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.

177

Album Review

Marc Copland: Crosstalk

Read "Crosstalk" reviewed by Troy Collins

by Troy Collins
April 15, 2011

Pianist Marc Copland is widely admired for his harmonically astute writing, imaginative interpretations of standards, and sensitivity as a sophisticated soloist. The aesthetic foundation of Copland's expressionistic style can be traced to the poetic lyricism of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, and though the same could be said of many contemporary pianists, Copland's singular approach to the tradition sets him apart from his peers. The German Pirouet label has been copiously documenting Copland's oeuvre since 2005; his burgeoning ...

193

Album Review

Michel Reis: Point Of No Return

Read "Point Of No Return" reviewed by Wilbert Sostre

by Wilbert Sostre
April 15, 2011

The trio on Michel Reis' Point Of No Return is a testament to the international character of jazz music, especially in the 21th century. A pianist/composer from Luxemburg, Reis studied jazz performance and composition at Berklee College of Music. Adam Cruz is a Latin American drummer, born in New York, whose experience includes playing with Chick Corea and Danilo Perez. Bassist Tal Gamlieli is another amazing musician coming from Israel. The common ground here is the international language of jazz. ...

338

Album Review

The Bill Dixon Orchestra: Intents And Purposes

Read "Intents And Purposes" reviewed by Troy Collins

by Troy Collins
April 14, 2011

Intents And Purposes has long been revered as Bill Dixon's singular masterpiece. Out of print for years, the late trumpet innovator's magnum opus has been lovingly remastered and reissued on CD, by International Phonograph Inc., in a deluxe mini-LP styled package that replicates the original 1967 issue, providing an important opportunity to reevaluate this seminal work. Since his decisive involvement in 1964's October Revolution in Jazz and lengthy tenure at Bennington College in Vermont (1968-1995), Dixon has been ...

285

Extended Analysis

Ojos De Brujo: Corriente Vital - 10 Anos

by Chris May
April 14, 2011

Ojos De BrujoCorriente Vital: 10 AnosWarner Music Spain2011 The word is that Corriente Vital: 10 Anos may be Barcelona-based Ojos De Brujo's final album. It is now over a decade since the Catalan and Gypsy collective released its debut, Vengue (Edel, 2000), in its unique flamenco, rumba, raga, dub, hip hop and jazz style. Since then, ODB has made seven world tours and three more magnificent studio albums--Bari (World Village, 2002), ...

213

Album Review

Susie Meissner: I’m Confessin’

Read "I’m Confessin’" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
April 14, 2011

On vocalist Susie Meissner's previous recording, I'll Remember April (Self Produced, 2008), the singer staked out the center of the middle of the road stylistically. Her repertoire was from the most popular sections of The Great American Songbook, dispatched tastefully in her well-balanced high alto. Dedicated to the melody, Meissner is clearly not one given to vocal fireworks, preferring to honor the composer's original intentions. I'm Confessin' picks up where I'll Remember April left off, adding the ...

272

Album Review

Noah Haidu: Slipstream

Read "Slipstream" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
April 14, 2011

Slipstream is the debut from New York-based pianist/writer Noah Haidu. Featuring an exceptionally talented quintet of musicians, it's a striking first album, full of superb, straight-ahead jazz. Haidu's compositions--he wrote all but one of the tunes--are strong on melody and characterized by a gentle and soulful swing. As a pianist, Haidu sounds equally comfortable as a lead musician or as part of the rhythm section. Of course, his fellow musicians are high quality players themselves, and are ...

308

Album Review

Cathrine Legardh / Sigurdur Flosason: Land And Sky

Read "Land And Sky" reviewed by Chris Mosey

by Chris Mosey
April 14, 2011

A bilingual double album, liable to confirm common prejudices concerning Scandinavians: that they are doomy, brooding folks, given to staring at candles on dark winter nights, while meditating on the quintessential meaninglessness of life. To quote Cathrine Legardh's text for “Pumpkin": When life steps into character I am just a feather in a storm A pumpkin with a worm--deep deep inside. Or, then again, this time on “Morning In May": Images, black and ...

249

Album Review

Shimrit Shoshan: Keep It Movin’

Read "Keep It Movin’" reviewed by Javier AQ Ortiz

by Javier AQ Ortiz
April 14, 2011

Paying the proverbial musical dues is part and parcel of a musician's evolution, and an unavoidable experience that can be as trying as it can be rewarding. The common jazz lore takes for granted that doing so in New York puts a musician in an altogether singular phylum in the jazz evolutionary tree. Pianist/composer Shimrit Shoshan has, since 2004, been voraciously vitaminizing her learned background in that famed city with academic studies, mentors and gigs. Enter Keep It Movin' the ...

141

Journey into Jazz

A Guide to Record Store Day 2011

by Greg Simmons
April 14, 2011

Is April 15th--Tax Day, for Americans--a painful experience? Well, Saturday April 16th, 2011 has the antidote, at least for music lovers. It's been designated Record Store Day to promote the unique culture, and the experience of buying music from local, independently-owned record stores. Brick and mortar shops all over the United States--virtually all mom-and-pop establishments--will be opening early, running specials, and selling limited edition albums pressed just for the occasion. Record stores are important to a column like ...

349

Live From New York

James Blood Ulmer, Hot Club Of Cowtown & David Lindley

by Martin Longley
April 13, 2011

James Blood Ulmer & The Memphis Blood Blues Band Jazz Standard March 27, 2011 For a blues combo that doesn't possess a particularly powerful presence on the mainstream blues circuit, James Blood Ulmer certainly took his Memphis Blood Blues Band to the music's furthest limits and highest levels, both in terms of artistry and volume peaks. The singer/guitarist's four-night stint at Manhattan's Jazz Standard doubtless reached its apogee on this final Sunday evening. ...