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

The Max Nagl Ensemble: Live at Porgy & Bess Vienna

Read "Live at Porgy & Bess Vienna" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
January 20, 2013

There's no telling what Austrian woodwind artist Max Nagle will pull out of his stockpile of tricks. A premier progressive jazz acolyte and prominent improviser, he's an ideas man who has recorded for many prominent European avant-garde record labels. Here, Nagl's nonet sculptures a program formed on traditional concepts with a nouveau 'tude. But his concentrated focus and uncanny manner of bridging multiple gaps all at once, generates a source of inspiration. The live program intimates an air ...

In The Biz

Indie Musician in a Digital Age: Self Promotion Basics

by Maxim Micheliov
January 20, 2013

Recently, I've had a very educational experience from being a member of a Facebook page for jazz musicians. As it turned out, the group that listed over 2000 members and was intended for musicians only had a fairly narrow spectrum of actively discussed topics. Rise's Rose Garden Movies and beer?--No. Music?--No, of course, not! How to promote?--Yes, exactly. Most posts and associated comments could be covered by just one question: “how to ...

Album Review

Trichotomy: Fact Finding Mission

Read "Fact Finding Mission" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
January 19, 2013

So what is a “Fact Finding Mission"? It might be a pretty dull trip to gather data; it may be a euphemism for something a little more sordid. If it's being undertaken by Australian piano trio Trichotomy, then it's a whole heap of musical fun, for this particular Fact Finding Mission is the band's fifth album: a positive, imaginative and surprising collection.Trichotomy has been together since 1999--originally under the memorable but hard to pronounce moniker of Misinterprotato--and has ...

Album Review

The Jasper Blom Quartet: Gravity

by John Kelman
January 19, 2013

With Gravity, Dutch saxophonist Jasper Blom concludes his Mainland Records trilogy--its cover perhaps suggesting something more danceable than the heads and hands that graced the respective covers of 2008's Statue of Liberty and 2011's Dexterity. Each recording has its own charms, but Gravity is, hands-down, the most upbeat and joyous of the three, and another superb outing for a quartet fast approaching its sixth anniversary since first recording in June 2007.Gravity gets off to a surprisingly rock-inflected start ...

Take Five With...

Take Five With Leah Staci Lewis

by AAJ Staff
January 19, 2013

Meet Leah Staci Lewis: A singer based in Trinidad and Tobago, Leah Staci Lewis has found herself drawn to jazz music and is ready to share her gift with the world. Instrument(s): Voice. Teachers and/or influences? I've been influenced most strongly by Sarah Vaughan; I love her style of singing and her vocal talent. Ella Fitzgerald was so untouchable, she could manipulate melodies like no other. I also strongly admire ...

Album Review

Harry Allen / Scott Hamilton: ‘Round Midnight

Read "‘Round Midnight" reviewed by Edward Blanco

by Edward Blanco
January 19, 2013

Harry Allen and Scott Hamilton are two veteran tenor saxophonists whose individual careers have not prevented them from maintaining a friendship or performing together whenever possible. Their third joint project, Round Midnight presents new interpretations of nine standards in a quintet format offering far more solos than normally found in a group featuring one main artist. Their pairing is reminiscent of the great tenor team of Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, and builds on the foundation of other such bands ...

Take Five With...

Take Five With Rick Bogart

by AAJ Staff
January 19, 2013

Meet Rick Bogart: Rick Bogart, clarinetist, vocalist and composer, is an Arabesque Recording Artist. Latest release is a ballet for solo dancer and solo clarinetist on Arabesque Records. Played in New Orleans during the heyday of the French Quarter. “We played six sets a night, six nights a week, year in and year out--all [through the musicians'] union with benefits. Now in New York since 1980, playing and keeping active. Instruments: Clarinet and piano. Teachers and/or ...

Dan's Den

Every Now and Den

by Dan Morgenstern
January 19, 2013

It's been so long since the last Den that it should perhaps be renamed, “Every Now and Den." But here I am with some of the events that stand out from the past five months or so, not necessarily in chronological order.I've never missed the annual Satchmo Summerfest in New Orleans, and the August 12 edition was, as always, a delightful experience, climate down yonder notwithstanding. Among the excellent seminar participants from up North were David Ostwald, who ...

Multiple Reviews

Checking In On The Czech Republic: A Pair Of Offerings From Amplion Records

by Dan Bilawsky
January 18, 2013

Jazz history, development, and direction have always been documented through the force of recording. In the past, that meant that the few and mighty major labels and handful of independent start-ups essentially dictated what would and wouldn't be disseminated to listeners around the world. Now, with the collapse--or (re)evolution--in the music industry, things have changed. Recording doesn't cost an arm and a leg anymore, it's fairly easy to distribute music, and independent labels are documenting scenes that might have been ...

Multiple Reviews

Shoreditch, London, December 2011: One great gig, two fine albums

by John Eyles
January 18, 2013

In December 2011, French-Canadian alto saxophonist François Carrier was approaching the end of a six-month sabbatical visit to London, sponsored by Conseil des arts et des lettres Québec. On December 6, Carrier played a gig at The Vortex to launch his album Inner Spire (Leo, 2011) recorded the previous year in Russia with his long-time drummer Michel Lambert and Russian pianist Alexey Lapin; Lambert had flown into London for that launch gig. The next day, December 7, Carrier and Lambert ...