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.

272

Album Review

Puttin' On The Ritz: White Light / White Heat

Read "White Light / White Heat" reviewed by Bruce Lindsay

by Bruce Lindsay
July 17, 2010

The Velvet Underground's White Light / White Heat (Verve, 1968) was an antidote to insipid pop and a stark contrast to the happier, more optimistic sounds of many West Coast rock bands. Its tales of death, depravity and despair are classics. Puttin' On The Ritz's re-visioning of the entire album--which is available on vinyl and as a download--remains true to the adventure and inventiveness of the original but paints some very different musical pictures. There are, of ...

758

Profile

Introducing Anthony Braxton

by Robert Levin
July 17, 2010

[Editor's Note: This article first appeared in Jazz & Pop Magazine, 1970]To anyone still questioning the validity of the systems and methods at which Cecil Taylor and Ornette Coleman arrived, I would first of all recommend that he listen more attentively to the work of those men. But I'd also suggest that he make it a point to hear the strong and very exciting musics of an emergent collection of musicians from Chicago who constitute what is already ...

233

Album Review

Pharez Whitted: Transient Journey

Read "Transient Journey" reviewed by Mark F. Turner

by Mark F. Turner
July 17, 2010

The intimidating yet dapper looking man on the cover plays his horn in the same striking manner of his appearance. Chicago trumpeter Pharez Whitted as they might say on the street, “Ain't No Joke" as witnessed by his serious musicianship-- chops that are emotive, filled with technique and touch, and soulful swagger. It's hard to believe that Transient Journey is only his third release as a leader. A musician, band leader, and educator currently serving as Director ...

321

Live Review

Latin Alternative Music Conference: Ana Tijoux, El Guincho and Nortec Collective at Central Park Summerstage

by Ernest Barteldes
July 17, 2010

Ana Tijoux, El Guincho and Nortec CollectiveLatin Alternative Music ConferenceCentral Park SummerstageJuly 7, 2010New York, NY The first night of the citywide Latin Alternative Music Conference--which includes concerts in various locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn--Chilean-born rapper Ana Tijoux kicked things off with a rap that seemed aimed at the anti-immigrant feelings in America, then went on with socially conscious tunes that focused on the need for unity among the different races living on ...

335

Live Review

The English Beat at The Stephen Talkhouse

by Mike Perciaccante
July 17, 2010

The English BeatThe Stephen TalkhouseAmagansett, New YorkJuly 9, 2010The English Beat, known simply as the Beat in England (a U.S. act's claim to the name caused the band to add “English" to the moniker here in the States), made three excellent, musically distinct and diverse albums in the very early '80s. I Just Can't Stop It (Go Feet/Sire Records, 1980) featured serious politically-charged Ska and inspired covers, as did 1981's dub-heavy, yet more mature Wha'ppen? ...

215

Live Review

Boz Scaggs: The Flynn Center, Burlington, VT June 29, 2010

by Doug Collette
July 17, 2010

Boz ScaggsThe Flynn Center for the Performing ArtsBurlington, VermontJune 29, 2010 Boz Scaggs wasn't wearing a tuxedo June 29th, as he often did at the height of his popularity with Silk Degrees (Columbia, 1976), but much of the music he made at the Flynn sounded just as slick. The likes of “Lido Shuffle" elicited absolutely rapturous response from the audience, which gave the meatier blues portions of the show merely respectful response.

404

Album Review

Jimmy Greene: Mission Statement

Read "Mission Statement" reviewed by Elliott Simon

by Elliott Simon
July 17, 2010

Possessing a concise pithy tone on his tenor sax that at times can be reverential, Jimmy Greene also surprises with an ability to translate that same depth to soprano, when making the switch for the odd tune. Greene's quartet consists of pianist Xavier Davis, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland, and, while this ensemble fits squarely in the world of precise modern jazz, the tunes—due in equal measure to Greene's respect for melody and compositional skill—stand on their own ...

1,007

Live Review

2010 TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival: Days 7-10

by AAJ Staff
July 16, 2010

Days 1-3 | Days 4-6 | Days 7-10 TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaJune 25th--July 4th 2010 Day 7 Celebrations of “Canada Day" (acknowledging the country's 1867 birthday, formerly known as Dominion Day previous to 1982) filled city streets, parks and water walkways on Thursday, July 1st, with the country's red and white national colors, small hand-held maple leaf flags on sticks, as well as loads of free ...

183

Album Review

Kevin Kastning and Sándor Szabó: Returning

Read "Returning" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
July 16, 2010

Returning is a rare album that is remarkable for its instruments as well as its instrumentalists. Guitarist Kevin Kastning brings some of his inventions, including the 12-string extended baritone guitar and 12-string alto guitar, into play once again, on this fourth duo disc with guitarist Sándor Szabó. A stark immediacy is present on all ten tracks, and the desolate, grey surface on the album cover is reflected in the dark, searching quality within these performances. While the ...

915

Live Review

Norwegian Road Trip, Part 3: Oslo, July 12-14, 2010

by John Kelman
July 16, 2010

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 [Editors Note: From July 6 to July 26, 2010, All About Jazz Managing Editor John Kelman will travel throughout Norway to cover both the Kongsberg Jazz Festival (also participating in Silver City Sounds) and Molde Jazz. He'll also spend a week between the two famous festivals in Oslo, where he'll check out the scene, talk to musicians and labels, ...