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.
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Trond Kallevåg, Dave McMurray, Bill Laurance, John O'Gallagher & More
by Ludovico Granvassu
Whether born in the heart of Detroit, captured in the stillness of a London church at night, or inspired by cinematic visions of Norwegian immigration to Minnesota, the music in this playlist invites you into sound worlds that captivate and reward at every turn.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Dave McMurray “The Jungaleers" I LOVE LIFE even when I'm hurting (Blue Note) 0:16 Host talks 5:45 Don Was ...
Continue ReadingImprovising the Classics: Interpreting Mozart
by Larry Slater
Mozart is one of those true musical geniuses revered as one the classical gods. Why are jazz musicians drawn to his music? The combination of his deceptively simple melodies and logical harmonic progressions allows jazz artists to mold these classic pieces into music that is recognizably jazz, yet still recognizably Mozart. Whether or not you listen to classical music, a great deal of Mozart's music is instantly recognizable when jazz musicians transform them into vehicles for ...
Continue ReadingVarious Artists: Swinging In The Holidays
by Jim Trageser
With a warm, wood-paneled vintage glow, a new Christmas collection inhabits the space formerly reserved for top-flight crooners like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett: blending pop and jazz into comfort food for your ears. While few of the “next-gen" (as the album's publicity tag puts it) performers here will be known to those unfamiliar with the contemporary New York City scene, their chops are undeniable and the arrangements flattering to the performers' strengths.
Continue ReadingAretha Tillotson: Sad Junie (to Highway Jake)
by John Chacona
If the average fan living south of the 49th Parallel knows anything about jazz in Canada, it might begin and end with Oscar Peterson and Diana Krall. Yes, Toronto is emerging as a great jazz city and there are all those players from Nanaimo, but in between, nothing, right? Bassist Aretha Tillotson is here to explode that notion (politely, of course; she's Canadian). Her second release, wryly entitled Kinda Out West, is a valentine to the prairie provinces by way of ...
Continue ReadingOre': Matter Antimatter
by Glenn Astarita
Ore,' led by bassist Pedro Ferreira, presents the conceptual work Matter Antimatter, which is a densely layered and challenging sonic experience that operates at the intersection of quantum physics and free-form excursions. This album is not merely a collection of tracks; it is an extended meditation on duality, stability and the volatile energy that shapes the universe's most fundamental structures. Ferreira, known for his rigorous approach to composition, maintains a disciplined framework throughout the program, yet the emotional ...
Continue ReadingTorben Westergaard: Feliz Navidad
by Geno Thackara
Beyond the usual holiday songs played to death all the time, and the endless gimmicky covers of same, it's too easy to forget the spirit of goodwill intended to be at the center of the season. Trust Torben Westergaard to (thankfully) throw away the tinsel and let that simple sentiment speak for itself... maybe with a dash of Brazilian sunshine to make the good wishes that bit more cheerful. ...
Continue ReadingTriosence: Stories Of life
by Neil Duggan
The German trio Triosence have been developing their highly distinctive sound since the release of First Enchantment, their debut in 2002 (Mons Records). Their combination of jazz and cinematic soundscapes puts melody first and foremost in a song-based approach that has broad appeal to jazz listeners and beyond. The trio, led by pianist and composer Bernhard Schuler, includes bassist Omar Rodriguez Calvo and drummer Tobias Schulte. Their egalitarian approach ensures the lead can be taken up by any ...
Continue ReadingDavid Virelles: Igbó Alákọrin (The Singer’s Grove) Vol. III (Director’s Cut)
by Jim Trageser
In 2018, New York-based pianist David Virelles turned more than a few heads when he set aside his avant-garde playing style to dive headfirst into the traditional music of his native Santiago de Cuba. Igbó Alákorin Vol. 1 and II found Virelles fully immersed in the Santiago music community, recording alongside both local legends and young up-and-comers. He has now issued Vol. III in two different editions, a “theatrical cut" (with 18 tracks) and a longer ...
Continue ReadingNew Music From Lovato, Burrows, Garcia, Faye, and More
by Bob Osborne
On this edition a set of 12 pieces tracing rhythmic invention, ensemble interplay, and tonal contrast across multiple continents and decades. The selections move from suite-based composition and archival live recordings to contemporary quartet work, solo piano abstraction, and layered studio arrangements. Formats include trio, orchestra, and collaborative studio ensemble, with instrumentation spanning reeds, brass, percussion, electronics, and voice. Styles range from modal jazz and Latin jazz to avant-garde improvisation and structured groove, with label origins including independent, cooperative, and ...
Continue ReadingTyreek! So Chic!
by Patrick Burnette
There's a historical selection this podcast, with an alto player whose mid-eighties comeback comprised one of the great jazz narratives. But the rest of the episode is devoted to new releases, with a familiar twangin' guitarist, and two newcomers. Mike brings forth his latest vocal find with trepidation--how much bastardy will Pat bestow upon it? Download and/or stream to find out..Playlist Discussion of Frank Morgan's album Mood Indigo (Antilles) 1:23 Discussion of Tyreek McDole's album Open Up Your ...
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