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

Gordon Grdina's Haram: Her Eyes Illuminate

Read "Her Eyes Illuminate" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
September 1, 2012

Vancouver-based oudist/guitarist Gordon Grdina has been bending genres and creating East-meets-West contexts for his instruments for quite some time. He put his own spin on modern jazz with Box Cutter, melded outré twentieth century chamber ideals with Arabian themes with the East Van Trio and created a Persian/Arabian/Indian hybrid with Sangha. Now, Grdina turns his attention to folk themes and popular music crafted by Iranian and Egyptian artists over the past century with this exciting dectet. Haram, ...

Album Review

Little Feat: Rooster Rag

Read "Rooster Rag" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
September 1, 2012

Too often lumped in with jam bands like Phish, String Cheese Incident or Widespread Panic, Little Feat more properly belongs with The Allman Brothers Band, which developed a greater popularity early on before settling in for largely improvisatory concerts based on its own band book and covers. Little Feat diverge from the ABB in that it has released two studio albums of new material, 2003's Kickin' it At the Barn (Hot Tomato) and the present Rooster Rag, to the Brothers' ...

Live Review

The Doobie Brothers and Chicago: Wantagh, NY, August 18, 2012

by Mike Perciaccante
September 1, 2012

The Doobie Brothers and Chicago Nikon At Jones Beach Theater Wantagh, NY August 18, 2012 On what will most probably be remembered as one of the best weather days to grace Long Island during the summer of 2012, classic rock legends The Doobie Brothers and Chicago shared the stage at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre. The performance had been billed as an evening featuring the music that spanned the careers of both bands, ...

Live Review

Gent Jazz Festival, Days 5-8: Gent, Belgium, July 11-14, 2012

by Martin Longley
September 1, 2012

Gent Jazz Festival Bijloke Gent, Belgium July 11-14, 2012 As is its traditional way, the Gentfest pauses for a few days, then switches orientation towards jazz peripherals. We're not talking a complete rock-pop coup, but rather an informed selection of acts who are likely to appeal to jazz-orientated beings. These might be angled towards rock or electronica, reggae or Latin, funk or global sounds. Even though phase one was mostly very well ...

Album Review

Jay Smith Group: Unashamed Portrayal

Read "Unashamed Portrayal" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
September 1, 2012

California-based keyboardist Jay Smith's worldly musical views radiate mightily, as he borrows from the past and reformulates a refreshingly modern vibe, spanning jazz-fusion, blues-rock and more. He also injects panache into the proceedings and garners top-notch support, while fusing a coalition of memorable melodies with a rather ferocious improvisational element. The keyboardist incorporates a vastly entertaining subsystem with penetrating frameworks amid various climactically oriented rhythmical drivers. Smith is a catalyst and colorist, and weaves around blistering solo spots ...

Album Review

Manner Effect: Abundance

Read "Abundance" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
September 1, 2012

Manner Effect is not merely an energetic group consisting of a vocalist backed by a four- piece band, but a quintet with two frontline instruments and a rhythm section. This is primarily due to Sarah Elizabeth Charles's utilization of her amazing vocal cords as a wind instrument, and in her delivery of songs in the tradition of such adventurous performers as Flora Purim and Ursula Duduziak. This is clearly demonstrated on Abundance, especially on the title track ...

Album Review

Wolfgang Schalk: Word of Ear

Read "Word of Ear" reviewed by Mark F. Turner

by Mark F. Turner
August 31, 2012

As if to quietly utter “enough with talking about the music...," guitarist Wolfgang Schalk gets to the heart of the matter with Word of Ear and lets his playing speak loud and clear. This is his sixth recording as a leader and he continues to reveal expressive phrasing and piercing solos on hollow body electric and acoustic guitars. Schalk's bicoastal connection between New York and California (currently living in Los Angeles) finds recruiting some local talent in ...

Album Review

Milton Suggs: Lyrical, Volume 1

Read "Lyrical, Volume 1" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
August 31, 2012

Vocalist/composer Milton Suggs released Things To Come to certain positive acclaim. In an arid male jazz vocals landscape, Suggs recalls a simpler time ruled by the likes of Joe Williams and Johnny Hartman. His voice is deep and rich, with Betty Carter's pliability and Jon Hendricks' smokiness. On Lyrical, Volume 1 he fronts a larger-than-average band for a set of originals and adaptations that are both inventive and enjoyable. Suggs also brings a spiritual dimension to his music, reflecting his ...

Live Review

Amadou and Mariam: New York, NY August 4, 2012

by Emilie Pons
August 31, 2012

Amadou and MariamCentral Park SummerStageNew York, NYAugust 4, 2012Amadou and Mariam celebrate music, love and togetherness. There is something magical and unusual about seeing two talented blind singers perform together on stage in front of a huge crowd in Central Park. And, clearly, Amadou and Mariam have a lot of fans. On Saturday August 4, 2012, the Malian couple performed for Central Park SummerStage, which, like the Prospect Park Bandshell in Brooklyn, with the BRIC ...

Album Review

School Of Music Graduate Ensemble: Mars Apes

Read "Mars Apes" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
August 31, 2012

The Philadelphia based University of Arts is famous for the excellence of its school of music and particularly the high caliber of its jazz education. Listening to the whimsically titled Mars Apes, it becomes clear that these accolades are not undeserved. Billed as School Of Music Graduate Ensemble, the group performs mostly original material by its individual members, on this foray into the uncertain terrain of fusion. The engaging music does not, however, conform to the traditional ...