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.
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Badi Assad: Strings, Strength, and Soul
by Steven Roby
In this episode of Backstage Sonoma, host Steven Roby has an in-depth conversation with renowned Brazilian guitarist and singer Badi Assad. With over 35 years in the music industry, Badi shares the triumphs, challenges, and personal growth that have shaped her career, including her battle with focal dystonia and deep connection with the San Francisco Bay Area. Through compelling stories and musical insights, Badi discusses her diverse musical influences and collaborations and how she continues to captivate audiences ...
Continue ReadingRoss McHenry: Waves
by Nenad Georgievski
One of the reasons jazz is so intriguing is its wide range of styles and unpredictability. It has always been tricky to define. It is a genre that is constantly evolving, picking up influences along the way, and adapting in ways that can blur the lines between styles. While the term jazz often suggests something hard to pin down, labels can provide a useful way to describe the key features of a particular release. Packed with unpredictable forms, formats, rhythms ...
Continue ReadingWrapped in Rhythm: Tutu Puoane sings the poetry of Lebo Mashile
by Ngwako Malakalaka
Pretoria born, Antwerp based jazz vocal virtuoso Tutu Puoane's latest project Wrapped in Rhythm Vol 1. is inspired by a collection of poems by South Africa theatre producer and performer Lebo Mashile. Having spent a few years exploring Lebo's poems, Tutu responds and breathes new life into this body of work by singing these words that have been written over two decades ago. An incredible project that captures themes of femininity, feelings of being displaced and the triumph of the ...
Continue ReadingWayne Shorter, Samara Joy, Barker/Irabagon/Parker, Tom Johnson Jazz Orchestra
by Cheryl K.
During this week's two-hour program of Jazz and improvised music--saxophonist Wayne Shorter; vocalist Samara Joy; Meva's Journal; trombonist Ryan Keberle; drummer Gerald Cleaver; keyboardist, composer and bandleader Tom Johnson; and The Impanemas. Playlist Wayne Shorter “Zero Gravity to the 15th Dimension" from Celebration, Vol. 1 (Blue Note) 11:42 Sara Serpa “Mercy and Caprice" from Recognition: Music for a Silent Film (Biophilia) 3:39 Michael Mayo “Frenzy" from Fly (Mack Avenue) 2:35 Samara Joy “Autumn Nocturne" from Portrait (Verve) 3:46 ...
Continue ReadingEuropean Jazz Conference 2024
by Ian Patterson
European Jazz Conference 2024 Music Centre De Bijloke/Various venues Ghent, Belgium September 12-15, 2024 For such a relatively young music it is ironic that one of the issues facing jazz is old age. Aging audiences to be precise. But let us be clear, it is a good thing jazz retains such a loyal fan base, a lifelong following. The perennial question for jazz festivals and venues packed with grey hairs and no hairs, however, ...
Continue ReadingBelgian Jazz Showcase: European Jazz Conference 2024
by Ian Patterson
Various Artists Music Centre De Bijloke/various venues European Jazz Conference Ghent, Belgium September 12-15, 2024 An important part of the annual European Jazz Conference (see separate article) is the space given over to music of the host country. In fact, it could be argued that more time is allotted to showcasing music than to all the discussion groups, keynote speech and panels combined. Over three days, the 420 or so conference ...
Continue ReadingBruce Lofgren: Earthly and Cosmic Tales
by Richard J Salvucci
Long-time fans of SoCal guitarist and arranger Bruce Lofgren are going to find this recording something of a departure. More akin to a chamber group than Lofgren's past forays into standards and big band jazz, the characterization of the recording as “instrumental adventures" is really quite apt. Clarinet, cello, bass, vibes and percussion are what Lofgren brings to the table, And a tuneful, melodious and largely joyful recording it is, with a mix of originals and covers that are equal ...
Continue ReadingPlanet D Nonet: Echoes of Harlem: A Salute to Duke Ellington Vol 2
by Jack Bowers
Operating on the time-honored principle that one successful tribute deserves another, the Detroit-based Planet D Nonet has recorded Echoes of Harlem, Vol. 2, an homage to the great Duke Ellington and follow-up to the ensemble's well-received album from 2023, Blues to Be There: A Salute to Duke Ellington. Each of the studio session's fifteen selections was written by Ellington and/or Billy Strayhorn, and the ensemble does its best Ellington impression interpreting them, even replicating the distinctive rhythmic, ...
Continue ReadingMatt Mitchell, Josephine Davies & Francisco Andrade
by Maurice Hogue
Several dynamic album debuts in this episode, highlighted by brilliant pianist Matt Mitchell with his long-standing trio of bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Dan Weiss. Despite the countless hours of rehearsals and gigs, Zealous Angles is the first recording by the three. Portuguese saxophonist Francisco Andrade brings a fresh new approach with his new Linhas E Formas, while his English counterpart, Josephine Davies, continues to document her trio, Satori. German bassist Robert Landfermann brings his robust sound and composing skills ...
Continue ReadingTracy Yang: OR
by Jack Kenny
Darcy James Argue and Maria Schneider have produced music in recent years that is setting new parameters. They have broadened the scope of jazz by mining inspiration from unlikely sources: Argue finds inspiration in politics and conspiracy theories; Schneider looked at the data world, both artists revivifying the large jazz orchestra. A new name can be added: Tracy Yang. Yang has her own preoccupations: music, photography and ecology. Yang's story has many intriguing aspects. To abandon a career ...
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