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.

Interview

Wayne Shorter: Portrait Of A Visionary

by R.J. DeLuke
December 27, 2013

To speak with Wayne Shorter can feel like an exercise in the mystical. At times, it's stream of consciousness, ideas flowing that can reach the profound; but the direction can switch suddenly. There are frequent references to films (Shorter is a lifelong movie buff), as well as books whose subject matter run from science to philosophy. The discourse is never delivered in holier-than-thou fashion, nor is it deliberate obfuscation. Its always congenial and conversational. And witty. Shorter looks ...

Album Review

Maciej Fortuna / Krzysztof Dys: Tropy

by Eyal Hareuveni
December 26, 2013

Polish, Poznań-based trumpeter Maciej Fortuna is a musician with many tastes. He himself divided the music that he composes, produces and releases on his own label to ethno-jazz, electric jazz, acoustic jazz, live electronics and improvised music. His new duo project with pianist Krzysztof Dys, member of reed player Wacław Zimpel's quartet is supposed to fall into the category of improvised music but these superficial definitions do not cover the whole picture. The intimate, chamber format ...

Album Review

Pascal Niggenkemper Vision7: Lucky Prime

Read "Lucky Prime" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
December 26, 2013

Vision 7 led by French-German bassist Pascal Niggenkemper is an ensemble that approaches modern-jazz, free-jazz and improvisation from a holistic perspective, including sensibilities framed on the respective artists personalities. The interconnecting motifs are vastly expressive, including Emile Lesbros' voice overlays, recitations, scat and function as an additional instrument. The band executes a parade of disparate angles, featuring renowned reedman Frank Gratkowski. With fractured theme-building escapades and some rough and tumble improv segments, the musicians ingrain a renegade outlook into the ...

Interview

Wallace Roney and His Mission to Record and Perform Wayne Shorter's Long-Lost "Universe"

by R.J. DeLuke
December 26, 2013

Wayne Shorter is universally acknowledged as one of the greatest composers in the history of jazz, which is the history of American music. His compositions are played by instrumentalists in cramped and crowded nightclubs wherever on earth jazz music is performed. It's hard to imagine a jazz festival where at least few of his works don't cascade upon the ears at some point. Vocalists have added lyrics to some of his songs so they, too, can get involved in their ...

Album Review

Xiu Xiu: Nina

by Mark Corroto
December 25, 2013

Like a horrendous and gruesome accident you pass on the expressway, listening to the Jamie Stewart's covers of Nina Simone's music is both repulsive and abhorrent, but ultimately impossible to escape. Seems you just have to listen. Stewart and his avant-garde group Xiu Xiu probably have never had their discs filed in the jazz section of a record store. They have covered music by The Smiths and David Bowie/Queen's “Under Pressure." Certainly, covering a legend invites ...

Album Review

Victor Haskins: The Truth

Read "The Truth" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello

by Nicholas F. Mondello
December 25, 2013

Many years ago, there was a radio then television show called “Truth or Consequences." The premise was rather sophomoric: contestants were asked trivia questions and, if they failed to answer correctly, they were “buzzed off" and subsequently given goofy “tasks" which usually resulted in laughs at the contestant's expense. With The Truth the consequences for Richmond-based--but internationally recognized--trumpeter, Victor Haskins will be anything but embarrassing. The youthful Haskins leads his ace quintet through seven of his highly ...

Album Review

Scott Fields / Jeffrey Lependorf: Everything is in the instructions

Read "Everything is in the instructions" reviewed by Eyal Hareuveni

by Eyal Hareuveni
December 25, 2013

Composer of contemporary chamber music and opera and certified master of the Japanese shakuhachi flute Jeffrey Lependorf cites an insightful incident he had with iconoclastic composer John Cage that reveals much about typical misconceptions about what is right and what is wrong in music and art. Lebendorf wanted Cage to clarify his vague instructions for a theater piece he was assigned to assist a choreographer to prepare. But Cage insisted, kindly enough, that “everything is in the instructions." After the ...

Album Review

Théo Ceccaldi Trio + Joëlle Léandre: Can You Smile?

Read "Can You Smile?" reviewed by Eyal Hareuveni

by Eyal Hareuveni
December 25, 2013

Few years ago French double bass great player Joëlle Léandre recommended Ayler Records to sign the chamber string trio Théo Ceccaldi 3--Theo on violin, brother Valentin Ceccaldi on cello and Guillaume Aknine on the electric guitar. Last year, Ayler released the trio's impressive debut Carrousel. Now the trio pays its respects to Léandre, hosting her on its sophomore album Can You Smile?. The title and the humorous cover suggests the spirit that Léandre introduces to the ...

Album Review

The Rempis / Daisy Duo: Second Spring

Read "Second Spring" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
December 25, 2013

Second Spring is one of two concurrent releases for Chicago reedman Dave Rempis' young Aerophonics Records label. The other outing Aphelion, features the artist's regular working trio. Here, Rempis aligns with longtime kindred spirit, drummer Tim Daisy for a rather aggressive, high-impact duo framework. At times Daisy's busy and highly active drumming patterns could easily be mistaken for two drummers laying out the grooves in simultaneous fashion. Therefore, the duo sports a large, hustling and bustling soundstage, where they push ...

On and Off the Grid

A Jazz Musicians' Guide to Living In The Universe

by Dom Minasi
December 25, 2013

I've been on Facebook for three years and many of my friends and colleagues have posted quotes from musicians and philosophers. I've decided to start writing my own quotes about what I have learned and experienced through the years. Since I've been a professional musician since 1957 and playing the guitar over 63 years, I have learned a few things. Some the hard way and some just through living. The years have given me some insights, which I would like ...