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

Desmond White: Short Stories

Read "Short Stories" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
December 23, 2013

Size and substance are not reflective of one another. Some people mistakenly assume that grand-scale productions automatically deserve grand-scale receptions and small- scale artistry deserves to exist on the fringe. That makes about as much sense as holding a belief that novels, by their very nature, are of greater importance than short stories, but some people foolishly see it that way. They miss the point that it's the quality of the work, be it written, aural, or otherwise, that matters ...

Album Review

Kenny Barron/Gerry Gibbs/Ron Carter: Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio

Read "Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
December 23, 2013

When drummer Gerry “The Thrasher" Gibbs was a youngster, growing up in California in the '70s, he idolized bassist Ron Carter and pianist Kenny Barron. Of course, neither man played his instrument of choice, but he recognized the greatness that emanated from both players and he viewed them as exemplars of what's right and good in jazz. He sought out and savored every album that he could find that each man appeared on and dreamt of playing with them; that ...

Album Review

John La Barbera Big Band: Caravan

Read "Caravan" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello

by Nicholas F. Mondello
December 23, 2013

The beautiful Mediterranean island of Sicily--and the triple-legged image on its national flag--are also known as the “Trinicria." That name translates as--and also describes--the triangular shape of the island. Whether that's a geo-historical lesson or not, the three La Barbera Brothers--John, Joe and Pat have established themselves as a most formidable familial trio in jazz history, right up there with the Joneses, Heaths, Adderleys, Breckers, and others. And, with Caravan that La Barbera legacy will assuredly continue to resonate.

Live Review

Live From Old York: Big Boy Bloater, Dreadzone & Oli Brown

by Martin Longley
December 23, 2013

Big Boy Bloater City Screen Basement York, UK December 5, 2013 The Bloater returneth, just over a year after his last appearance in York. Back then, he was joined by his full combo, but this 2013 show was a part of the Big Boy's solo tour, making use of intimate spaces for maximum eyeball confrontation. The Basement is a very small den lying underneath the city's alternative semi-art cinema, so ...

Year in Review

J Hunter's 2013 Top 10 Countdown

by J Hunter
December 23, 2013

"Tis the season to do countdowns Fa la la la lahhh, la lahh lahh lahhhhhhh..." Okay, okay, not one of the most original openings ever written. But don't worry: There's plenty of originality to be had on the ten bundles of fabulousness listed below: 10... Etienne Charles Creole Soul (Culture Shock Music) Still in his 20's, Charles has been racking up Mozart-like career accomplishments since he left Juilliard, and his latest release ...

Interview

Mosaic Records: Making Jazz History

by Bob Kenselaar
December 23, 2013

No one is more astonished by the longevity of Mosaic Records than Michael Cuscuna, the veteran record producer and one-time disc jockey who founded the label together with Charlie Lourie, a former clarinetist who worked in both jazz and classical contexts before becoming an executive at CBS records, Blue Note, and elsewhere. Arguably the premier reissue label in jazz, Mosaic Records issued the first of its limited edition box set recordings in 1983. Originally available through mail order only--at a ...

Album Review

Rob Derke & The NYJAZZ Quartet: Blue Divide

Read "Blue Divide" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
December 22, 2013

Saxophonist Rob Derke--the man behind the jazz-promoting nonprofit known as the NYJAZZ Initiative--significantly widened his reach with Mad About Thad (Jazzheads, 2011). That album, a finely sculpted tribute to the great trumpeter-composer Thad Jones, helped to shine a light on Derke's organization and brought more deserved attention to the music of a dearly departed legend. Now, this man with a mission returns as part of an extremely capable quartet that he considers to be “the backbone of the NYJAZZ Initiative." ...

Album Review

Romain Pilon: Colorfield

Read "Colorfield" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
December 22, 2013

French guitarist Romain Pilon might have been inspired in his early years by AC/DC's Angus Young, but he's clearly taking his cues from much calmer influences on Colorfield. Pilon is accompanied by tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, double bassist (and Whirlwind Records owner) Michael Janisch and drummer Jamire Williams on this atmospheric collection. Colorfield is a bit of a sleeper. The music is uniformly easy to listen to, mostly slow- to mid-tempo and rarely if ever springs any ...

Year in Review

Jeff Dayton-Johnson's Best Releases of 2013

by Jeff Dayton-Johnson
December 22, 2013

Every year the list gets longer and more heterogeneous. There are blockbusters and obscure little gems, loud jazz and quiet jazz, hip hop and kora music, some of it downright unclassifiable. Which is fine. “Junku," a 1984 track anthologized on Herbie Hancock's spectacular box set below, is in fact both hip hop and kora music! In an interview with the New York Times earlier this year, Hancock said, “The thing that keeps jazz alive, even if it's under the radar, ...

Year in Review

Paul Naser's Best Releases of 2013

by Paul Naser
December 22, 2013

2013 was a fantastic year for new records. It was tough to narrow down which ones to include in this list, but I gave it my best shot. Having too many favorites isn't such a bad problem to have, I guess. Here are just a few of my favorites, listed in no particular order. Craig Taborn Chants (ECM) Taborn, bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Gerald Cleaver delve into some very intriguing musical territory ...