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

Jan Gunnar Hoff: Fly North!

Read "Fly North!" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard

by Jakob Baekgaard
January 9, 2014

Norwegian pianist Jan Gunnar Hoff has had the honor of being the first artist on Losen Records to release an album recorded at producer and label owner Odd Gjelsnes' studio Berxeta, in sunny Spain. It was fitting that the name of that album was called Berxeta (Losen Records, 2012), and its sound was influenced by the surroundings: a warm and eclectic brand of fusion with influence from bouncing Latin rhythms. However, Gunnar Hoff has never shunned his ...

Record Label Profile

Pi Recordings: Dedicated to the Innovative

by Mike Oppenheim
January 9, 2014

In the pantheon of American music, jazz is especially noted for its rapid and drastic evolution. Considering that jazz evolved from big bands and swing, to bebop, to free jazz within thirty years, it is a history marked by distinct stylistic eras. For some time, the trajectory and potential development of jazz has been in question. Even determining what is jazz has become difficult. However, given its history, the amount of creative talent available and the relatively recent ability to ...

Album Review

Yeahwon Shin: Lua Ya

by John Kelman
January 9, 2014

Korean-born now New York-resident singer Yeahwon Shin leaves the largely Brazilian-informed repertoire of her 2010 ArtistShare debut, Yeahwon, behind for a most worthy return to her roots with Lua Ya, her ECM debut that, released late in the summer of 2013, is still worthy of a look as the new year begins. Featuring, on a few tracks, accordionist Rob Curto, Lua Ya is largely a duo recording with pianist Aaron Parks, whose own ECM leader debut, Arborescence, has already made ...

Album Review

Matt Wilson Quartet + John Medeski: Gathering Call

Read "Gathering Call" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
January 9, 2014

Drummer Matt Wilson may define the ideal of unabashed enthusiasm better than anyone else in jazz. His cymbals and drums even seem to be smiling when he sets sticks to them, so it should come as no shock that musical zeal is a key factor in the success of Gathering Call. For his eleventh album as a leader, this musical ray of positive energy called on his quartet and added an important guest to the mix; he reunited with his ...

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Album Review

Roberto Bonati Trio: Bianco il vestito nel buio

Read "Bianco il vestito nel buio" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
January 8, 2014

Spending considerable time as Artistic Director of Italy's creative ParmaFrontiere-- occurring in Parma each fall, a festival small in size but broad in scope--Roberto Bonati spends the rest of his time as a double bassist who, amongst other things, is one of GIanluigi Trovesi's top-calls, last heard with the Italian saxophonist/clarinetist's Ottetto on Fugace (ECM, 2003). Leading his own groups, more often than not Bonati writes for larger ensembles, specifically the ParmaFrontiere Orchestra that includes, amongst others, Siena-based pianist Stefano ...

Interview

David Weiss: In Celebration of Endangered Species

by Fiona Ord-Shrimpton
January 8, 2014

David Weiss and his mini big band of jazz chameleons are a ready example of how to concentrate at OCD levels to perfect musical things of beauty that stand the test of time, repeatedly. Many have focused a hell of a lot more than 10,000 hours to cultivate this sound, and some have overcome myriad adversities to present it. Playing the music of Wayne Shorter, in any way other than that of Wayne Shorter might burn a few eyebrows in ...

Album Review

Hildegunn Oiseth: Valencia

Read "Valencia" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard

by Jakob Baekgaard
January 8, 2014

A name is sometimes able to conjure a whole world. In the case of Norwegian trumpeter Hildegunn Øiseth, the name of the Spanish city Valencia embodies a wealth of associations and feelings, which find their way into her music. Her album Valencia was recorded in producer Odd Gjelsnes' Studio Berxeta and the contrast between the peaceful orange plantation where the studio is located and the pulsating passion of the city seeps into the music. ...

Album Review

Zara McFarlane: If You Knew Her

Read "If You Knew Her" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
January 8, 2014

On her full-length follow up to 2010's EP Until Tomorrow, London-based singer Zara McFarlane perfects her blend of austere instrumentation and mantra-like rhythms supporting her rich and warm voice that owe more to Mongo Santamaria than reputedly Nina Simone or Roberta Flack. An album centerpiece, “Woman in the Olive Groves" undulates like “Afro Blue" while being able to act as its logical prelude. Backed by a traditional rhythm trio, McFarlane fulfills the potential of her subtle and muscular voice which ...

Interview

The Newly Minted Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia

by Victor L. Schermer
January 7, 2014

The newly minted Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia is an exciting, ambitious project co-founded by renowned trumpeter and Temple University educator Terell Stafford and intrepid jazz supporter Deena Adler, Odean Pope's manager. The Orchestra has already made waves in the Philly jazz community through its two performances in the Courtyard of City Hall, symbolizing its close connection to the city. On January 7, 2014, a gala inaugural celebration concert will be held at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts Verizon ...

Extended Analysis

John Stowell / Dave Liebman: Blue Rose (2013)

by Victor L. Schermer
January 7, 2014

In the search for enriched jazz expressiveness, the duet format has been revived, giving the musicians greater space for improvising than a larger group and avoiding the overpowering influence of a rhythm section, while affording an opportunity to engage personalities and “swap notes" with another whose ideas and style are of special interest. Iconic saxophonist Dave Liebman, who thrives in just about any kind of ensemble, recently made a duo recording with pianist Marc Copland (Impressions, hatOLOGY, 2011), which he ...