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.

781

Big Band Caravan

Bobby Watson and UMKC Jazz Orchestra / UNT One O'Clock Lab Band / Kurt Rosenwinkel

by Jack Bowers
November 2, 2010

Bobby Watson / UMKC Concert Jazz OrchestraThe Gates BBQ SuiteLafiya Music2010 When alto saxophonist Bobby Watson returned in 2001 to his native Kansas City area to assume the position as director of Jazz Studies at the University of Missouri--Kansas City, he mentioned to Ollie Gates, proprietor of the world-renowned Gates Barbeque, that he intended to write a large-scale work celebrating the city's signature delicacy while honoring his grandparents, Jesse and Daisy ...

436

Live Review

Brenda Hopkins Miranda Live in Guanica, Puerto Rico October 23, 2010

by James Nadal
November 2, 2010

Brenda Hopkins MirandaBodega Andreu SoléGuanica, Puerto RicoOctober 23, 2010 The fact that Brenda Hopkins Miranda is one of the most exciting pianists in Puerto Rico certainly added to the allure and excitement in this packed seaside venue. The Bodega Andreu Solé is an open air Spanish winery located on a small bay in Guanica, Puerto Rico. Under the spell of a full moon, this would prove to be the perfect setting to take in ...

245

Album Review

Chris Bennett: Sail Away: The Tahiti Sessions

Read "Sail Away: The Tahiti Sessions" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
November 2, 2010

Vocalist Christ Bennett publishes her 11th recording, Sail Away: The Tahiti Sessions amid an impressive population of like-minded recordings, and still manages to attract attention. Bennett dons the silk of a jazz singer and composer as easily as she navigated such disparate genre as disco and adult contemporary pop. Sail Away is approximately 50/50 standards and Bennett originals. Her choice of standards, while “standard," still manage to provide new and careful insight into the American Songbook. “These ...

371

Album Review

Rudresh Mahanthappa / Bunky Green: Apex

by Troy Collins
November 2, 2010

Apex is a cross-generational collaboration between ubiquitous 39 year-old poll-winner Rudresh Mahanthappa and undersung 75 year-old legend Bunky Green. Supported by an all-star rhythm section, the ideally paired alto saxophonists are joined by Mahanthappa's regular bassist François Moutin and stellar pianist Jason Moran, with newcomer Damion Reid and the renowned Jack DeJohnette alternating on drums. Encompassing a diverse range of material, Apex showcases the saxophonists' fervent interplay in collusion with an empathetic, highly responsive rhythm trio.A rising star, ...

167

Album Review

Kurt Jarnberg: Down Memory Lane 2

Read "Down Memory Lane 2" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
November 2, 2010

This two-CD (mostly) studio set features Swedish trombonist/trumpeter Kurt Jarnberg's quintet dates from 1966-68, the years in which the group was active. After successful appearances at the Talinn and Pori Jazz Festivals, the quintet was forced to dissolve, Jarnberg writes, owing to “lack of jobs." That's a shame, as these recordings showcase a talented and hard-swinging group of bop-oriented musicians who deserved a better fate. Tenor saxophonist Roland Keijser shares the frontline with Jarnberg, while pianist Thomas ...

184

Working Out to Jazz

The Top 5 Workout Tracks For November

by Chris Lawhorn
November 2, 2010

[Editor's Note: Working Out to Jazz is a new All About Jazz column, devoted to providing jazz playlists for the purpose of working out. For his third installment, Chris Lawhorn's emphasis is on largely up-tempo tracks from a handful of recent releases. Check in with Working Out to Jazz regularly, for new workout music suggestions, as Chris breaks it out for you by Beats Per Minute (BPM).] For the coming month, I've tried to find the best, up-tempo ...

321

Album Review

Marzio Scholten: World of Thought

Read "World of Thought" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
November 1, 2010

With New York still a hotbed of musical creativity--with the deep concentration of musicians within such a small geographic region, it would almost be impossible for things not to happen--yet another new scene has emerged over the past decade. Consisting largely of younger players like saxophonist Will Vinson, guitarist Lage Lund and pianist Aaron Parks, it's a kind of modern centrist approach that takes the paradigm shifts of now-seminal artists like saxophonists Chris Potter and David Binney, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, ...

825

Interview

Akua Allrich: Washington Rising

by Franz A. Matzner
November 1, 2010

A native Washingtonian, vocalist Akua Allrich's music flows with a free, natural energy as engaging as her equally ingenuous personality. Although she graduated from Howard University's music department roughly a decade ago, Allrich has only recently thrown herself into forging a musical career. She originally opted not to pursue a singing career and turned instead to the challenges of raising a family and teaching in a private school. In the past few years, however, Allrich has returned to the stage ...

541

Album Review

Eric Harland: Voyager Live By Night

Read "Voyager Live By Night" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
November 1, 2010

In the space of a few short years, he's become drummer of choice for icons like saxophonist Charles Lloyd and bassist Dave Holland, established next-generationers including trumpeter Terence Blanchard and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, and young up-and-comers such as pianists Taylor Eigsti and Aaron Parks. Behind all of them--and as a member of the SFJAZZ Collective since 2005--Eric Harland has proven capable of everything from incendiary firepower to subtle shadings. Some artists don't wait long enough before donning the ...

262

Album Review

Ray Anderson - Marty Ehrlich Quartet: Hear You Say

Read "Hear You Say" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
November 1, 2010

Trombonist Ray Anderson and reed player Marty Ehrlich first played together in 1978 as part of Anthony Braxton's band. Thirty-one years later, with extensive individual discographies, the pair finally formed a band of their own and recorded a concert at the 2009 Jazz Festival Willisau, in Switzerland. Hear You Say is this recording--a highly energetic, exciting, adventurous live performance. The two leaders share writing credit--four tunes by Ehrlich and three from Anderson. Both men are inspired writers ...