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.

186

Album Review

Fidel Morales & Proyecto Nega: Salsa Son Timba

Read "Salsa Son Timba" reviewed by James Nadal

by James Nadal
December 25, 2010

When Fidel Morales returned to Havana in 2004 after an extended stay in Panama, and traveling the world as a master drummer, he had an exact focus on the type of record he wanted to produce. Salsa Son Timba is the result of gathering some of the finest musicians and singers in Cuba to realize his musical vision. Originally produced in 2005, Morales has rereleased it in 2010. Salsa Son Timba is exactly what the title describes: ...

240

Album Review

The Brian Setzer Orchestra: Christmas Comes Alive

Read "Christmas Comes Alive" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
December 25, 2010

Since 1994, former Stray Cats' guitarist Brian Setzer has led his own big band, specializing in a hybrid of rock and swing that was thought to have died with Bill Haley and the Comets. Also since that time, Setzer has made a cottage industry of playing holiday music with his big band, releasing Boogie Woogie Christmas (Surfdog Records, 2002), Dig That Crazy Christmas (Surfdog Records, 2005), and two compilations--The Best of Collection--Christmas Rocks (Surfdog, 2008), and Ultimate Christmas CollectionSurfdog Records, ...

274

Live Review

Love Songs by Champian Fulton

by Daniel Kassell
December 25, 2010

The Champian Fulton TrioBirdlandNew York City, USADecember 16, 2010“Please welcome Champian Fulton," Birdland's proprietor, John Valente, announced at six o'clock on Thursday night, December 16th, 2010. Why the unusual early start time? Hush, hush, Fulton had arranged to showcase her trio for Palmetto Records. Opening with “No One Loves Me, Exactly Like You," and Cole Porter's “If It's All Right with You," with its startling change in tempo, there's was no doubt: she's ...

119

Album Review

Dave Holland & Pepe Habichuela: Hands

Read "Hands" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose

by Raul d'Gama Rose
December 25, 2010

The music on Hands, featuring stellar turns primarily from Spanish guitarist Pepe Habichuela and British-born bassist Dave Holland, is quite simply one of the most captivating on record. It is completely an alternative to style, to mere virtuosity, and to angelic grace and charm, as dictated by a muse. This music is the epitomé of the darkly beautiful magnetism of duende, and comes not from the hands and the fingers of the musicians, but rather from their innermost being--from the ...

287

Album Review

Count Basie: Basie's Beatles Bag

Read "Basie's Beatles Bag" reviewed by AAJ Staff

by AAJ Staff
December 25, 2010

Many recording artists covered The Beatles in the '60s; even their own producer, George Martin, released George Martin Instrumentally Salutes The Beatle Girls (One Way, 1966). Pianist/bandleader Count Basie recorded two albums of Beatles tunes in that decade: Basie's Beatles Bag (Verve, 1966) and Basie On The Beatles (Happy Tiger, 1969). Both discs contain vital versions of John Lennon/Paul McCartney classics, but Basie's Beatles Bag is rawer and more cohesive. Arranged by Chico O'Farrill, it selects some ...

131

Take Five With...

Take Five With Neil Alexander

by AAJ Staff
December 25, 2010

Meet Neil Alexander: Jazz musician Neil Alexander was performing, composing and arranging by age 14. In 2007 he released Tugging At The Infinite, his fourth CD with his contemporary electric/acoustic jazz ensemble NAIL. As well as managing his own electric and acoustic ensembles, he does sessions as both player and programmer, and works with a variety of Modern Dance and Experimental Theater companies. He has received grants from Meet The Composer & the NYSCA; performed works by ...

218

Year in Review

Chris May's Best Releases of 2010

by Chris May
December 24, 2010

Here are my favorite dozen new releases of 2010. It was an outstanding year on many fronts. There was ravishing lyricism from saxophonists Nat Birchall and Stan Sulzmann and beyond-touristic flamenco and Indian infusions from bassist Dave Holland and singer Amit Chaudhuri, the politically charged complete works of Fela Anikulapo Kuti and the delicious superficiality of The Waitiki 7, the deep space voyages of saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and guitarist Mary Halvorson, the Senegambian adventures of Outhouse, the Latin ...

129

Album Review

Rich Corpolongo Trio: Get Happy

Read "Get Happy" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza

by Jerry D'Souza
December 24, 2010

Tenor saxophonist Rich Corpolongo has been a presence on the Chicago jazz scene for several years, during which time he has solidified his base as a performer. In the early days, he played with Herbie Hancock, Eddie Harris and Gary Burton, among others, going on to form his own band, which played several times at the Chicago Jazz Festival. But jazz is not his only calling; he has also performed with Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Opera House Orchestra. ...

409

Extended Analysis

California Concert: The Hollywood Palladium

by John Kelman
December 24, 2010

CTI All StarsCalifornia Concert: The Hollywood PalladiumCTI Masterworks1971 (Reissued 2010) With the emergence of CTI Masterworks and the firing salvo of its comprehensive, four-CD box set, CTI Records--The Cool Revolution (2010), CTI Records is back and better than ever. With upgraded sound and packaging that lovingly recreates, albeit in reduced size, the label's beautiful gatefold covers, its first batch of remastered reissues includes some of its best-loved classics, including trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's ...

252

Album Review

Bill O'Connell: Rhapsody In Blue

Read "Rhapsody In Blue" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
December 24, 2010

Pianist Bill O'Connell is no stranger to the world of Latin jazz. O'Connell has played for greats like Mongo Santamaria and Dave Valentin, but his range as an artist has taken him well beyond a Latin-only orbit. He's worked with jazz heavyweights like Sonny Rollins and Chet Baker, too, but his greatest asset isn't his résumé. O'Connell possesses a classicist's touch that, thanks to a melding of his conservatory training with his life experiences, can be altered at will. O'Connell ...