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.

Live Review

Bibi Ferreira: New York, NY, April 14, 2013

by Ernest Barteldes
April 19, 2013

Bibi Ferreira Alice Tully Hall New York, NY April 14, 2013 On her first-ever New York City performance, the legendary Brazilian actor, singer, conductor and theater director Bibi Ferreira took the stage at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall backed by a 20-piece orchestra conducted by maestro João Falcão (who also played acoustic guitar). The ensemble began with an instrumental medley of Chico Buarque de Hollanda's “Flor Da Idade," and Cazuza/Frejat's “Malandragem." ...

Album Review

Marbin: Last Chapter of Dreaming

Read "Last Chapter of Dreaming" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
April 19, 2013

Even on their eponymous debut Marbin's style was far from being derivative but with Last Chapter of Dreaming their third release in as many years they have matured and found their singular artistic voice. In a way this album expands on the themes and motifs expressed on their second Breaking the Cycle but the ideas are crystalized, excesses trimmed and the whole more cohesive.The cinematic ambience remains, imbued with poetry and subtle humor. “Breaking The Cycle" for instance ...

Take Five With...

Take Five with Aruan Ortiz

by AAJ Staff
April 19, 2013

Meet Aruan Ortiz: Named “the latest Cuban wunderkind to arrive in the United States" by BET Jazz, this classically trained violist and pianist from Santiago de Cuba, considers himself “a curious person who loves music," and portrays his music as an architectural structure of sounds, incorporating contemporary classical music, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and improvisation as primary material for his compositions. He has received a number of awards such as Latin Jazz Corner's Arranger of the Year 2011 for his contribution on ...

Live From New York

Spiritualized, Connie Crothers, Allen Lowe & Vinny Golia

by Martin Longley
April 18, 2013

Spiritualized Secret Project Robot April 2, 2013 The English cosmo-psychedelic drugsludge-rock combo Spiritualized would usually be expected to play at one of NYC's larger venues, such as Terminal 5 or Webster Hall. Just prior to their U.S. West Coast dates, Spiritualized suddenly announced a micro-gig, leaking the news on the morning of the show after rehearsing locally in preparation for the tour. Secret Project Robot is a small d.i.y. joint in ...

Album Review

Charnett Moffett: The Bridge

Read "The Bridge" reviewed by Franz A. Matzner

by Franz A. Matzner
April 18, 2013

The sound of Charnett Moffett's bass resonates almost instantly straight to the depths of the soul. Over his career, Moffett has played in a tremendous variety of settings and explored seemingly every avenue, alley, and obscure landscape of both the upright and electric bass. Now with his first solo bass CD, The Bridge, audiences can experience Moffett's artisanship in its most concentrated form.Comprised of 20 pieces, The Bridge covers a lot of territory, acting as a portrait of ...

Multiple Reviews

Introducing Yasuhiro Yoshigaki's Orquesta Libre

by Eyal Hareuveni
April 18, 2013

Japanese drummer Yasuhiro Yoshigaki is one of the most influential drummers in the left-off-center alternative music scene in Japan. A close collaborator of sound sculptor Otomo Yoshihide, included in all incarnations of Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet/Ensemble/Orchestra, and member of the groups Emergency! (with Yoshihide), Altered States (with guitarist Uchihashi Kazuhisa), Rovo (with violinist Yuji Katsui, former member of Shibusashirazu Orchestra) and leader of the percussion ensemble Orquesta Nudge! Nudge!. Yoshigaki is a versatile and resourceful improviser, arranger ...

Album Review

Stanley Cowell: It's Time

Read "It's Time" reviewed by Greg Simmons

by Greg Simmons
April 18, 2013

The durable piano trio, with bass and drums accompaniment, is one of the most frequently employed and time-tested combos in jazz. The competition is fierce to say anything new or noteworthy, with plenty of attempts that yield mixed results. So it's a great pleasure to hear Stanley Cowell's It's Time: a finely crafted collection of mostly originals that is at once sophisticated, both aggressive and pensive, and simply fascinating to listen to.It's Time uses melody, rhythm, and space ...

Album Review

Robert Hurst: Bob a Palindrome

Read "Bob a Palindrome" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
April 18, 2013

Bassist and composer Robert Hurst's sixth release as a leader Bob a Palindrome crackles with excitement and brims with innovative ideas. Leading a superlative ensemble made up of long time collaborators, Hurst presents eight of his compositions that range from the impressionistic to the intimately poetic.The pièce de résistance is the dramatic three part “Middle Passage Suite" that unfolds with an Ellingtonian (pianist, bandleader composer Duke Ellington) flair. The first section opens with percussionist Adam Rudolph setting an ...

Album Review

The Engines: Other Violets

Read "Other Violets" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
April 17, 2013

The Chicago-based ensemble's third outing is a dynamic and progressive undertaking, but poignant due to the passing of saxophone legend John Tchicai (Don Cherry, New York Art Quartet, Archie Shepp) who passed away on October 8th, 2012. He joined the unit, making a guest appearance, for this live set recorded on May 15th 2012 at Chicago's Hungry Brain venue. The core members of the band are among the more prominent exponents of the Windy City's outside jazz realm ...

Album Review

Paul Giallorenzo Trio: 3

by Mark Corroto
April 17, 2013

The Paul Giallorenzo Trio with Norwegian bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and drummer Tim Daisy recorded this Chicago session in 2007. Since then, individual members have joined other bands and associations, but this disc documents a short lived yet musically significant project.Giallorenzo has previously released the quintet sessionGet In To Go Out (482 Music, 2009) and he also plays in electric/acoustic improvised settings in Chicago.Employing the standard piano trio format, Giallorenzo's compositions bounce between composed melodies and ...