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.

228

Live Review

Michael Dessen Trio : Irvine CA, May 7, 2011

by Robert Bush
May 26, 2011

Michael Dessen TrioUC Irvine, Winifred Smith HallIrvine, CaliforniaMay 7, 2011 Michael Dessen is, according to a frequent employer, the contrabass virtuoso Mark Dresser, “a black-belt trombonist." He is, in fact such a consummate sideman in so many contexts that the opportunity to hear him as a leader is a rare treat, indeed. Dessen was able to bring his NYC trio-mates out for this concert : on double-bass, the phenomenal Christopher Tordini, ...

106

Album Review

Young / Powell / Vespestad: Anthem

by John Kelman
May 26, 2011

Public perception can often be misleading. Those only familiar with Jacob Young's ECM recordings, including the sublime Evening Falls (2004), inevitably think of him as a painstakingly lyrical guitarist, informed by Jim Hall's economical forward- thinking and penchant for the sound of a warm, organic hollowbody or steely acoustic instrument. But that's only part of the story. Prior to recording for ECM, Young released three albums on Norway's NORCD and Curling Legs labels, positing a closer affiliation to the American ...

124

Extended Analysis

James Carter: Caribbean Rhapsody

by C. Michael Bailey
May 26, 2011

James CarterCaribbean RhapsodyEmarcy2011 Multi-reedist James Carter is both a student and master of all things saxophone. He is a keeper of the jazz flame much in the same way trumpeter Wynton Marsalis is, without Marsalis' conservative inclinations. Carter has been inventive in his projects, two of which were the well-received Chasin' The Gypsy (Atlantic, 2000), addressing the music of guitarist Django Reinhardt, and Gardenias For Lady Day (Sony, 2003), tipping his ...

171

Album Review

Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra: Cordoba

by Dan Bilawsky
May 26, 2011

Córdoba is the name of an Argentinean province--and its capital city--but it's even more than that to bassist-composer Pedro Giraudo, whose Córdoba is a wonderful confluence of rural and urban elements, folkloric rhythmic traditions and modern writing for large ensemble. Giraudo grew up in Córdoba, and the hustle and bustle of the city's atmosphere is certainly on display in his music, but that's only half of the picture. He spent his summers living a simpler life in the countryside and ...

220

Live Review

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Days 4-7: May 5-8, 2011

by Sandy Ingham
May 26, 2011

Days 1-3 | Days 4-7 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival New Orleans, LA April 27-May 6, 2011 Day 4: Thursday May 5, 2011 Vibraphonist Stefon Harris and Blackout was the featured act in the WWOZ Jazz Tent, but Christian Scott stole the show. Scott--the young New Orleans-born trumpeter now building a national reputation from his Harlem, NY base--is a hard-bopper, but kicked back on a gorgeous ballad, “Isadora." Then he ...

125

Album Review

Jamie Ruben: Groove-O-Ly-O-Scene

Read "Groove-O-Ly-O-Scene" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
May 26, 2011

Canadian composer/guitarist Jamie Ruben's debut, Groove-O-Ly-O-Scene, is a very atmospheric affair, but its stylistic intricacies are not at the expense of substance. Although the opener, “AQ Giraffe," is short on improvisation, its almost Hawaiian-sounding heavy groove serves as a good introduction that sets the theme for the rest of the record. The lazy nocturnesque “Pennapa," on the other hand, has plenty of substance, with Ruben's Bill Frisell-like strumming contrasting well with trumpeter William Sperandei”s laidback, Freddie Hubbard-like sound. ...

133

Album Review

Jonas Holgersson: Snick Snack

Read "Snick Snack" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
May 26, 2011

Swedish drummer Jonas Holgersson's trio releases its first recording of original music, its apparent appreciation of the jazz tradition balanced by the manifestation of a kind of composed stoicism that makes Snick Snackan unimpeachable session.Holgersson has held the drum chair in bands led by both saxophonist Jonas Kullhammar and trumpeter Magnus Broo. This debut as leader features a classic saxophone trio with Karl-Martin Almqvist and bassist Christian Spering. The title track kicks things off, with Holgersson playing a ...

Album Review

Terrence Brewer: Setting The Standard, Volume One

Read "Setting The Standard, Volume One" reviewed by Edward Blanco

by Edward Blanco
May 25, 2011

San Francisco Bay Area guitarist Terrence Brewer offers his fifth recording as leader with Setting The Standard, Volume One, documenting the first volume of a project that delivers new arrangements and fresh interpretations of standards from the past. Applying a classic straight-ahead approach to music from legendary composers like Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Duke Ellington and Henry Mancini, Brewer once again draws from the past to make a brilliant musical statement. Brewer's previous album, Groovin' Wes ...

320

Live Review

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2011

by Sandy Ingham
May 25, 2011

Days 1-3 | Days 4-7 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival New Orleans, LA April 27-May 6, 2011 Day 1: April 29, 2011The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival turned 42 this year. I've been to 25, and the thrill of anticipation entering the fairgrounds and crossing to the WWOZ Jazz Tent never grows old. And Day One of 2011 on April 29 was all that could be hoped for and ...

101

Album Review

David Gibson: End Of The Tunnel

Read "End Of The Tunnel" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
May 25, 2011

The second release for trombonist David Gibson's quartet, End Of The Tunnel, is a return to the ever popular soul-jazz genre. As with his previous disc, A Little Somethin' (Posi-Tone, 2009), Gibson and organist Jared Gold share a love for that infectious 1960s organ combo sound. This disc also continues with the same lineup, and why not keep going? The music just feels so good; a sound that began in African-American churches but was ultimately incorporated into night ...