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

Dylan Howe: Subterranean: New Designs on Bowie's Berlin

Read "Subterranean: New Designs on Bowie's Berlin" reviewed by Sammy Stein

by Sammy Stein
July 2, 2014

For the past 20 years or so drummer Dylan Howe has been a presence on the British music scene. He grew up in North London and when he was 13 he went to Ronnie Scott's to see drummer Buddy Rich and decided he wanted to be a jazz drummer. As the son of Yes guitarist Steve Howe music perhaps came easily to Howe but although he had some lessons he is largely self taught. Howe has been a window cleaner, ...

Album Review

Stefan Orins Trio: Liv

by Eyal Hareuveni
July 2, 2014

The French, Lille-based trio of pianist Stefan Orins, together with double bassist Christophe Hache and (brother) drummer Peter Orins, are members of the Japanese-French quartet Kaze--which is part of the Muzzix musicians collective--a working unit since 1996. The trio released three albums--Natt Resa (Circum-disc, 2004), Bonheur Temporaire (Circum-disc, 2006) and Stöt (Circum-disc, 2010) and toured throughout Europe. As a known Buddhist maxim tells, Liv, the trio's fourth album, demonstrates how “the deeper the roots, the more ...

Mr. P.C.'s Guide to Jazz Etiquette and Bandstand Decorum

July 2014

by Mr. P.C.
July 1, 2014

Dear Mr. P.C.: I hate my playing almost all the time. What's worse is I don't seem to hate it any less even though I'm getting better. At least I think I'm getting better, when I'm not busy hating my playing. Is there something wrong with me? --Having Absolutely Terrible Esteem Dear HATE: Instead of getting lost in self-loathing, try to focus on the times when you don't hate your playing. What ...

Album Review

Wayne Coniglio / Scott Whitfield: Fast Friends

Read "Fast Friends" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
July 1, 2014

Clever title, this. Trombonists Wayne Coniglio and Scott Whitfield. Friends? For almost two decades. Fast? Listen to a few bars of “Les Demoiselles de Rocheforte," “Fried Pickles" or “Bernie's Tune" and decide for yourself. The opinion here is what they do on trombone (tenor and bass) is fast indeed. Having said that, however, it should be pressed home that there is so much more than speed to appreciate on this superb new album; for example, an abundance of warmth, tastefulness ...

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Album Review

Alan Chan: Shrimp Tale

Read "Shrimp Tale" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
July 1, 2014

Big bands these days are being taken in many directions, one of which is eastward. Alan Chan, born and raised in Hong Kong and educated in part in the U.S. (at the universities of Miami and Southern California), has deftly blended Asian tradition with American jazz on Shrimp Tale, the splendid debut recording by his three-year-old Los Angeles-based orchestra. Growing up in Hong Kong, Chan says, he was exposed mainly to classical and Chinese folk music, from which he drew ...

New York Beat

Horace Silver: Recollections and Retrospections

by Nick Catalano
July 1, 2014

In the halcyon days of the first Birdland (the early 50's) Monday night was jam session night and the house rhythm section featured a young pianist named Horace Silver. Though in his early 20's (he was born in 1928) Silver appeared much younger and his diminutive figure at the keyboard is still etched in my mind intensely pouring out the hot-tempoed lines of the still-novel bebop literature. I, together with my fellow musician friends, sat there mesmerized as he gushed ...

Live Review

Live From Birmingham: Tom Harrison, Tad Newton, Wynton Marsalis & Monocled Man

by Martin Longley
July 1, 2014

Tom Harrison The Bartons Arms June 6, 2014 Some of Tom Harrison's band sidemen are more familiar to seasoned UK jazz fans than the leader himself, but the London saxophonist's film music project will doubtless contribute to improving his own profile. It's the kind of conceptual set-up that is likely to appeal to promoters looking for a unique direction, and will be particularly appealing for festival programmers. The Birmingham Jazz team made one ...

Album Review

KonstruKt with Marshall Allen: Live At Sant’anna Aressi Jazz Festival

Read "Live At Sant’anna Aressi Jazz Festival" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
July 1, 2014

I have seen the future of free jazz (to paraphrase rock critic Jon Landau) and it's name is KonstruKt. Born in Turkey, but cross-fertilized by a global phenomenon of visiting jazz bees: Peter Brotzmann, Joe McPhee, Evan Parker, and Marshall Allen who perform and pollinate the flowering creative music scene. This quartet of saxophonist Korhan Futaci, guitartist Umut Çaglar, bassist Özün Usta, and drummer Korhan Argüden have released strong and consistently inventive music for the past ten years. ...

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Album Review

Christopher Parker: Full Circle

Read "Full Circle" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard

by Jakob Baekgaard
July 1, 2014

Pianist Chris Parker is a musical explorer. He has travelled around the world musically and as his latest album Full Circle indicates, he has reached his destination and found an aesthetic where all the different aspects of his musical curiosity come together. While Parker travels a lot musically, he doesn't visit the melancholy North on this album, even though he is definitely capable of writing reflective ballad-like compositions like “Free" and “First Light." Instead, ...

Album Review

Pulcinella: Bestiole

Read "Bestiole" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
June 30, 2014

Pulcinella shares its name with a character from the Commedia dell'Arte--he figures rather charmingly on the band's website--and declares its mix of jazz, rock, tango and Baltic traditions to be “delocalised jazz." Presumably this refers to the music's international identity--no single place can lay claim to the Pulcinella sound. Bestiole, Pulcinella's third album since saxophonist Ferdinand Doumerc brought it together in Toulouse in 2004, showcases a quartet whose breadth of musical vision moves from fast, energetic, dance rhythms to gentle, ...