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

Hedvig Mollestad Trio: Enfant Terrible

Read "Enfant Terrible" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
July 20, 2014

While making noise with her debut, Shoot! (Rune Grammofon, 2011), it was with All Them Witches (Rune Grammofon, 2013)--and subsequent touring that took her from her home country of Norway, playing at festivals like the 2013 Molde International Jazz Festival, to a short North American tour this year--that guitarist Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen's career really took off. Alongside Pixel, Hedvig Mollestad Trio represents some of the most exciting music from a new generation of Norwegian musicians, though the two groups couldn't ...

Film Review

Peter Gabriel: Back to Front - Live in London (Deluxe Limited Blu-Ray)

by John Kelman
July 20, 2014

Peter Gabriel Back to Front: Live in London (Deluxe Limited Blu-Ray) Real World/Eagle Vision2014 Peter Gabriel has, for most of his career, been an artist who has never looked back. Still, the past few years have seen him reevaluating his large repertoire, between orchestral interpretations documented on New Blood: Live in London (Real World/Eagle Entertainment, 2012) and the Back to Front tour that has, since that time, celebrated the 25th anniversary of the release of ...

Gnome Notes

Stanley Jason Zappa's Epic Gig Trek

by Chris Rich
July 20, 2014

During the second week of June, saxophonist Stanley Jason Zappa undertook a fairly demanding performance trek with two colleagues, saxophonist Catherine Sikora and percussionist Nick Skrowaczewski. It began in the Okanagan wine region of southwestern British Columbia and concluded at the Casse Tete Festival at the inland city of Prince George, around 500 miles to the north. It was held at The Exploration Place between June 13th and 15th. Zappa provided a sense of the venue ...

Album Review

Kristian Borring: Urban Novel

Read "Urban Novel" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
July 20, 2014

Danish guitarist Kristian Borring has been based in London since 2006, establishing himself as a leader and sideman on the UK scene. Urban Novel is his second album, his first for the small indie label Jellymould Jazz. Recorded in London in December 2012, Urban Novel is filled with Borring's original compositions and performed by the guitarist in the company of some of the best sidemen in Britain. It's an album that readily enhances Borring's reputation. Borring's debut release, ...

Multiple Reviews

The Doors: The App and Beyond

by Doug Collette
July 20, 2014

Given the late Jim Morrison's fascination with media, plus the film school experience he shared with Ray Manzarek, it's more than a little fitting The Doors have unveiled their own computer app. Few rock bands have their own app, apart from those centered on a specific release, but then, few have the near half-century history to draw upon, as do The Doors. Subtitled “An Immersive Journey," the app certainly is that. With a dense multi-layered menu of music, ...

Album Review

Roberto Magris Septet: Morgan Rewind: A Tribute To Lee Morgan Vol. 2

Read "Morgan Rewind: A Tribute To Lee Morgan Vol. 2" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
July 20, 2014

Italian-born pianist Roberto Magris gets deep into the music of his influences. He recorded two volumes of the music written by or associated with the somewhat overlooked bop pianist Elmo Hope, and in 2011 he released Morgan Rewind: A Tribute to Lee Morgan, Vol. 1 (JMood Records) , an exuberant nod to the hard bop trumpeter Lee Morgan (1938- 1972). He follows now the initial Morgan tribute with the aptly named Morgan Rewind: A Tribute to Lee Morgan, Vol. 2, ...

Album Review

Freda Payne: Come Back to Me Love

Read "Come Back to Me Love" reviewed by Dr. Judith Schlesinger

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
July 20, 2014

In 1970, the spirited R&B/pop singer Freda Payne had a monster success with “Band of Gold," a bouncy love-gone-wrong song that was probably the first top-40 hit ever written about impotence. Decades later, with undiminished pipes, beauty, and impressive energy, Payne returns to the spotlight with this big-band outing from Mack Records on its Artistry Music imprint. Arranged and conducted by the brilliant pianist Bill Cunliffe, Come Back to Me Love features a full complement of brass and ...

Album Review

YODOK III: YODOK III

Read "YODOK III" reviewed by Eyal Hareuveni

by Eyal Hareuveni
July 20, 2014

Yodok began operations in Norway as the Trondheim-based duo of Swedish drummer Tomas Järmyr and tuba player Kristoffer Lo in 2008. They have released one EP (I, Self Produced, 2012) and one album (II, Perfect Hoax, 2013). Both Järmyr and Lo are versatile musicians, active in the local Norwegian experimental and improvised scene. Järmyr collaborated with Lo in the heavy drone trio Sunswitch (its self- titled album was released by Riot Factory, 2012) and the alternative jazz- pop outfit Doffs ...

Album Review

Tigran Hamasyan: Shadow Theater

Read "Shadow Theater" reviewed by Mark F. Turner

by Mark F. Turner
July 19, 2014

Pianist Tigran Hamasyan's Shadow Theater is an innovative convergence of composition and folk music from his birthplace in Armenia. Having performed since the age of three, gained acclaimed in Europe and won first place at the 2006 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition, there's never been a question of his abilities. He shines in a traditional jazz trio setting in 2007's New Era (Plus Loin Music) with brothers François Moutin (bass) and Louis Moutin (drums) or showcasing virtuoso exploits in ...

Extended Analysis

At Fillmore East: The 1971 Fillmore Recordings

by C. Michael Bailey
July 19, 2014

Nothing warms the heart cockles of a late-Baby Boomer more than a discussion of music, specifically that of his or her childhood. Baby Boomers are a boisterous and opinionated bunch regarding their music, fully justified in believing that the period between mid-1950s and mid-1970s was, in the words of VH1 Executive Director Bill Flanagan, a “Golden Age" in American Music. Restrict that conversation to the best live rock recordings and the dialog shifts to a high simmer, under pressure, threatening ...