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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Michael Robinson: Jeweled Saddle
by Hrayr Attarian
Multi-instrumentalist, composer and inventor Michael Robinson is an idiosyncratic artist whose prolific output is split between piano improvisations and performances on his own invention, the electronic keyboard, the meruvina. Over his career, Robinson has been heavily influenced by Indian traditional music as well as the stylings of such luminaries as alto saxophonist Lee Konitz and clarinetist Benny Goodman, among others. His 2024 Jeweled Saddle draws on these diverse sources of inspiration. It contains a single 50-minute meruvina piece ...
Continue ReadingThe Winners: Ezra Collective, Patricia Brennan, Chris Bangs, Galliano, And More
by Tony Poole
Twelve tracks from Jazz First's Favourite Albums Of 2024... Dance, No One's Watching! that reflects the Jazz First manifesto that is as much about dance and groove as it is about improvised music. The playlist features tracks that fuse jazz with hip-hop, house, Afrobeat, dub, spiritual, world and other genres that have been dancing with each other amiably for decades. Most reflect, in part, music for the dancehall, away from the concert hall where something got lost mid-way during the ...
Continue ReadingTom Harrell, Antonio Farao, The Fury, Al-Qasar
by Cheryl K.
During this week's two-hour program of Jazz and improvised music, trumpeter Tom Harrell, pianist Antonio Farao, vocalist Gergana Velinova, Giant Step Arts artists The Fury and trumpeter Jason Palmer, Al-Qasar, and holiday selections from guitarists Margaret Slovak and Chris Maresh and keyboardist Robert Glasper. Playlist Tadd Dameron “Romas" from Mating Call (Prestige) 6:51 Tom Harrell “Heliotrope" from Alternate Summer (HighNote) 4:11 David Friesen “One Last Time" from A Shining Light Through (Origin) 5:46 Margaret Slovak and Chris Maresh ...
Continue ReadingMike Stern: The Story Behind Echoes and Other Songs
by Steven Roby
Mike Stern's voice carries a mix of warmth and humility as he reflects on his latest album, Echoes and Other Songs. A celebrated figure in the world of jazz fusion, Stern joined the Backstage Bay Area podcast for a candid conversation about his creative process and his stellar lineup of collaborators.From the heartfelt tributes embedded in his music to the sheer joy of collaboration, Stern's words paint a vivid picture of an artist who has never stopped evolving. ...
Continue ReadingJazz First's Favourite Albums Of 2024... Dance, No One's Watching!
by Tony Poole
Twelve albums that reflect the Jazz First manifesto that is as much about dance and groove as it is about improvised music. The featured titles fuse jazz with hip-hop, house, Afrobeat, dub, spiritual, world and other genres that have been dancing with each other amiably for decades. Most of these albums reflect, in part, music for the dancehall, away from the concert hall where something got lost mid-way during the 20th century. Here's to hope for 2025 and how jazz ...
Continue ReadingJack Bowers' Best Jazz Albums Of 2024
by Jack Bowers
On a personal note, this is unlike any “best of the year" summaries I've written during my more than twenty-five years as a reviewer for All About Jazz. The reason is that I fell in late April and broke my left femur. As a result, I completed no reviews from that time until early September, a span of more than four months. Even though 2024 was a fairly solid year for jazz albums in general and big bands in particular, ...
Continue ReadingTroy Dostert's Best Jazz Albums Of 2024
by Troy Dostert
Another year of first-rate creative jazz is in the books, along with another impossible set of choices in assembling a top-10 list. These are some of the standouts, in a year in which trios and quartets were especially prominent, taking advantage of the unparalleled opportunities for close collaboration that smaller ensembles provide. My favorites are listed here alphabetically, without ranking them, as all of them are exceptional. Borderlands Trio Rewilder Intakt Records Following ...
Continue ReadingThe Dam Jawn featuring Dick Oatts: Forward!
by Pierre Giroux
The Dam Jawn's Forward! is an exhilarating journey through the sonic spectrum of modern jazz, elevated by the presence of alto saxophonist Dick Oatts. This collaboration captures the creative energy of five talented young musicians presently living in Amsterdam (hence the Dam in the name) alongside a veteran master, weaving a tapestry of grooves, colors and moods into a cohesive and engaging whole. Of the nine tracks in this session, eight are original compositions from the various band members; the ...
Continue ReadingAlawari: Leviathan
by Troy Dostert
Although Denmark's Alawari has been a known quantity in Europe since its founding in 2016, the group has yet to achieve the visibility it deserves elsewhere--but maybe that will change with Leviathan, the band's sophomore release. Filled with dense arrangements belying the sextet's diminutive size, emotionally resonant themes and fine musicianship, Alawari has crafted a gem of a record, one worth revisiting for its obvious and hidden charms. There are a few lineup changes from the group's self-titled ...
Continue ReadingMicroplastique: Blare Blow Bloom!
by Glenn Astarita
Blare Blow Bloom! by Microplastique, a Chicago-based contemporary music group, is a wild ride through the avant-garde jazz landscape. The album is a cacophony of sound that somehow manages to be both chaotic and harmonious, a testament to the artists' musical prowess and fearless creativity. The press release states: “Performing the compositions of band leader Adam Shead, Microplastique creates music that is both absurd in its aesthetic and serious in its execution." The album features selections from concerts in Cleveland, ...
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