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

Michael Pisaro, Cristián Alvear: Melody, Silence

Read "Melody, Silence" reviewed by John Eyles

by John Eyles
February 20, 2015

The irresistible rise of Buffalo-born composer and guitarist Michael Pisaro has been an ongoing phenomenon since the turn of the millennium. Initially, his recordings and scores were released on Edition Wandelweiser, fitting as he is a significant member of the Wandelweiser group. Gradually, like-minded labels such as Another Timbre, Cathnor, Compost & Height and Erstwhile also began issuing Pisaro recordings. More recently, his own Gravity Wave label has been issuing the lion's share of his music, culminating in the release ...

Album Review

Friends & Neighbors: Hymn For A Hungry Nation

Read "Hymn For A Hungry Nation" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
February 20, 2015

This Norwegian band derives its moniker from one of saxophonist Ornette Coleman's slightly overlooked units Friends and Neighbors, culminating in the 1970 release Live At Prince Street on the Flying Dutchman label. But the impetus for the ensemble's doctrine resides in the expressive 60s era where Coleman, and other like-minded pioneers often ravaged conventional sensibilities of the jazz vernacular. Here, the good news is that these musicians do not simply rehash the paths previously traversed but provide a dynamic incursion, ...

Extended Analysis

Sanguine Hum: Now We Have Light

by John Kelman
February 20, 2015

Sometimes things take a long time to gestate in the minds of musicians, but Sanguine Hum may well be eligible for entry in the Guinness Book of World Records-- if there was such a category (and if there isn't, perhaps now there should be)--for Longest Time to Bring a Musical Concept to Fruition. OK, it's a clunky name and someone at Guinness will have to do better, but with the double-disc concept album Now We Have Light, Sanguine Hum has ...

Live Review

The Julian Lage Trio at Richmond Congregational Church

by Doug Collette
February 19, 2015

The Julian Lage Trio Congregational Church Richmond, Vermont February 15, 2015 Striding from the vestibule to the stage of this tiny house of worship, The Julian Lage Trio were afforded a hearty round of applause, which was just a precursor to further acclamation in the form of whoops and hollers that became increasingly frequent during the course of their single ninety-minute set. But a mutual admiration arose between performers and audience during the ...

One LP

Joe Lovano: Miles Davis - 'Round About Midnight

by William Ellis
February 19, 2015

Joe Lovano: Birdland, NYC, 21st September 2014 “Well, I would have to say Miles Davis, 'Round About Midnight (Columbia, 1957). I grew up listening to this recording as a kid and the poetic expression -the ensemble playing between John Coltrane and Miles Davis, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones just captured my attention from an early age. And of course their solos within each tune were just so masterful you know. But yet, as ...

Take Five With...

Take Five With Dan Papirany

by AAJ Staff
February 19, 2015

Meet Dan Papirany: I was born in Israel and moved to New Zealand when I was 21. I studied drums for two years and then changed to a piano major. I graduated with a bachelor in jazz performance in 1999 and continued studying to become a high school teacher. In 2011 I moved to QLD, Australia. I've released seven albums to date; they are all available at CD Baby. Instrument(s): I play jazz piano and drums. ...

Album Review

Mike Osborne: Dawn

by Bruce Lindsay
February 19, 2015

Alto saxophonist Mike Osborne's career was relatively short--barely 20 years between his first gigs with the pioneering Mike Westbrook Band and his retirement from the music scene because of mental health problems in 1982. His discography is lengthy, but albums as leader are rare. Dawn draws together recordings from three relatively early sessions in Osborne's career--early, but testament to the maturity of his playing and writing. It's exciting stuff. Osborne recorded the first six tunes in London, during ...

Album Review

Daniel Rosenboom: Astral Transference / Seven Dreams

Read "Astral Transference / Seven Dreams" reviewed by Robert Bush

by Robert Bush
February 19, 2015

L.A. trumpeter Daniel Rosenboom seems to gravitate towards music that challenges on multiple levels, and his latest recording Astral Transference/ Seven Dreams, a sprawling, two-disc transcription of a live concert at the Blue Whale is nothing if not wildly ambitious. “Astral Transference," is the single composition that takes up the entirety of Disc One. It opens with Rosenboom alone, dancing around with open-horn textures, before being joined by seven of his favorite players including Artyom Manukyan ...

Album Review

Daniel Blacksberg Trio: Perilous Architecture

Read "Perilous Architecture" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
February 19, 2015

Philly-based Dan Blacksberg may not be well known (though he is a founding member of Anthony Braxton's Tri-Centric Orchestra). But on the evidence of Perilous Architecture, a limited edition LP which constitutes the second release by his trio, that won't be the case for long. While not novel, trombone lead outfits remain far from everyday occurrences. All three members work as a balanced unit, equally poised between the interpreting the leader's charts and extemporization casually rooted in that thematic material. ...

Album Review

Fish On Friday: Godspeed

Read "Godspeed" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
February 19, 2015

Fish on Friday is a highly focused multinational progressive rock band and not necessarily alluding to a Friday fish fry during the Christian observances of Lent. You won't detect any filler material on this meticulously produced album, spanning alternative, Indie and progressive rock via soothing vocals and engaging harmonic content. Occasionally, the musicians instill memories of Britain's fabled Canterbury prog rock scene as several comps are designed with asymmetrical doses of chutzpah and majestic choruses amid tender synth overlays and ...