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

Marcus Roberts: Portraits in Blue

Read "Portraits in Blue" reviewed by Marc Davis

by Marc Davis
June 18, 2014

This has to be the most raucous, the most bluesy, the most improvisational “Rhapsody in Blue" ever recorded. And not all of the best improvisation is by Marcus Roberts. Wailing clarinets and wandering trumpets abound. And it is all in a spirit of the original, so much so that I believe jazz-loving George Gershwin would have approved.All of Gershwin's original music is there, but much of it is taken at unusual tempos--speeded up, slowed down or synchopated--with many ...

Album Review

Jamie Saft, Steve Swallow and Bobby Previte: The New Standard

Read "The New Standard" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
June 18, 2014

Inimitable bassist Steve Swallow has pretty much seen and done it all. His vast achievements, historic alliances, and easily recognizable sound are firmly ingrained into the jazz idiom. Yet drummer Bobby Previte and keyboardist Jamie Saft are among the more notable modern trendsetters. They've both played significant roles in New York City's nonconforming downtown scene amid respective discographies that boast sojourns into jazz rock, free-form improvisation and boundless experimental initiatives. Moreover, Saft's recent improvisational collaborations with avant-garde guitarist Joe Morris ...

Album Review

People: 3xaWoman: The Misplaced Files

Read "3xaWoman: The Misplaced Files" reviewed by Troy Collins

by Troy Collins
June 17, 2014

3xaWoman is the third genre-defying album from the avant-rock band People and the group's very first recording as a trio for the Telegraph Harp imprint. Originally founded by vanguard guitarist Mary Halvorson and irrepressible drummer Kevin Shea, the intrepid duo's prior efforts were issued by I And Ear Records. Joined by bassist Kyle Forester, this session finds the newly configured three-piece occasionally augmented by a stellar brass trio, consisting of trumpeter Peter Evans, trombonist Sam Kulik and tuba player Dan ...

Live Review

Live Duos From Birmingham: Tir Na Nóg, Melt-Banana & Toumani/Sidiki Diabaté

by Martin Longley
June 17, 2014

Tir Na Nóg The Kitchen Garden Café May 26, 2014 The Irish duo Tir Na Nóg should be applauded for its longevity in addition to its ability to keep the music vital, exuding an aura of in-the-moment spontaneity. The wonderfully intimate Kitchen Garden Café, in the Birmingham suburb of Kings Heath, was the ideal venue for the pair's relaxed, mood-bathed explorations. This was apparently their fifth appearance here, in this home of global ...

Live Review

Hauschka at The Kevin Barry Room

by Ian Patterson
June 17, 2014

Hauschka The Kevin Barry Room National Concert Hall Dublin, Ireland June 7, 2014 Had Volker Bertlemann pursued a career in classical music he probably wouldn't have needed a nom de plume, but in the rather niche market of prepared piano music--for which he is best known--a little strategic marketing can go a long way. Bertlemann adopted the name Hauschka for his first foray into his brand of powerful minimalism on Substantial (Karaoke Kalk, ...

Album Review

Jeff Colella/Putter Smith: Lotus Blossom

Read "Lotus Blossom" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
June 17, 2014

Lotus Blossom is an absorbing date that projects plaintive beauty, reflective moods, and introspective ideals. It's a meeting of two master musicians who engage in thoughtful conversation that's quietly emotive. Pianist Jeff Colella, who's worked with everybody from vocalist Lou Rawls to arranging-composing legend Bill Holman, and bassist Putter Smith, whose credits include extensive work with pianist Alan Broadbent and a whole host of other jazz greats, weren't strangers before this recording. They'd actually been playing together, ...

Album Review

Todd Gordon: love dot com

Read "love dot com" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
June 17, 2014

love dot com is an album of standards and contemporary jazz/pop songs from Scottish vocalist Todd Gordon. It follows his 2012 release with the Royal Air Force Squadronaires, Helping the Heroes (Specific Jazz) but while that album featured a big band and a series of top-flight guest singers, love dot com is a much gentler affair. Some excellent, and unexpected, song choices can be found here. Karl Wallinger's “She's The One," Jimmy Webb's “Didn't We" and Roddy Frame's ...

Extended Analysis

Tim Bowness: Abandoned Dancehall Dreams

by John Kelman
June 17, 2014

In some ways, Abandoned Dancehall Dreams was inevitable. Just as Steven Wilson, his partner in No-Man, ultimately took what is, at the very least, a hiatus from, in addition to No-Man and other projects, his primary gig with Porcupine Tree--pursuing a solo career that's led to increasing success, most recently with the studio recording The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories) and the live/studio EP Drive Home (both Kscope, 2013)--it appears that the time for singer Tim Bowness ...

Album Review

Roberto Zanetti Trio featuring Pietro Tonolo: Minor Time

Read "Minor Time" reviewed by Edward Blanco

by Edward Blanco
June 17, 2014

Not to be confused with Italian singer and composer Roberto Zanetti, Italian jazz pianist Roberto Zanetti or, as he is sometimes warmly referred to, “Zizzi," leads his Italian piano trio on another recording date with Minor Time, following up the group's critically-acclaimed self-produced debut of 2010, My Monk. The Roberto Zanetti Trio came to be after an auspicious meeting back in 2006 when the pianist met bassist Luca Pisani and drummer Massimo Chiarella, leading to many musical collaborations ever since. ...

Album Review

The Puppeteers: The Puppeteers

Read "The Puppeteers" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
June 17, 2014

The band's moniker is derived from the Brooklyn, NY club, Puppet's Jazz, which closed its doors in 2011. Here, the musicians who logged numerous hours at the club are reunited and spark a winning formula by dishing out the complete package. Insanely hip, sinuously shaped, and with an unstoppable attack, the soloists ride atop an undulating current. But one of the primary delights of this wonderful album is that you won't hear one iota of filler material. Each song introduces ...