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.

Book Excerpts

The View from the Back of the Band: The Life and Music of Mel Lewis

by Chris Smith
April 9, 2015

The following is an excerpt from “Chapter 13: Opening Night at the Village Vanguard" of The View from the Back of the Band: The Life and Music of Mel Lewis by Chris Smith (University of North Texas Press, 2014). In November of 1965, Thad and Mel quickly put together a list of the musicians they wanted for their band. While Thad had certain friends at CBS that he wanted to hire, and Mel had musicians he wanted, ...

Jazz Fiction

Now's the Time: Part 2-5

by Sean Murphy
April 9, 2015

Introduction The life and times of a minor jazz legend are recounted through his narrated memories. In this fictional treatment of jazz music in the mid-to-late 20th century, issues of race, creativity, addiction and, ultimately, redemption, are explored. With a title taken from the immortal Charlie Parker tune, “Now's The Time" is an extended meditation on the artistic life. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 He ...

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Building a Jazz Library

Alto Saxophone

by Bob Bernotas
April 9, 2015

Of the many members of the saxophone family, the alto and tenor have emerged as its most prominent siblings. From the mid-1920s onward, many big band alto saxophonists have filled a dual role, best personified by the multi-talented Benny Carter, serving as the lead voice in the saxophone section as well as a featured solo improvisor. During that same time, Johnny Hodges began to reveal the alto's soulful, sensual character, applying the instrument to both ballads and blues.

Album Review

John Petrucelli Quintet: The Way

by Dan Bilawsky
April 9, 2015

The debut release from saxophonist John Petrucelli packs a mean punch. For his first outing, this Pittsburgh-based tenor man put together a lengthy, two-disc program that showcases his writing and, of greater note, his chops. In some ways, this can be seen as a musical shock and awe campaign. Petrucelli's muscular tenor proves to be a dominant and somewhat domineering force, steamrolling through this music and putting on shows of athleticism--darting and daring sprints, keening gusts, Coltrane-ish ...

Album Review

Peripheral Vision: Sheer Tyranny Of Will

Read "Sheer Tyranny Of Will" reviewed by Dave Wayne

by Dave Wayne
April 9, 2015

One must wonder what chance a group of relatively unknown Canadian jazz musicians playing complicated original tunes has for any sort of recognition or commercial success in the US. If musical quality was the sole determinant, Peripheral Vision, the relatively unknown Canadian band in question, would be celebrities, set for life. They've unleashed a corker of an album in Sheer Tyranny of Will, their third. Sheer Tyranny of Will combines the small “f" fusion approach of the so-called “Canterbury-style" of ...

Album Review

The Susan Krebs Chamber Band: Simple Gifts

Read "Simple Gifts" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
April 9, 2015

..."some bluesy piano soloing, hoedown string work, and more." Dan Bilawsky in his AAJ review of Krebs' Simple Gifts Yes, I think nothing of drawing inspiration from my betters on the AAJ staff when stuck on a review. I had reviewed Everything Must Change (GreenGig Music, 2012), finding the release very fine. But Simple Gifts represents a stunning evolution that is different altogether. Here, Krebs dives into the heart of Americana in the same ...

Album Review

Marco von Orelli 5: Alluring Prospect

Read "Alluring Prospect" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
April 9, 2015

Swiss trumpeter Marco von Orelli (George Gruntz Workshop Big Band, Tommy Meier Root Down) possesses a manifold musical persona. He's composed for TV, theater and collaborates with many notable European jazz artists and improvisers. But as a leader, Alluring Prospects poses deep insight into his enthralling compositional pen, bridging classical, jazz and the improvisational element into multilateral array of largely, energizing frameworks. With slight doses of classical austerity amid twisting choruses and stately themes, the ensemble also executes ...

Album Review

Various Artists: Verve The Sound of America: The Singles Collection

Read "Verve The Sound of America: The Singles Collection" reviewed by Marc Davis

by Marc Davis
April 9, 2015

Verve is one of the greatest labels in the history of jazz, and Norman Granz was one of jazz's greatest producers. So why is The Sound of America: The Singles Collection such a mess of a box set? This had such great promise. After all, Verve was home to many legendary performers: Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic, Stan Getz, Jimmy Smith. So a boxed set of Verve's greatest hits should be ...

From the Inside Out

Checking in from Global Outposts

by Chris M. Slawecki
April 8, 2015

Atlas Maior Palindrome Self Produced 2014 Open the package for Atlas Maior's debut CD and here's the first line you read: “Palindrome was completely improvised and recorded live with no overdubs." How you respond to these words will greatly shape how you respond to this music. A mainstay on the vibrant Austin (Texas) music scene since 2010, Atlas Maior boasts a truly unique sound, not only from the instruments they play ...

Jazz Fiction