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

David Lyttle: Faces

by Ian Patterson
February 26, 2015

The thirty-second cello sortie that kicks off Faces is an arresting opening statement that dashes any preconceptions about what to expect from David Lyttle's third outing as leader. While the acoustic True Story (Lyte Records, 2007) and Questions (Lyte Records, 2010)--the latter a swinging collaboration with guitar wunderkind Andreas Varady--helped establish Lyttle's credentials as a first-rate jazz drummer, Interlude (Lyte Records, 2012) revamped the template by adding hip-hop and soul to the mix. Faces proclaims an even bolder skewing of ...

Album Review

Luzia von Wyl Ensemble: Frost

by Glenn Astarita
February 26, 2015

The age-old debate, regarding the pros and cons of melding classical music with other genres will live on. And of course, the oil and water analogies will be discussed as many hybrid encounters may seem contrived, evidenced by hard-rock guitar solos wailing above syrupy strings arrangements or abstract scenarios where free-jazz soloists merge chamber music and so on. But classically trained Swiss pianist, composer Luzia von Wyl resides on a higher plane with this masterful program, combining hornists, strings and ...

The Big Question

Some of the freshest and most innovative music in the current day is coming from the jazz world. Why isn't this better known?

by Ted Gioia
February 25, 2015

Jazz no longer has the same degree of influence or popularity nowadays. We shouldn't be surprised to see the public's musical tastes change over the decades. New styles come and go. But I must admit that I am still shocked when I hear young listeners describe jazz as old-fashioned, or treat it like a museum piece. As someone who listens to lots of new music in all genres--I spend 2-3 hours every day listening to new releases--I feel compelled to ...

Album Review

Nate Radley: Morphoses

Read "Morphoses" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
February 25, 2015

There are guitarists out there who seek to burn an impression of their work into ears and minds, and there are others who manage to make an impression simply by being themselves. Nate Radley falls into the second category. His music isn't forceful, but it still manages to make an impact. On Morphoses, Radley shifts between, and occasionally fuses, low-key modern jazz and Americana language(s). There's a number that references Merle Travis ("Travis"); there are pieces that ...

Take Five With...

Take Five with Charley Sabatino

by AAJ Staff
February 25, 2015

Meet Charley Sabatino: Charley Sabatino is a veteran bassist with more than 35 years experience. He plays both upright and electric bass, encompassing a wide range of styles, and plays throughout the NY/Metro Area. Highlights of his career include: The Today Show backing the Children's Aid Society Chorus, Lincoln Center with Ben Vereen, Headliners at the Village Gate, 92nd St. Y, Cat Club, New Music Seminar and the Cabaret Circuit with clients of the William Morris Agency.

Album Review

Sigurdur Flosason/Kjeld Lauritsen: Daybreak

by Chris Mosey
February 25, 2015

They used to call this kind of thing “mood music." The idea was to put the listener in a particular mood, usually one of calm and relaxation. When it came to jazz, the US label Prestige climbed on the bandwagon with a whole series titled--wait for it-- “Moodsville." Moodsville aimed at providing jazz that was “beautiful, poetic and thoughtful." Talented Icelandic alto saxophonist Sigurdur Flosason and Danish Hammond organ player Kjeld Lauritsen have similar ...

Album Review

Blaise Siwula / Dom Minasi: The Sunshine Don't Mind My Singing

Read "The Sunshine Don't Mind My Singing" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
February 25, 2015

Saxophonist and clarinetist Blaise Siwula and guitarist Dom Minasi share a unique musical vision and seamless camaraderie. Years of performing and recoding together have crystallized their adventurous outlook and their intellectual communion. The sublime set of spontaneous duets; The Sunshine Don't Mind My Singing is the perfect showcase of these attributes.Siwula and Minasi weave elements from various genres into the half a dozen, stimulating improvisations that comprise the album. “Upstream Boogie," for instance starts out as a deconstructed ...

1,441

Album Review

Beresford Hammond: The Science of Snow

Read "The Science of Snow" reviewed by John Eyles

by John Eyles
February 25, 2015

This duo's name, Beresford Hammond, hints at its membership--Charlie Beresford, guitarist and vocalist in the improvising quartet Fourth Page, and classically-trained cellist Sonia Hammond, whose first CD of Bach was recorded live in St. Mary's Church, Hay-on-Wye, by Beresford, in March 2014. That summer, when the two found themselves at a loose end due to a cancelled studio session, they used the opportunity to record some duo improvisations together, “just to see where it would go." From the off, with ...

Interview

Clyde Stubblefield: Samples of Funk

by Ben Scholz
February 25, 2015

Every musical generation tends to put forth a handful of “star players" within any given genre. Whether it be Los Angeles' Wrecking Crew or Motown's Funk Brothers, certain cliques of industry professionals are able to develop a coveted sound in the recording studio that resonates with producers. These “lightning in a bottle" artists tend to produce a staggering body of work in a relatively short time. Unfortunately, this haste also tends to result in a few bruised egos when credit ...

Live Review

Take Five UK 2015

by Ian Patterson
February 24, 2015

Take Five UK Edition X Bore Place Kent, England February 9 -14, 2015 Nestled in the heart of the Kent countryside is Bore Place, an organic farm that dates to the seventeenth century. Here, the mobile phone signal is unreliable and internet connection is dickey at best. The only sound is the tenor and baritone lowing of cows. It's the perfect place to plonk eight young jazz/improvising musicians for a week. The ...