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

Jessica Williams Trio: Freedom Trane

Read "Freedom Trane" reviewed by Jeff Winbush

by Jeff Winbush
February 11, 2012

It is no coincidence that pianist Jessica Williams draws inspiration and energy from saxophonist John Coltrane, another iconoclast whose dogged pursuit of his individalistic muse stood in defiance of trends, customs, critics, and marketplace concerns. Like Coltrane, Williams prides herself in being relentlessly faithful to her own standards of how to play and how to market her music. While that enables her to be a fiercely independent talent, it has also made her an underrated one.On her solo ...

New York Beat

Jimmy Owens and the Monk Evolution

by Nick Catalano
February 11, 2012

When an artist comes along who convolutes traditional form, it sometimes takes eons for that artist's contribution to be understood, evaluated and finally appreciated. Initially, composer Igor Stravinsky was thrown out of Paris at the premier of “Le Sacre du Printemps," author James Joyce was banned in Boston for Ulysses," and composer John Cage ridiculed for his performance of “4'33." The list of convoluters is a long one. In the 1940s, pianist Thelonious Monk finally settled on ...

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Album Review

Oz Noy: Twisted Blues Volume 1

Read "Twisted Blues Volume 1" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
February 11, 2012

Born in Israel and a New Yorker since 1996, guitarist Oz Noy's star is on the rise with this fifth solo album, amid numerous session gigs with notable jazz and jazz-fusion artists. Ultimately, Noy brings a signature voice to the forefront and his global approach to the electric guitar imprints a trademark of sorts. With his slinky phrasings, odd-tunings and seething single note licks, the guitarist uncannily melds off-center maneuvers with conventional jazz, rock and blues frameworks. His sinewy licks, ...

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Album Review

Kirk Whalum: Romance Language

Read "Romance Language" reviewed by Larry Taylor

by Larry Taylor
February 11, 2012

Romance Language is very appropriate for Valentine's Day--the perfect background for a romantic evening. Tenor saxophonist Kirk Whalum has teamed up with his brother, vocalist Kevin Whalum, on this recreation of the classic John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (Impulse!, 1963).Moreover, throughout this daunting task, the brothers succeed in brushing a smooth jazz veneer on the great ballads celebrated in the historic original release. The Whalums' effort follows vocalist Kurt Elling's tribute album, Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings ...

Big Band Caravan

Skelton Skinner All Stars / Clare Fischer Big Band / Ron Carter's Great Big Band

by Jack Bowers
February 10, 2012

Skelton Skinner Allstars Big BandCookin' with the Lid OnDiving Duck Records2012 Back in the late 1950s, vibraphonist Terry Gibbs (with some help from his friends) put together an ensemble that became known as the Terry Gibbs Dream Band, took up residence in Hollywood and began blowing audiences away at the Summit, Seville and Sundown nightclubs. The band numbered in its ranks such renowned West Coast musicians as Conte Candoli, Richie Kamuca, ...

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Album Review

Luis Perdomo: Universal Mind

Read "Universal Mind" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
February 10, 2012

While pianist Luis Perdomo has earned plenty of praise for his work in Latin jazz settings with different artists such as percussionist Ray Barretto and saxophonist Miguel Zenón, classifying him as a “Latin jazz pianist" would be a mistake. Perdomo may earn his daily bread playing piano with many Latin luminaries and legends-to-be, but his work with saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and his own albums place him at the vanguard of modern jazz, in all of its expansive and inclusive glory. ...

Extended Analysis

Skip Heller: Foolish Me

by C. Michael Bailey
February 10, 2012

Fred “Skip" Heller is a hip musical polymath from Philadelphia, living on the West Coast, where he burns through musical styles like there is no definition. He has a major, and unapologetic, jones for John Hartford and Roger Miller and an encyclopedic knowledge of American music, of which he continues to be a student, teacher, shaman. Mention any name from anywhere in the history of New World music and Heller will have something to say about it. His personal discography ...

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Album Review

Chris Brubeck's Triple Play: Live at Arthur Zankel Music Center

Read "Live at Arthur Zankel Music Center" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
February 10, 2012

When considering something as seriously artistic as jazz, it is often overlooked that said music is to be enjoyed as well as appreciated. The key operative in enjoy is joy, and multi- instrumentalist Chris Brubeck and his merry band Tripleplay are obviously full of it. Live at Arthur Zankel Music Center was recorded at Skidmore College during the 2011 Saratoga Artsfest, capturing Brubeck's side project at full wind. This concert is a brand of blues and jazz with absolutely no ...

Album Review

Rob Tardik: Balance, Energy, Laughter, Love

Read "Balance, Energy, Laughter, Love" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
February 10, 2012

Mississauga native Rob Tardik was named 2010 Canadian Smooth Jazz Guitarist, among other accolades that he has won for his musicianship; it is easy to understand why, listening to B.E.L.L (Balance, Energy, Laughter, Love) . Although, technically speaking, it falls in the smooth jazz category, it is far from ambient, background music. Instead it is highly melodic and rewards a close listen. As with his previous two releases, on this, his third as a leader Tardik spans ...

Album Review

Ehud Asherie with Harry Allen: Upper West Side

Read "Upper West Side" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
February 9, 2012

The closing track on pianist Ehud Asherie's Modern Life (Posi-Tone, 2010), whether intentional or not, came to serve as musical foreshadowing for this album. Modern Life has Asherie leading a crack quartet through a program of largely lesser-performed gems by cream-of-the-crop composers like George Gershwin, Jerome Kern and Tadd Dameron, but when the album reaches its conclusion the rhythm section is relieved of its duties, while tenor saxophonist Harry Allen stays onboard for an emotionally riveting two-man take on Billy ...