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

Claudia Franco: Soul Dance

Read "Soul Dance" reviewed by James Nadal

by James Nadal
October 2, 2015

Every day, someone, somewhere, is turned on to jazz. Be it through records, radio, or a riveting live performance. And many make the decision to perform this vibrant art form, in whatever way they feel is appropriate. The amount of jazz that is coming in from around the globe might arguably be at an all-time high. Portugal appears to be no exception to this phenomenon, as vocalist Claudia Franco proves with her release of Soul Dance . She is a ...

Album Review

Nick Mazzarella Trio: Ultraviolet

Read "Ultraviolet" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
October 2, 2015

Ultraviolet is the third album by Chicago alto saxophonist Nick Mazzarella's (Ken Vandermark and The Eternals, Rob Mazurek) trio and is firmly nestled in the Windy City's progressive and free jazz domain. Go-to session ace, drummer Frank Rosaly and bassist Anton Hatwich stir the pot on numerous occasions and part of the beauty relates to the leader's synchronous melding of bop, free bop and avant expressionism into a cohesive, multilateral program. The artists get to the point ...

Mr. P.C.'s Guide to Jazz Etiquette and Bandstand Decorum

October 2015

by Mr. P.C.
October 1, 2015

Dear Mr. P.C.: I used to get all the calls in town when someone needed a bassist. Now I don't get any, and the weird thing is that I've only been getting better. I still practice all the time and can tell I'm improving. So why would I suddenly disappear? I'm not in the clubs anymore, and apparently I'm not in anyone's book either. --Invisible Man Dear Invisible: When the phone isn't ...

Album Review

Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton Trio: Live In Bern

Read "Live In Bern" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
October 1, 2015

Saxophone master Scott Hamilton and drum maestro Jeff Hamilton have over four decades of experience each in the world of mainstream, swinging, jazz. Despite those many years on the scene Live In Bern is their first release together. It's been a long wait, but it's been worth it. Before the important discussion--about the music--a word about the band and the album title. This isn't an album by the “Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton Trio"--to be accurate, it's Scott ...

Rediscovery

The Phil Woods Six: Live from the Showboat

by John Kelman
October 1, 2015

The Phil Woods SixLive from the ShowboatSony Music Japan2015 (1977) With the sad passing of Phil Woods on September 29, 2015, what better way to honor the career of this alto (and occasionally soprano) saxophone giant with the Rediscovery of a live album that, long out of print--and previously only available on CD in a truncated, single-disc edition that excised some of its most exhilarating moments--has finally seen the light of day in its entirety ...

My Blue Note Obsession

Jimmy Smith: Groovin’ at Smalls Paradise – 1957

by Marc Davis
October 1, 2015

I love the jazz organ. I love Jimmy Smith. But I don't love Groovin' at Smalls Paradise. When Smith burst onto the scene in 1956, he was a genuine phenomenon. Not only was he wildly popular, but also wildly prolific. In just three years, from 1956 to 1958, Smith put out a mind-boggling 23 albums. Blue Note had a bona fide star, and the label sure knew how to milk the craze. Some of those records ...

Album Review

Rodrigo Amado: This Is Our Language

Read "This Is Our Language" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
October 1, 2015

It was only a matter of time before this session was to be. Portuguese tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Amado had, for years, been gaining the attention of American players, and recording his Motion Trio with guests such as Peter Evans and Jeb Bishop. When he conceived of this quartet, it was hand-in-the-glove fit. The title, This Is Our Language seems to refer to Ornette Coleman's This Is Our Music (Atlantic, 1961) and In All Languages (Caravan Of Dreams, 1987). ...

Album Review

Hans Luchs: Time Never Pauses

Read "Time Never Pauses" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
October 1, 2015

Chicago-based guitarist Hans Luchs draws more from the recent than far past. More John Abercrombie and John Scofield than Wes Montgomery or Grant Green. His debut recording Time Never Pauses is a collection of eight original compositions and two transformed standards reveals the continued refining of modern jazz composition well past the head-solo section-head style of hard bop and the liquid freedom of post bop into pure composition. “Der Lumenmeister," the album opener is labyrinthian in both ...

Catching Up With

Phil Woods: 1931-2015

by AAJ Staff
September 30, 2015

In memory of NEA Jazz Master, Phil Woods. This article was previously published in November 2002. All About Jazz: Looking back on the almost three decade history of your Quintet, one question springs immediately to mind. You've had the same rhythm section of Steve Gilmore on bass and Bill Goodwin on drums ever since you formed the band back in the early 1970s. Most jazz musicians end up hopping around from group to group constantly. So how have ...

Album Review

Laurie Antonioli & Richie Beirach: Varuna

by Dan Bilawsky
September 30, 2015

This absorbing release--an album that's something of a sequel to The Duo Sessions (Nabel Records, 2005)--finds vocalist Laurie Antonioli and pianist Richie Beirach painting one divine musical tableau after another. There are vivid numbers that place Antonioli's seraphic vocals atop Beirach's dense and full-flavored chords, spare readings that allow fragility and the human condition to come to the surface, and standards shaped and molded to this pair's liking. The music is both experiential and experimental, owing to each artist's adventurous ...