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.
Sign in to customize your My Articles page —or— Filter Article Results
The Headhunters: The Stunt Man
by Doug Collette
With the half-century anniversaries of Herbie Hancock's work with the Headhunters having passed in roughly the last year--Head Hunters (Columbia, 1973) and Thrust (Columbia, 1974)--it is appropriate the current configuration of the group has continued regular activity. In fact, under the fitting tutelage of drummer Mike Clark and percussionist Bill Summers, the band has issued two albums of new material in this span of time. Speakers in the House (Ropeadope, 2022) is an album of dashing panache and ...
Continue ReadingBranford Marsalis & Joey Calderazzo: Face on the Barroom Floor
by Scott Lichtman
On “Face on the Barroom Floor," the duo of Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo pay tribute to Wayne Shorter by distilling one of Shorter's most beautiful pieces into its essentials. The sentiment might be interpreted as “a lovelorn individual drinks himself into forgetfulness. We hope for a happier future for him." Marsalis and Calderazzo take the original arrangement, performed by Weather Report, and leave only the piano and soprano saxophone, playing them plaintively with sparse block chords and a honking ...
Continue ReadingZorn This Way, Part 1
by Ludovico Granvassu
Everyone knows that describing John Zorn as a prolific composer is an understatement. Everyone also knows how inclusive he has been, sharing his compositions with the many musicians who are in his circle of trust. Countless renditions of his music have been recorded by these musicians for Zorn's label, Tzadik. To mark his birthday, on September 2nd, here we focus on interpretations of the John Zorn songbook, mostly from Masada Book One, independently released. Happy listening!
Continue ReadingAaron Parks: Little Big III
by Mike Jurkovic
Listening to the ever-evolving mind and music of pianist Aaron Parks reveals a sizable rock and roll streak running through it all. His impulsive 2008 solo nod on Blue Note Records, Invisible Cinema, carried indy rock energy. And it is a good bet that if one digs into his work with Terrence Blanchard--four albums from 2003 including 2007's Grammy-winning A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina) (EMI)--Parks, a late-stage teenager at the time, exhibits a bardic, punky tinge ...
Continue ReadingVibration Black Finger, Caixa Cabo, Kokoroko, Raw Odoni, Cruisic, And More
by Tony Poole
Tony Poole selects his favourite tracks from the latest new releases and pre-releases. This week's featured artist is the London-based spiritual soul jazz collective Vibration Black Finger with their soon to be released third album Everybody Cryin' Mercy. Producer Lascelle Gordon provides another “complete listening experience" on the back of their last project from 2020, Can You See What I'm Trying To Say. Playlist Tall Black Guy “Running The Motor [Reprise]" from 8 Miles to Moenart--10th Anniversary Edition ...
Continue ReadingRon Caines / Martin Archer Axis: Practical Dreamers
by John Sharpe
Practical Dreamers is the fifth collaboration between Discus label boss multi-instrumentalist Martin Archer and veteran saxophonist Ron Caines, and like the others, situates the latter's largely introspective reeds within varied electro-acoustic soundscapes. Caines was a founding member of progressive British rock band East Of Eden back in 1967, but after leaving to pursue jazzier endeavors, he performed with the likes of Evan Parker, Steve Lacy and Keith Tippett. While the pair's previous release, the excellent Blutopia (Discus, ...
Continue ReadingPavel J Ryba, Pericopes, Thumbscrew, Forq, and Thomas Steiger
by Len Davis
New music with Japanese band Trix, Oz Urugulu, Pavel J Ryba, Trio Grande, Italian band Pericopes and New York band Thumbscrew. South American band NDN505, Forq with Henry Hey, German bassist Thomas Steiger, Australian guitarist Josh Meader, Rohan Sen and Israeli guitarist Eran Har Even.Playlist Trix “Sonic Fiction" from Build Up (King Records) 00:00 Oz Urugulu “Santiago And A Missing 8th" from Della Morte dell' Artista (Self Produced) 06:21 Pavel J Ryba “Skocna" from Jazzy Fish Tales (Self ...
Continue ReadingDouglas Lora: Um Novo Caminho
by Katchie Cartwright
Double trajectory Award-winning seven-string guitarist Douglas Lora has long had two solid sides to his career, the popular and the classical, the improvisatory and the written. Jazz fans may know him from his recordings with Anat Cohen and Trio Brasileiro--featuring Dudu Maia on bandolim and Alexandre Lora on pandeiro--which highlight the improvisational prowess and empathy of that extraordinary group. Since 2011, they have been performing in the US and leading an annual choro workshop near Seattle. Their cred among choro ...
Continue ReadingSlow Poke: Listen Here
by Ludovico Granvassu
Here is a track in which the simmer might be low, but the temperature is definitely very high. “Listen Here" is a composition which Eddie Harris wrote and played with his, usual, fat groove. This, however, is a sultrier rendition by a band that made the savoring of each note, and the development of a hypnotic feel, their M.O.: Slow Poke, namely Michael Blake on saxophone, David Tronzo on guitar, Tony Scherr on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums.
Continue ReadingKevin Sun: Quartets
by Dan McClenaghan
Saxophonist Kevin Sun goes big again. Sustain Of Memory (2020) and 2023's Depth of Memory, both on his Endectomorph label, were two-disc offerings. And now we have Quartets, another two CD set. He is an artist with a lot to say. Each disc features Sun on tenor sax accompanied by bassist Walter Stinson. The piano and drum chairs are taken on the first CD by Dana Saul and Matt Honor, respectively. CD 2 finds Kayvon Gordon doing the ...
Continue Reading
