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

Frank Wright: Blues For Albert Ayler

Read "Blues For Albert Ayler" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
March 5, 2013

Reedman Frank Wright's eponymous first album surfaced on ESP-Disk in 1965, so it is fitting that this historic live recording also appears on the newly-revived imprint, making good its mission of releasing unheard sessions by label stalwarts, alongside newer works. Though dedicated to his erstwhile employer, saxophonist Albert Ayler, Wright's tenor saxophone also hints at the influence of John Coltrane, as much in the seven-note riff which acts as a regular refrain and launch pad during the unbroken 74-minute concert ...

Live From New York

Alash, Skye, and Quest

by Martin Longley
March 5, 2013

Alash Carnegie Hall February 16, 2013 Carnegie Hall's late-night weekend series of shows always have a livelier atmosphere than their earlier 8:00 p.m. concerts. Typically a gig will begin down in the subterranean Zankel Hall at 10:00 p.m., continuing until almost midnight. It always seems as if the audience is geared up with energies already accumulated during their night's earlier activities. The only potential negative side effect of this situation is the increased ...

Album Review

Eric Hofbauer: American Grace

Read "American Grace" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
March 5, 2013

Origami or balloon animals, it is always interesting what a solo artist can do with his bare hands. Same for a gifted guitarist like Eric Hofbauer, whose American Grace completes a trilogy of solo recordings that began with American Vanity (Creative Nation, 2004), and was followed by American Fear! (Creative Nation, 2010). In these three outing, he has mined the nation's post- 9/11 psyche via pop tunes, jazz, blues, and instant composing.Although a jazz educator and graduate of ...

Album Review

The Kandinsky Effect: Synesthesia

Read "Synesthesia" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
March 5, 2013

A band whose members hail from the USA and France, a band name taken from that of a Russian painter, a recording studio in Iceland and tune titles that reference an English town ("Brighton"), a Mexican souvenir retailer ("Mexican Gift Shop") and a Danish film director ("Lars Von Trier"). They all give the Kandinsky Effect's second album, Synesthesia, a distinctly international flavor. The music continues this global theme, drawing its inspiration from contemporary dance and electronic musics, as well as ...

Album Review

Remi Alvarez/Joe Fonda/Harvey Sorgen: Trio 3D

Read "Trio 3D" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza

by Jerry D'Souza
March 5, 2013

When drummer Harvey Sorgen met saxophonist Remi Álvarez at the International Musicians Meeting in Monterey, Mexico, he was “taken by his sound, feel and humanity." This is not surprising. Álvarez has cut a wide swath both on record and in live performances as an adventurer who is not afraid to take risks without losing focus. Sorgen, who has blazed his own trail adding to the dynamics with his sense of rhythm and pulse and abetting the music of vibraphonist/pianist Karl ...

Interview

Lauren Kinsella: In Between Every Line

by Ian Patterson
March 5, 2013

It may be that the voice is the most difficult instrument to improvise with, judging by the relatively small number of improvising vocalists out there. Jazz singers who scat are common enough, but only the best are able to breathe life into a style that has become rather formulaic over the past century. Lauren Kinsella (the stress lies on the first syllable) is one singer who is boldly carving out her own path as an improvising vocalist. The London-based Irish ...

Album Review

Acuna - Hoff - Mathisen: Barxeta

by John Kelman
March 4, 2013

With Jungle City (Alessa, 2009), Norwegians Jan Gunnar Hoff (keyboards) and Per Mathisen (bass) documented their meeting with Peruvian-born Alex Acuña, a Weather Report alum who leapt onto the international stage, first as percussionist and then kit drummer, on the fusion super group's Black Market (Columbia, 1976) and Heavy Weather (Columbia, 1977). That, after a first rehearsal in Tromsø--situated in Norway's far north--Acuña jumped out of his seat, screaming “We have to play much more together!" only meant that Jungle ...

Mr. P.C.'s Guide to Jazz Etiquette and Bandstand Decorum

March 2013

by Mr. P.C.
March 4, 2013

Dear Mr. P.C.: Sometimes when I quote tunes, I get stuck on them, and forget what I was playing to start with. Jeff

Dear Jeff:Getting “stuck" on a quote means you believe, at some important unconscious level, that the song you're “quoting" is better than the one you've been playing. If your music is to be a true expression of the song within you, it would be dishonest to return to the lesser tune. ...

Album Review

Sudo Quartet: Live at Banlieue Bleue

Read "Live at Banlieue Bleue" reviewed by Eyal Hareuveni

by Eyal Hareuveni
March 4, 2013

The pan-European Sudo Quartet is comprised of four true heroes of free improvisation: French double bassist Joëlle Léandre; Portugese violinist Carlos Zingaro; Italian trombonist Sebi Tramontana; and German drummer Paul Lovens. All have played together in various formats for more than two decades, playing contemporary music, free jazz and spontaneous, on-the-spot improvisations, expanding the spectrum of the musical language of their instruments through innovative techniques. All are gifted with compelling performance personalities. This live recording from a ...

Take Five With...

Take Five With Clovis Nicolas

by AAJ Staff
March 4, 2013

Meet Clovis Nicolas:After having established himself as a first-call bassist on the European scene (performances with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Brad Mehldau, Michel Legrand and others), jazz bassist Clovis Nicolas moved to New York in 2002. Since then, he has shared the stage in numerous venues (Jazz Standard, Smalls Jazz Club, Blue Note, 55 Bar, Kennedy Center, Smoke, Jazz Gallery, Birdland, Alice Tully Hall, Dizzy's Club and others) with some of today's most prominent jazz musicians, such as Herbie ...