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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Race and Jazz

Race and Jazz Criticism

by Greg Thomas
October 3, 2011

When I began this Race and Jazz series several months ago, I knew the topics I wanted to touch upon, and the general culture vs. race point-of-view I intended to pursue. With those chord changes (topics) and that melodic perspective (pro-culture, anti-race) in mind and at play, I figured I'd proceed with the rest by ear. As it turned out, the most recent column featured an interview with premier jazz critic and book author Gary Giddins, in which he discussed ...

213

Interview

Bunky Green: Urgency and Continuity

by Anil Prasad
October 3, 2011

Saxophonist Bunky Green bristles at the idea of playing by the rules. On more than one occasion, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin native was on his way to jazz stardom, but each time his principles guided him elsewhere. This is a significant reason why the highly influential musician has mostly remained unsung and out of the spotlight for decades, instead focusing his energies on his role as a leading jazz educator. For the past two decades, Green has served as the Director ...

100

Album Review

Rahsaan Barber: Everyday Magic

Read "Everyday Magic" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
October 2, 2011

An album title like Everyday Magic implies that inspired artistry can be as consistent and routine as the rising and setting of the sun and, while that's rarely the case, that philosophy basically rings true on this album. Saxophonist Rahsaan Barber put together a program of nine originals that detail his diversified stylistic portfolio and skills on a variety of horns. Barber's brawny tenor saxophone sound comes to the fore early in the album ("Jubilee"), and his ...

108

Live Review

The Warren Haynes Band: South Burlington, VT, September 13, 2001

by Doug Collette
October 2, 2011

The Warren Haynes BandHigher Ground BallroomSouth Burlington, VermontSeptember 13, 2011 Warren Haynes' Man in Motion (Stax, 2011) project was originally conceived as a means of rediscovering the man's influences in R&B and soul music. It's also providing him some refreshing respite from his longstanding commitments to Gov't Mule and The Allman Brothers Band. In addition, based on the appearance at Higher Ground on September 13, the guitarist/singer/composer is attracting listeners who might not have ...

174

Live Review

Corky Laing & The Memory Thieves: New York, NY, September 14, 2011

by Mike Perciaccante
October 2, 2011

Corky Laing & The Memory Thieves with Six Foot Sissy and Bobby DiBlasio BB King's Bar & Grill New York, New York September 14, 2011 “Music doesn't have a memory. You can do anything to it." These were the words of drummer Corky Laing, as he addressed an enthusiastic B.B. King's crowd in New York City on Wednesday, September 14, 2011. Quite a bold statement--and quite true. Though Laing attributed the statement to his friend ...

181

Album Review

JJ Grey and Mofro: Brighter Days

Read "Brighter Days" reviewed by Doug Collette

by Doug Collette
October 2, 2011

Anyone who's seen JJ Grey and Mofro since 2008 knows how the sparks that fly from their studio recordings catch fire when the band plays live. The audio component of Brighter Days, a combination CD and DVD set, proceeds almost breathlessly as the successive cuts appear at an ardent pace. Recorded in a single night early in 2011, the performance contains three extra numbers on video, but the sequencing of the audio, like the band's last release, Georgia ...

167

Album Review

Andrzej Serafin: L.S.D.

by Jerry D'Souza
October 2, 2011

L.S.D. makes a significant impact when the proponents of the acronym--vibraphonist Andrzej Serafin, harmonicist Robert Lenert and saxophonist Staszek Domarski--come together. The music they play evolves from different approaches, an ambient point of view drawing in both jazz and blues. Serafin was a founding member of Editions Quartet and the blues-rock group Blue Ink. Lenert has his own band, Los Agentos, which also includes Serafin. And if they find an empathy born from association, Domarski makes it a ...

111

Live Review

Blondie: Westbury, NY, September 18, 2011

by Mike Perciaccante
October 2, 2011

Blondie with Lizzie Truille NYCB Theatre at Westbury Westbury, New York September 18, 2011 On Sunday, September 18, 2011, following a strong workmanlike set by opening act Lizzie Truille, Debbie Harry and Blondie proved that even after 35 years, they still know how to bring down the house. The Westbury, NY show started on a high note with the classic “Union City Blues," soaring from the start. What followed was a tour de force excursion ...

161

Album Review

Mike Cottone: Just Remember

Read "Just Remember" reviewed by Edward Blanco

by Edward Blanco
October 2, 2011

Just Remember is the timely debut from Mike Cottone, reflecting the young New York-based trumpeter's musical journey thus far and paying tribute to a pivotal figure in his career, Daniel McMurray, his late high school band director and mentor. Drummer Ulysses Owens Jr., who performs on several pieces, co-produces the project with Marc Iacona of the Rochester International Jazz Festival. The album serves as both a tribute to McMurray and a remembrance of all those who played a part in ...

167

Album Review

Keith Tippett Octet: From Granite To Wind

Read "From Granite To Wind" reviewed by Roger Farbey

by Roger Farbey
October 2, 2011

Rarely does an album receive the plaudit of being considered essential, but for Keith Tippett fans and non-fans alike, From Granite To Wind is such a recording. The pianist departed from the more rock-influenced aspects of his writing, on albums like Dedicated To You But You Weren't Listening (Vertigo, 1971) and the Centipede big band extravaganza Septober Energy (Neon/RCA, 1971), many years ago. He has, in subsequent years, devoted himself to the freer improvisational areas of jazz, although even these ...