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.

Extended Analysis

Paul Motian: Paul Motian (Old & New Masters Edition)

by John Kelman
April 17, 2013

In a time when leadership roles are being thrust increasingly upon young musicians who may have the chops, the technique and the theory, but not the experience, drummer Paul Motian could be considered a lesson in patience, in waiting for the right time, in holding off for the precise moment of readiness.It's not that Motian couldn't, perhaps, have begun a career leading groups sooner than November, 1972 when, at the age of 41, he entered Butterfly and Sound ...

Album Review

Craig Taborn Trio: Chants

Read "Chants" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
April 17, 2013

Pianist Craig Taborn's first ECM Records release under his own name, Avenging Angel (2011), garnered well-deserved praise as a worthy entry into the German label's long line of solo piano recordings by stellar artists such as Paul Bley, Chick Corea and, of course, Keith Jarrett. With Chants, a piano trio outing, Taborn will be held up for comparison against the label's ongoing piano trio explorations by Marcin Wasilewski, Stefano Battaglia, Bobo Stenson, Benedikt Jahnel, and (again, of course) Keith Jarrett. ...

Take Five With...

Take Five with Ted Sirota

by AAJ Staff
April 17, 2013

Meet Ted Sirota: Veteran Chicago drummer, Ted Sirota, has been playing the drums since 1980. Ted has lead his own band, Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls, since 1996. Rebel Souls have recorded five CD's for the Naim & Delmark labels. Ted has also played every Saturday night from 12:30-5:00am at Chicago's top jazz club, The Green Mill, for the past 18 years with Sabertooth. In January 2013, Ted embarked on his latest project--Ted Sirota's Heavyweight Dub. With his new band Ted ...

Meet the Staff

Meet Maxim Micheliov

by AAJ Staff
April 17, 2013

I currently live in: Vilnius, LithuaniaI joined All About Jazz in: 2010What made you decide to contribute to All About Jazz? My professional background is in web marketing, and I connected with Michael Ricci through Chris Rich, who encouraged me to submit my first article “Howard Riley: Five Decades in Music." High visibility for my article was a h4 consideration, so I felt AAJ was a good fit. Currently the article has nearly 15,000 page views ...

Film Review

Kimmo Pohjonen: Soundbreaker

by Nenad Georgievski
April 16, 2013

Kimmo PohjonenSoundbreakerKoskela Art and Media2013In the hands of avant-accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen, the mechanical intricacies of his instrument become agents of a great musical power, grace and expression. An instrumental virtuoso, Pohjonen has exploited the complete potential of the keys, buttons, and air beneath his fingers by stretching both his instrument and personal performance capabilities. He has been stretching boundaries and defying expectations for more than a decade, with mind-blowing concepts and visual ...

Album Review

Evan Parker: Vaincu.Va! Live at Western Front 1978

Read "Vaincu.Va! Live at Western Front 1978" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
April 16, 2013

Love or hate it--digital technology has allowed for the reissue of long out- of-print LPs. Once only the province of collectors, Evan Parker's early solo saxophone LP recordings have been reissued as CDs on his Psi label for the past decade. The British saxophonist, a champion of the extended solo improvisation remains a vital voice today. These reissues shed light on his experimental and innovative sound.Indubitably, the next step in this process is to release unearthed concert recordings.

Album Review

Dawn Upshaw/Maria Schneider: Winter Morning Walks

Read "Winter Morning Walks" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
April 16, 2013

Maria Schneider proved her genius as a composer and arranger beyond any doubt with Concert in the Garden (ArtistShare, 2004), and she did it again on her second masterpiece of orchestral jazz, Sky Blue (ArtistShare, 2007). With Winter Morning Walks, Schneider introduces her first works with major orchestras, the Australian Chamber Orchestra on the nine part “Winter Morning Walks," and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra on “Carlo Drummond de Andrade Stories," both in partnership with soprano Dawn Upshaw.“Winter ...

Extended Analysis

Craig Taborn: Chants

by John Kelman
April 16, 2013

While he's been making himself a ubiquitous presence on the jazz scene for the past two decades--playing with everyone from saxophonists Tim Berne, David Binney and Chris Potter (on the equally stellar The Sublime And (Thirsty Ear, 2003), Graylen Epicenter (Mythology, 2011) and The Sirens (ECM, 2013), respectively), to bassists Michael Formanek and Scott Colley (whose Small Places (ECM, 2012) and Architect of the Silent Moment (Cam Jazz, 2007), respectively, were equally revelational)--pianist Craig Taborn's own discography as a leader ...

Album Review

Antonio Sanchez: New Life

Read "New Life" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
April 16, 2013

Add Antonio Sanchez's name to the list of modern era drumming titans. He cut his teeth with guitarist Pat Metheny amid stints with vibraphonist Gary Burton and first-call session activities, paralleling his burgeoning solo career that continues to flourish. Sanchez always performs with his peers, and with the superstar dual sax attack of David Binney and Donny McCaslin steering the front line, the drummer imparts diversity on this presentation that tenders alternating currents, dynamic modern jazz fare and a few ...

Album Review

Kit Downes: Light From Old Stars

Read "Light From Old Stars" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
April 15, 2013

Given pianist/composer Kit Downes' standing in the UK jazz scene it's rather surprising that Light From Old Stars is only the third album he's released under his own name. It's less surprising when his relative youth--he was still in his mid-20s when he recorded this album--and active membership in bands such as Troyka and Stan Sulzmann's Neon are added to the mix. All this musical activity might seem to leave little time for other considerations, but at least one non-musical ...