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.

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Building a Jazz Library

McCoy Tyner

by AAJ Staff
March 7, 2015

Some jazz fans only have a partial acquaintance with McCoy Tyner, that being that “he was Coltrane's pianist." Indeed, it is fairly common to know McCoy Tyner only through his stellar contributions as a sideman in the 1960s, not only with Coltrane but also with Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson and Joe Henderson. Along with 'Trane, these are simply the records that everybody has heard McCoy play on. Suffice it to say that McCoy's career doesn't end there and ...

Album Review

Corey Coverstone: A Human Experience

Read "A Human Experience" reviewed by Paul Naser

by Paul Naser
March 7, 2015

Los Angeles based drummer Corey Coverstone's debut release as a leader, A Human Experience (Self Produced 2014), is a solid exploration of some familiar and not so familiar jazz standards by a band with a lot of chemistry. Coverstone, originally from Portland, is now a familiar face in the LA jazz scene and is playing around town with his band regularly. Coverstone enlisted the help of some of LA's finest musicians for this record; joining him are Wes Smith (Stevie ...

Album Review

B. J. Ward & Donn Trenner: Double Feature

Read "Double Feature" reviewed by Edward Blanco

by Edward Blanco
March 7, 2015

Actress, film animator, narrator and prolific singer, B.J. Ward reunites with pianist Donn Trenner an old musical partner, to record their second album together forty years after their first collaboration. The film-themed Double Feature takes a trip down memory lane offering eleven love songs from old movies and one original. Ward and Trenner are no strangers to each other as they actually use to be married, parted ways and have been the best of friends ever since. The duo released ...

Album Review

Fusion Jonda: Fusion Jonda

Read "Fusion Jonda" reviewed by James Nadal

by James Nadal
March 7, 2015

Ever since the Spanish first crossed the Atlantic Ocean in search of India, gold and spices, mistakenly landing upon the shores of Caribbean islands, there has been an ongoing process of acculturation. Puerto Rico, having been under the Spanish flag and influence for hundreds of years, absorbed Spanish music as well as the rhythms brought over from Africa, to the point that this amalgamation has come to identify the music of the island. So it comes as no surprise that ...

Album Review

Rick Wakeman and The English Rock Ensemble: Out Of The Blue

Read "Out Of The Blue" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
March 7, 2015

Rick Wakeman (Yes, Strawbs) and Keith Emerson (The Nice, Emerson, Lake & Palmer) were among the primary catalysts of the infant 70s progressive rock scene and helped elevate the genre into a viable art-form, steeped in multifaceted electro-acoustic components with a concentrated focus on superior musicianship. With dazzling virtuosity and heavy use of Moog synths, complementing his use of acoustic piano, Wakeman continues to apply his magic within various prog-oriented flavors and shapes. Wakeman's symphonic prog rock insignia ...

Bailey's Bundles

Bach to Bach: Hopkinson Smith and Isang Enders

by C. Michael Bailey
March 7, 2015

The sweeping emotional reach of Johann Sebastian Bach's Suites, BWV 1007--1012) cannot be underestimated. Heard performed incandescently on two different instruments helps also. Throw in the Sonatas & Partitas for Violin, BWV 1001-1006, on the lute and you have a Bach free-for-all. Hopkinson Smith J.S. Bach: Sonatas & Partitas, Suites Naive 2014 Johann Sebastian Bach's Sonatas & Partitas for Violin, BWV 1001-1006 and his Suites for Cello, BWV 1001-1006 ...

Extended Analysis

Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti (Deluxe Edition)

by John Kelman
March 7, 2015

After nearly five years that saw the group release five albums--from 1969's earth-shattering eponymous debut to 1973's less consistent Houses of the Holy (all on Atlantic Records)--and incessant touring that saw the group break numerous attendance records and reach the top of the charts worldwide, Led Zeppelin finally took a much-needed break in 1974. Still, while singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham took some downtime to spend with family and friends, the ...

Film Review

J Geils Band: House Party Live in Germany

by Doug Collette
March 7, 2015

J. Geils Band House Party: Live in Germany Eagle Vision 2015 It's arguable the original lineup of the J. Geils Band remained in its prime all the way from their splendid eponymous debut album through a series of almost equally potent but ever so slightly varied successors in the Seventies into the widespread popularity that ensued with the commercial breakthrough of “Centerfold" in the eighties. House Party Live in Germany exemplifies how and why as ...

Album Review

Patrick Naylor: Days of Blue

Read "Days of Blue" reviewed by Roger Farbey

by Roger Farbey
March 7, 2015

"Baba" opens this album by British guitarist Patrick Naylor, with a middle eastern-tinged sax melody embellished with fast, acrobatic interplay between guitar and sax. Vocalist Stephanie O'Brien guests on the exquisitely executed song “Naggar" with elegant cello from Natalie Rozario, and this is all underpinned by graceful accordion from Daniel Teper. On “Rifferama" Naylor's quiet yet confident approach to his instrument is apparent. He's not short of technique, allowing himself just enough flowing runs to demonstrate his chops. ...

The Vinyl Post

Music Matters and Blue Note's 75th: Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch

by C. Andrew Hovan
March 6, 2015

Those deep collectors of classic Blue Note titles are already well aware of Music Matters' impressive catalog of reissue titles going back to 2007. Aside from a vintage era release with Van Gelder in the dead wax, these reissues have been the gold standard for hearing Blue Note's iconic classics in their best light. Joe Harley and Ron Rambach, the masterminds behind Music Matters, both have a firm commitment to presenting this music in the best possible light.