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

Paul Hubweber / Frank Paul Schubert / Alexander von Schlippenbach / Clayton Thomas / Willi Kellers: Intricacies

Read "Intricacies" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
September 1, 2015

As titles go, Intricacies stands as one of the more appropriate. Not so much in the sense of obscurity or being difficult to understand, but rather with reference to the entanglements engendered by the ear stretching five way interplay. Recorded in the German capital's B-Flat club in early 2014 the 2 CD set captures a multi-generational crew of Berlin-based improvisers on two lengthy spontaneously generated tracks and a shorter encore. What they create is recognizably free jazz, in that rhythmic ...

Album Review

Denise Donatelli: Find a Heart

Read "Find a Heart" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello

by Nicholas F. Mondello
September 1, 2015

There was once a best-selling non-fiction book titled The Road Less Traveled (Simon & Schuster, 1978). In it, author, M. Scott Peck, discussed human potential. With Find a Heart vocalist Denise Donatelli and her frequent collaborator, pianist Geoffrey Keezer, explore a repertoire that is unchartered for a jazzer. And, the decision to venture on this musical path yields a fascinating and beautifully rewarding aural journey. The L.A.-based singer, Grammy-nominated multiple times, is as good here as she's ...

Album Review

Jonah Parzen-Johnson: Remember When Things Were Better Tomorrow

Read "Remember When Things Were Better Tomorrow" reviewed by Karl Ackermann

by Karl Ackermann
September 1, 2015

The young baritone saxophonist Jonah Parzen-Johnson, a Chicago native and Brooklyn resident, has an enviable musical pedigree. With music degrees from NYU and Manhattan School of Music, he also studied under Mwata Bowden, of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) and a member of the eclectic (but long defunct) 8 Bold Souls. Remember When Things Were Better Tomorrow is Parzen-Johnson's second release following Michiana (Primary Records, 2012)--both solo outings. Parzen-Johnson, while being strongly influenced ...

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Talking 2 Musicians

John McLaughlin

by Alan Bryson
August 31, 2015

With a musical career that spans five decades and as many continents, John McLaughlin has established himself as one of the premier guitarists on the world stage. At the age of 73 his youthful vigor is nothing short of astounding. If he's not touring with one of his two working bands, chances are he's either preparing for his next tour, or he's in the recording studio, or he's embarking on a new project that has captured his imagination. He continues ...

Album Review

Heads of State: Search For Peace

Read "Search For Peace" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan

by C. Andrew Hovan
August 31, 2015

Much like another group of distinguished jazz veterans, namely The Cookers, the premise here was a simple one. Get together a crew of like-minded musicians with a track record of shared experiences and see where the music takes things. The genesis for Heads of State was a three-day homage to McCoy Tyner last fall at Smoke where pianist Larry Willis led this very quartet. The group, which also includes saxophonist Gary Bartz, bassist Buster Williams, and drummer Al Foster seemed ...

Interview

Rich Pulin: Clifford Brown and "It's You, LaRue"

by Nicholas F. Mondello
August 31, 2015

Celebrated trombonist, trumpeter, composer/arranger, producer, educator and Las Vegas-based radio host, Rich Pulin shares background here about the great trumpeter, Clifford Brown and the love of Clifford's life, his wife, LaRue and his “co-authorship" of what might possibly be the last composition Brownie had written. All About Jazz: Rich, On behalf of All About Jazz, thanks for speaking with us. Rich Pulin: Thank you, Nick. AAJ: This is a fascinating bit ...

Album Review

Steve Davis: Say When

Read "Say When" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan

by C. Andrew Hovan
August 31, 2015

The winds of change have actively sought to change the jazz vernacular of the 21st century. Fueled in large part by the media, it seems that the darlings of the current set have opted for a broader definition of the music. Key elements such as melody and a prominent swing feel are often looked upon as “old hat" by the so-called hipper crowd. Some of this new music is vital, but much of it is inconsequential, further splintering the jazz ...

Album Review

Fred Hersch: Solo

by Dan McClenaghan
August 31, 2015

Pianist Fred Hersch is celebrating his sixtieth birthday year in style, with a week of performances at the legendary Village Vanguard, his debuts at the Newport Jazz Festival and Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the release of Fred Hersch Solo. The achievement of surviving six decades is noteworthy, poignant and auspicious considering Hersch's near-communion with death in 2008, when he was placed in a medically-induced coma for 40 days as part of a fight against HIV-induced dementia. But Hersch survived, ...

Album Review

Rich Halley 4: Creating Structure

Read "Creating Structure" reviewed by Budd Kopman

by Budd Kopman
August 31, 2015

While hiding in the great Northwest (specifically Portland, Oregon), saxophonist Rich Halley has built an impressive body of work of composition and performance in many different settings. Creating Structure is the latest from his quartet, the Rich Halley 4 whose previously releases are The Wisdom Of Rocks, Crossing The Passes, Back From Beyond and Requiem for a Pit Viper. However, this release is the first by the group to be made up completely improvised (i.e. “free") material. The ...

Album Review

Michael Houstoun with the Rodger Fox Big Band: Concerti

by Jack Bowers
August 30, 2015

There is a saying about “the best of both possible worlds," an adage that springs immediately to mind when listening to Concerti, a remarkable collaboration between classical pianist Michael Houstoun and trombonist Rodger Fox's superb big band from Wellington, New Zealand. The captivating program consists of four extended works, two by American pianist / composer Bill Cunliffe, another by New Zealand's own Mike Nock, and the first movement of Sergei Prokofiev's lyrical and dramatic Piano Concerto No. 3, astutely arranged ...