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.

278

Album Review

The Chris Byars Octet: Lucky Strikes Again

Read "Lucky Strikes Again" reviewed by Greg Simmons

by Greg Simmons
July 24, 2011

If a theorem states: “three harmonizing saxophones create compelling, rich, sonic textures," then the proof is the Chris Byars Octet's homage to saxophonist Lucky Thompson, Lucky Strikes Again. Lucky Thompson (1924-2005) is primarily remembered as a bebop saxophonist, but he was also a fine and underrated composer, leading small and mid-sized bands. Byars has collected ten of Thompson's compositions using the same small big band instrumental mix: three sax's, two brass, and the rhythm section. The instrumental mix ...

239

Live Review

Amaral, Rita Indiana y Los Misterios, New York, NY, July 9, 2011

by Ernest Barteldes
July 24, 2011

Amaral, Rita Indiana y Los MisteriosLatin Alternative Music ConferenceCentral Park SummerstageNew York, NYJuly 9, 2011As part of the program for the 12th edition of the Latin Alternative Music Conference, Spain-based Amaral took to the stage with just principals Eva Amaral (vocals) and Juan Aguirre (guitar). Though unbilled for the evening on the official program, they were very well received, playing a short set that included some of the best-known hits from their career, ...

241

Album Review

Clarence Williams: Washboard Bands: 1926-29, "Gimme Blues"

Read "Washboard Bands: 1926-29, "Gimme Blues"" reviewed by Andrew J. Sammut

by Andrew J. Sammut
July 24, 2011

New Orleans native and musical jack-of-all-trades Clarence Williams enjoyed success on multiple levels of the music business, with washboard ensembles just one part of his extensive discography. Even without the timbral variety of a full drum set, the washboard crafts simple but effective rhythms. A chattering backbeat on “Wait 'Till You See My Baby Do The Charleston" opens the disc with driving clarinet and the leader's piano chimes never pining for cymbals or skins. “You For Me, Me For You" ...

269

Live Review

Theo Saunders Sextet: San Diego, CA, July 5, 2011

by Robert Bush
July 24, 2011

Theo Saunders Sextet Saville Theatre, San Diego City College San Diego, CA July 5, 2011 Pianist Theo Saunders has an incredible resume. Growing up in NYC, he played with Pharoah Sanders in the 1960s, and in 1971 (at age 24), at the Village Vanguard with the likes of Jimmy Garrison and Jack DeJohnette in a group led by guitarist Sonny Greenwich. Appearing on more than 40 recordings as a sideman, he has accompanied everyone ...

301

Album Review

Aaron Goldberg / Guillermo Klein: Bienestan

Read "Bienestan" reviewed by Mark F. Turner

by Mark F. Turner
July 24, 2011

Collaborations between two jazz pianists on the same recording are rare. Yet in the case of rising stars Aaron Goldberg and eclectic composer Guillermo Klein's Bienestan--whose title means “a place of well-being"--the collaboration works on many levels and translates into a rewarding experience.Their connection began at Berklee in the 1990s. Goldberg played piano in Klein's big band as Klein was studying composition and ironically had not yet started playing piano. Each artists' career developed through notable works including ...

281

Album Review

Okkyung Lee & Phil Minton: Anicca

by John Eyles
July 23, 2011

Following previous Dancing Wayang releases from the duo of John Edwards and Chris Corsano, and a solo release from Mats Gustaffson (with another from Peter Evans in preparation), the label continues its successful series of freely improvised music with this first recorded meeting of vocalist Phil Minton and cellist Okkyung Lee, recorded at Eastcote Studios in May 2009. As always with the label's releases, Anicca is released as a limited edition on 180gram vinyl, in a beautiful, hand screen-printed, wraparound ...

242

Live Review

Vision Festival: Day 7 Finale, New York, NY, June 11, 2011

by John Sharpe
July 23, 2011

Day 1 | Days 2-3 | Day 4 | Days 5-6 | Day 7 Vision FestivalAbrons Arts CenterNew York CityJune 11, 2011 Reut Regev R*Time Special Edition Trombonist Reut Regev's R*Time began the final night of the Vision Festival in exuberant style. Since relocating to New York from her native Israel in 1998, Regev has kept an inclusively wide contacts book, encompassing Latin, klezmer and rock, as ...

405

Album Review

Iron City: The Business

Read "The Business" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
July 23, 2011

Guitarist Charlie Apicella and his band mates mix it up nicely with these originals and jazz standards, disavowing a rough-hewn presence and sporting a piquant mode of execution. The artists morph a somewhat traditional blue collar approach to the classic organ-combo into a contemporized product. The band may not 't reinvent the genre, but the diverse and largely up-tempo track mix rounds out a balanced approach, spanning blues, funk, Latin and swing. One of the album highlights is ...

222

Album Review

Monty Alexander: Harlem-Kingston Express Live!

Read "Harlem-Kingston Express Live!" reviewed by David Rickert

by David Rickert
July 23, 2011

Many jazz musicians have mined the music of other cultures and countries for new ideas. Many of the most successful combinations have come from importing the music of warmer climates--Afro-Cuban and bossa nova to name but two. Monty Alexander has always done the reverse: a native of Jamaica who played straight-ahead jazz in the States for decades, he has always included some music of his native country in his book. However, for his new group he has gone ...

287

Album Review

Shana Tucker: Shine

Read "Shine" reviewed by Larry Reni Thomas

by Larry Reni Thomas
July 23, 2011

Shine is a bright, bluesy, jazzy album from the multitalented vocalist Shana Tucker. She also plays cello and guitar on this set of Tucker compositions, with insightful autobiographical titles like the upbeat “Fast Lane," with a great line “leave the porch light on," and the ever-moving “No Get Back (Together With Me)." These tunes, along with “A Secret That I Keep," are the best and most rhythmic selections on the disc, with snappy, direct lyrics, good beats and simple melodies. ...