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.

174

Multiple Reviews

Evan Parker's Psi Label Celebrates First Ten Years

by John Eyles
November 10, 2011

November 2011 marks the tenth anniversary of saxophonist Evan Parker's Psi label. Its first release, the fine Parker solo album Lines Burnt in Light, was recorded on October 11 2001 and released within a month of recording. In the following decade, the label released a total of 83 CD's of which 14 were re-releases including 13 that first came out on Parker's former label, Incus. In the past five years, the number of re-releases has steadily dwindled, although some significant ...

145

Album Review

George Benson: Guitar Man

Read "Guitar Man" reviewed by Jeff Winbush

by Jeff Winbush
November 10, 2011

At some point George Benson morphed from a guitarist who occasionally sang into a singer who occasionally played guitar. Benson's Breezin' (Warner Bros, 1976) launched his career trajectory to new heights based upon “This Masquerade," his only vocal turn on the album.But oh, what a vocal “This Masquerade" was. It propelled Breezin' to Number One on the pop charts and the album won multiple Grammys, including Record of the Year, and his recording formula was set for the ...

217

Multiple Reviews

Art Pepper: Live In The USA And Japan

by Chris Mosey
November 10, 2011

In 1971, alto saxophonist Art Pepper left the Synanon drug rehabilitation center in California. The first thing he did, according to Straight Life (Schirmer Books, 1979), his ironically titled autobiography, was get loaded. He began using heroin again, then cocaine and washed both down with phenomenal amounts of alcohol. He didn't use marijuana, said it made him nervous. What with Synanon and time served in prison for drug offences, Pepper had been off the scene for more ...

154

Album Review

Marilyn Mazur: Celestial Circle

Read "Celestial Circle" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
November 10, 2011

Celestial Circle might appear to be a conventional, piano trio-based vocal record on the surface, but it's an impression quickly dismissed with a closer look at its participants. Marilyn Mazur knows her way around a drum kit in no uncertain terms, but it's her more integrated approach, with an oft-times massive array of percussion--gongs, wood blocks, pots and other things that can be struck with hands, sticks and brushes--that has allowed the American-born/Denmark-raised and resident percussionist to evolve a more ...

148

Album Review

Houston Person: So Nice

by Greg Simmons
November 10, 2011

Mom's meatloaf is wonderfully predictable. You always know what you're going to get, and after decades, you've come to rely on it. Why? Because there's something intimately reassuring about knowing that when you go back for more, it's the same as the last time. A recipe change would be simply unthinkable. It's comfort food. Oh, and by the way, it's delicious. Houston Person albums are like mom's meatloaf. There are never any surprises. The name on the cover ...

172

Album Review

Tim Collins: Castles and Hilltops

Read "Castles and Hilltops" reviewed by William Grim

by William Grim
November 10, 2011

This is an excellent album by one of the finest vibraphonists on the scene today. Tim Collins combines the harmonic adventurousness of Gary Burton with a swinging style reminiscent of Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson. Castles and Hilltops consists largely of original compositions that run a wide gamut of styles and expressive content. “Army Brat," a straight-ahead swinger, is reminiscent of the Modern Jazz Quartet, when Milt Jackson's vibes would seemingly explode in contrast to John Lewis' ...

197

Live From New York

Mary Halvorson, Weasel Walter, Trans Am, Shinji Masuko, Jessica Pavone, Alex Ward & Tim Dahl

by Martin Longley
November 9, 2011

Mary Halvorson/Weasel Walter The Stone October 9, 2011 This gig was originally intended to reflect the lineup of the 2011 Electric Fruit trio disc on Thirsty Ear, the latest label curator for two weeks at New York City's The Stone. Unfortunately, trumpeter Peter Evans was forced to cancel his appearance. This situation did have its advantages, though, as it allowed an opportunity to catch a stripped-down duet between the other members, guitarist Mary ...

333

Album Review

Nils Petter Molvaer: Baboon Moon

Read "Baboon Moon" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
November 9, 2011

While Nils Petter Molvær's last release--the first after breaking up his band of ten years--demonstrated plenty of change for the Norwegian trumpeter, he still relied on two of that group's most significant players: live sampler Jan Bang and, most importantly, guitarist Eivind Aarset, who contributed to eight of its ten tracks. Still, Hamada (Sula, 2009) began to move away from the programmed beats of er (Sula, 2005), towards a harder-edged sound--driven, in no small part, by drummer Audun Kleive's thundering ...

181

Live Review

Erica Seguine / Shannon Baker Jazz Orchestra: New York, October 20, 2011

by Daniel Lehner
November 9, 2011

Erica Seguine/Shannon Baker Jazz OrchestraSomethin' Jazz ClubNew York, NYOctober 20, 2011 Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz postulated that the present becomes the past only when a new present emerges. The existence of the contemporary big band--exemplified by restless creativity but a somewhat limited playing capacity--seems to belong to a handful of critically lauded ensembles like Maria Schneider Orchestra, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society and John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble. However, as these ensembles begin to receive ...

210

Album Review

Rene Marie: Black Lace Freudian Slip

Read "Black Lace Freudian Slip" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
November 9, 2011

Budding jazz instrumentalists are often told that they need to find their own voice but, ironically, those who use their actual voices are often expected to adhere to the sonic standards of those who came before. Fans and press who value originality in jazz instrumentalists wring their hands in frustration when more John Coltrane clones come into the picture but, on the other side of the coin, the masses applaud and herald singers with voices crafted in the images of ...