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.

Live Review

Obara International Quartet at Dizzy's Cub Coca-Cola

by Ernest Barteldes
July 8, 2015

Obara International Quartet Dizzy's Cub Coca-Cola June 30, 2015 New York, NY On their US debut, the binational (Polish/Norwegian) quartet led by alto saxophonist Maciej Obara kicked off their early set with an up-tempo piece that began with a screaming solo from the leader, who played a flurry of notes before passing the solo duties to pianist Dominik Wania (both are former members of legendary trumpeter Tomasz Stanko's band) while bassist Ole ...

Album Review

Ava Mendoza: Unnatural Ways

Read "Unnatural Ways" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
July 8, 2015

The debut album led by West Coast USA guitarist, vocalist Ava Mendoza parallels some of the principles established by the renegade New York City downtown scene with correlations to avant- rock albums produced by John Zorn for his long-running Tzadik record label. I listened to the LP, and it appears that the only other option would be to purchase the digital download. But the wide dynamic range of vinyl serves this band well. The musicians' kinetic energy ...

New York Beat

Erik Charlston at Cafe Wha

by Nick Catalano
July 8, 2015

Erik Charlston and JazzBrasil, a sextet from his CD Essentially Hermeto (Sunnyside) came to Café Wha for a one set offering of their music on Sunday June 28. Charlston has gained wide attention for his knowledge and performances of the music of Hermeto Pascoal. This illustrious composer/ musician/producer from Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, whose genius has been woefully neglected by American jazz writers, stands at the very top rung of Brazilian music and, through the years, the few times that ...

Album Review

Chris McNulty: Eternal

Read "Eternal" reviewed by Blaine Fallis

by Blaine Fallis
July 8, 2015

Losing a child. The pain can't be explained, although a close personal friend of ours lost their first born during childbirth. After the months of preparation, the painting of rooms, the choosing of a name. In response to their loss, they built a gorgeous rose garden, and placed poetic emblems on the back fence. And our friendship was was re-established through many long suppers and after- dinner jazz listening sessions, our families spending time just being with each other.

Live Review

Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival 2015

by R.J. DeLuke
July 7, 2015

Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival 2015 Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Springs, NY June 27-28, 2015 While jazz is closely associated with horns (even though there are few instruments now employed at some point across the genre) it was a couple of guitar slingers that helped light up the skies at Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival in June when the sun refused to do so for two days at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. The ...

Album Review

Chris Washburne & The SYOTOS Band: Low Ridin'

Read "Low Ridin'" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
July 7, 2015

Originals, Latin classics, and the occasional standard appear on this outfit's five previous albums, all of which were released on the Jazzheads imprint. But a new day has dawned with Low Ridin', as venerable trombonist Chris Washburne and his smoking Latin ensemble arrive at a new label--Zoho Roots--and take a new tack, delivering a program of Latin-ized Classic Rock songs. Almost all of the material presented here, save for saxophonist Ole Mathisen's “SYOTOMON," should be familiar to ...

Album Review

Alyssa Allgood: Lady Bird

Read "Lady Bird" reviewed by Tyran Grillo

by Tyran Grillo
July 7, 2015

Vocalist Alyssa Allgood has been hailed as one of the most promising young voices in jazz, and with good reason. She brings a full spread of talents to the table. Immediately noticeable are the freshness of her improvisational appetizers, the refinement of her main courses, and especially the tactfulness of her holistic desserts in arranging and composing. All of this reflects her dedication as both student and teacher, and likewise a cornucopia of major influences, including Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan, ...

Album Review

Joel Harrison: Spirit House

Read "Spirit House" reviewed by Blaine Fallis

by Blaine Fallis
July 7, 2015

Spirit House is a Joel Harrison original! Original compositions, ideas, instrumentations, and grooves. While jazz sometimes repeats itself (in style, instrumentation, or choice of songs etc.), Harrison creates completely new music worth listening to, “repeatedly." I say this because he wrote the music “specifically for this unique group of individuals," using electric guitar with bassoon (Paul Hanson), and the echoed voicings of trumpeter Cuong Vu. Add in veteran drummer Brian Blade and bassist Kermit Driscoll, and you have ...

Album Review

Kaze: Uminari

by Budd Kopman
July 7, 2015

Uminari is the third release, following Rafaele and Tornado, from the cooperative quartet Kaze, made up of pianist Satoko Fujii, the dual trumpets of Christian Pruvost and Natsuki Tamura and drummer Peter Orins. While the quartet's configuration is unusual, it is also different from Fujii's viewpoint in that she is not the leader, but rather one of four equal participants, allowing her to relax a bit more than usual. The first thing that must be said is that ...

Live From New York

James Blood Ulmer, Bill Laswell, Ty Segall, Richard Thompson & Method Of Defiance

by Martin Longley
July 7, 2015

James Blood Ulmer/Bill Laswell/Adam Rudolph/Don McKenzie The Stone June 24, 2014 Bassist Bill Laswell's week-long residency at The Stone featured an enticing selection of combinations, not least this quartet, co-fronted with guitarist James Blood Ulmer. Also, the globally-adventuring percussionist Adam Rudolph connected with drummer Don McKenzie, the least well-known player here, who's worked with Vernon Reid, Elliott Sharp and Marc Ribot. The late set had the feel of a jamming session, as Ulmer ...