity of the record.

Album Review

Kuniko: Bach: Solo Works for Marimba

Read "Bach: Solo Works for Marimba" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
July 15, 2017

Johann Sebastian Bach. His music is a cornerstone of Western Civilization. On reason Bach's music has had staying power in our quickly evolving culture is its durability. Bach's music has been effectively framed by vastly different instrumental approaches. These include Vittorio Ghielmi's near-the-intent viol consort approach to The Art of Fugue (Winter & Winter, 2009), through Uri Caine's reconstructed Goldberg Variations (Winter & Winter, 2000), all the way to Bill Cunliffe's BACHanalia (Metro, 2017). That is an impressive breadth of ...

Live Review

James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt at the Prudential Center

by Mike Perciaccante
July 15, 2017

James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt The Prudential Center Newark, NJ July 6, 2017 On a pleasant Thursday evening just after the 4th of July, when many of the audience members were enjoying an extended Independence Day holiday, James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt touched down at Newark, NJ's Prudential Center for the first night of their 2017 summer tour. James Taylor was born in Boston, MA on March 12, 1948. In 1951, his family ...

Live Review

Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs At The Paramount

by Mike Perciaccante
July 15, 2017

Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs The Paramount Huntington, NY July 5, 2017 Michael McDonald has had a long and storied career. In the early days he was a member of Steely Dan's touring group. Over time he became one of the many adjunct members of the band, working on 1975's Katy Lied (ABC Records), The Royal Scam (ABC Records, 1976) and Aja (ABC Records, 1977). In 1976, he joined the Doobie Brothers, first appearing on ...

Interview

Charles Lloyd: The Winds Of Grace

by Ian Patterson
July 14, 2017

At seventy nine years young Charles Lloyd is showing no signs of slowing down. The summer months see the Memphis saxophonist/flautist on the North American and European festival circuits with his quartet of Gerald Clayton, Reuben Rogers and Eric Harland, followed by dates with The Marvels, Lloyd's most recent group, featuring Bill Frisell, Greg Leisz, Rogers and Harland. The latter formation's baptism came with the acclaimed I Long to See You (Blue Note, 2016), and the good news ...

Album Review

Rain Sultanov: Inspired by Nature

Read "Inspired by Nature" reviewed by Ian Patterson

by Ian Patterson
July 14, 2017

Azerbaijani saxophonist/composer Rain Sultanov has long drawn inspiration from his country's rich culture and stunning landscapes. On Inspired by Nature--Sultanov's eighth release as leader--the saxophonist toggles between lyrical balladry and passionate exposition as he takes Azerbaijan's nature as his muse. And it has been an epic venture. With a band of trusted musicians, Sultanov led an expedition around Azerbaijan, recording the natural sounds they encountered in the great mountains, by the Caspian Sea and on the flat plains. These recordings ...

Extended Analysis

Long Strange Trip: The Untold Story of the Grateful Dead Motion Picture Soundtrack

by Doug Collette
July 14, 2017

At a glance, there's appears a dearth of rarities on the three compact disc version of the soundtrack to Amir Bar-Lev's documentary of the Grateful Dead Long Strange Trip. But a closer look reveals the approximate playing time of the seven previously unissued tracks is approximately seventy-four minutes in total, practically full-length playing time for a CD. And, not surprisingly, given the expanse of footage in The Untold Story of the Grateful Dead, the range of material is as varied ...

Album Review

Daunik Lazro: Garden(s)

Read "Garden(s)" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
July 14, 2017

This progressive French trio features musicians who have respectively been at the forefront of Euro improvisational circles, partaking in numerous small and large ensemble formats. The synergy and inventive concepts many of us would anticipate is wholly inherent here, as the band covers Duke Ellington, Albert Ayler and John Coltrane bordering three group composed pieces “Garden(s) 1 through 3" and trumpeter Jean-Luc Cappozzo's “Joy Spirit." Cappozzo brings Ellington's “Sophisticated Lady" to the wild side via an opening duet ...

In Pictures

Ronnie Foster Trio at Nighttown

by C. Andrew Hovan
July 14, 2017

Although he came along at the end of an era in terms of the popularity of jazz organ, Ronnie Foster has led a varied and colorful career having studied with the iconic Jimmy Smith and worked with a wide variety of artists including George Benson, David Sanborn, Stevie Wonder, Stanley Turrentine, and Djavan. Currently leading his own trio featuring guitarist Jake Langley and drummer Jess Gopen, Foster is based in Las Vegas but recently headed east for stops in Rochester ...