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

L.A. Six: Frame of Mind

Read "Frame of Mind" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
January 14, 2014

Once upon a time ('way back in the 1970s-80s) there was the peerless L.A. Four (Bud Shank, Laurindo Almeida, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne) and now we have the L.A. Six, another hard-swinging post-bop ensemble that has chosen to walk in some rather large shoes by recording a splendid debut album, Frame of Mind. With Tom Peterson assuming Shank's role as lead saxophonist, the front line has been expanded to include trumpeter Clay Jenkins and trombonist Ira Nepus, ably supported by ...

Bailey's Bundles

Jazz Quanta: January

by C. Michael Bailey
January 14, 2014

The beauty of having written for All About Jazz since the early years is that I was given one of the first personal columns, “Bailey's Bundles," as named by publisher Michael Ricci. I have used it mostly for thematically-based multiple record reviews, then my end-of-the-year lists. As the years sped on, I began to concentrate on reviewing jazz vocals releases and my output addressing instrumental music began to shrink while the same amount of said material still knocked at my ...

Album Review

Hugo Fernandez: Origenes

Read "Origenes" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
January 14, 2014

Madrid-based guitarist Hugo Fernández began playing guitar in his native Mexico. Later, he studied at Berklee, where he gained his Bachelor's degree in 1998 and completed his Masters at the University of New Orleans in 2005. After gaining his Masters he moved to Spain in mid-2006 but maintained his links with the Mexican music scene. Despite a wealth of experience--he started his life as a professional musician in the Mexican pop scene of the late '80s--Origenes is his first album ...

Extended Analysis

George Colligan: The Endless Mysteries

by John Kelman
January 14, 2014

While music fans often think of the artists they love as gifted people whose lives are consumed by the pursuit of their art, all-too-often they ignore equally important, if seemingly more mundane, needs: making a living, perhaps having a family...things to which most people aspire. With music sales on the decline, most musicians pay the rent by touring and, in some cases, teaching, but for those who've failed to achieve greater recognition, that needn't imply they're anything less than top-tier. ...

Album Review

Michel Wintsch - Christian Weber - Christian Wolfarth: Willisau

Read "Willisau" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
January 14, 2014

Willisau follows up the Swiss trio's The Holistic Worlds Of (Monotype, 2012) and once again the artists are seemingly intent on routing one's imagination through multiple locations, while not embarking upon a utilitarian approach to the core jazz or avant- jazz piano trio concepts. In fact, the band proffers an antidote to the norm, which can be an exciting proposition, especially if you're looking for something outside the scope of modern mainstream jazz and bop fare. Enamored by a crystalline ...

Album Review

Lars Bech Pilgaards Slowburn: Freiheit

Read "Freiheit" reviewed by Eyal Hareuveni

by Eyal Hareuveni
January 14, 2014

The sophomore release of Danish guitarist Lars Bech Pilgaard's Slowburn quartet (following Mammut, Mom Eat Dad Records, 2012) blends his diverse and often conflicting tastes for alternative, art rock, punk and no wave, raw sounds and free- form improvisation. Pilgaard is assisted by the same attentive musicians that played on the quartet debut--renowned bassist Thommy Andersson, member of Pierre Dørge's New Jungle Orchestra, clarinetist Lars Greve, member of the quintet Girls in Airports and drummer Thomas Eiler, his collaborator in ...

Album Review

Gwilym Simcock and Yuri Goloubev: Reverie At Schloss Elmau

Read "Reverie At Schloss Elmau" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
January 13, 2014

Schloss Elmau, in Bavaria, was the recording venue for pianist Gwilym Simcock's Barclaycard Mercury Prize nominated solo album Good Days At Schloss Elmau (ACT Music, 2011). In March 2013 Simcock returned to the Schloss in the company of double bassist Yuri Goloubev. The result is Reverie At Schloss Elmau. It's the first duo album by these stylish players, although they have played and recorded together in many ensembles over the years including trios with drummers James Maddren and Asaf Sirkis. ...

Album Review

The Mark Masters Ensemble: Everything You Did: The Music of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen

Read "Everything You Did: The Music of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
January 13, 2014

Another tribute album from leader / arranger Mark Masters whose splendid ensemble has previously paid homage to trumpeter Clifford Brown, saxophonist Lee Konitz, trombonist Jimmy Knepper and the Gershwin brothers (Porgy & Bess Redefined). This time around it's the music of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, better known by their collective name, Steely Dan. The album, says Masters, is “a quartet recording with an ensemble," and said foursome is comprised of trumpeter Tim Hagans, tenor saxophonist Billy Harper, bassist Hamilton ...

From the Inside Out

Vámanos – Let’s Go!

by Chris M. Slawecki
January 13, 2014

As jazz continues to indelibly leave imprints on music all over the globe, this column explores everything from classic 1960s and '70 singles from Peru to contemporary updates of traditional blues from Turkey and Greece. Vámanos--let's go! Ҫiğdem Aslan Mortissa Asphalt Tango 2013 Ҫiğdem Aslan was born in the cultural crossroads of Istanbul. She moved to London, hoping to advance her onstage and classroom studies in various musical cultures; these studies include her ...

Multiple Reviews

The Acoustic and the Electric: Hristo Vitchev and Joe DeRose

by Hrayr Attarian
January 13, 2014

Bay area guitarist Hristo Vitchev is a prolific and consummate musician. Capable of both deeply introspective lyricism and electrifyingly gregarious fervor, Vitchev, nevertheless, maintains his individuality and hi, easily recognizable, impressionistic style in all of his diverse engagements. Two records released in 2013 superbly showcase his adroitness in and adaptability to various musical situations. Hristo Vitchev and Liubomir Krastev Rhodopa First Orbit Sounds 2013 Rhodopa is a series of duets with ace ...