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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Album Review

Tord Gustavsen Ensemble: Restored, Returned

Read "Restored, Returned" reviewed by Ian Patterson

by Ian Patterson
July 16, 2010

A spare beauty has characterized all of pianist Tord Gustavsen's trio recordings, and in this sense Restored and Returned is a natural continuation of his musical journey, with space and subtle dynamics characterizing these intimate compositions. What sets this recording apart from his most recent efforts is mainly the addition of vocalist Kristen Asbjørnsen, who brings a strongly personal, husky blues tone to the tunes she interprets, based on the poetry of W.H. Auden. Whether in duo, trio or quartet ...

202

Live Review

Latin Alternative Music Conference: Fidel Nadal + Ozomatli, Celebrate Brooklyn, July 9 2010

by Ernest Barteldes
July 16, 2010

Fidel Nadal + OzomatliLatin Alternative Music ConferenceCelebrate BrooklynBrooklyn, NY Playing before a numerous crowd in Prospect Park, Argentinean-born Fidel Nadal (on his New York debut as a solo artist) took the stage with a set that reflected his influences--deep roots reggae with a few nods to the South American variations of the genre. He was backed by a tight seven-piece band, and had a strong stage presence that immediately won the audience, who was there ...

333

Album Review

Amos Hoffman: Carving

Read "Carving" reviewed by Eyal Hareuveni

by Eyal Hareuveni
July 16, 2010

Israeli guitarist and oudist Amos Hoffman reaches a fine balance between his main instruments on this fine recording. The guitar sounds natural and organic in Middle-eastern scales, while the oud fits perfectly in the swinging jazz sensibilities. Hoffman articulates a clear and melodic outline on both instruments, while he crosses genres. Hoffman is backed by veteran Israeli jazz musicians like bassist/producer Ilan Salem, his friend Avishai Cohenand percussionist Ilan Katchka. Promising young players such as percussionist Itamar ...

242

Take Five With...

Take Five With Peter Douskalis

by AAJ Staff
July 16, 2010

Meet Peter Douskalis:Peter Douskalis is a guitarist from the Washington DC area now living in New York City. He specializes in many aspects of the guitar such as jazz, classical, rock, and world. Peter currently teaches at the New York City Guitar School. In 2009, Douskalis released his second album, The Dance of the Sea. A solo jazz guitar record and Peter's first as a solo artist, the CD is featured on the independent ...

884

Live Review

Festival International de Jazz de Montreal: July 2-5, 2010

by Peter Walton
July 15, 2010

Festival International de Jazz de MontréalMontréal, Quebec, CanadaJuly 2-5, 2010I arrived in Montréal mid-week, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal already in high gear. Closing off six square blocks of downtown Montréal, an area commanding six major outdoor stages and several indoor theaters and concert halls, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal presents dozens of free and ticketed performances each day over just under two weeks. Performances begin at noon and continue well ...

290

Album Review

The Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra: Jimmy Heath: The Endless Search

Read "Jimmy Heath: The Endless Search" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
July 15, 2010

Tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath is highly respected by his peers and by serious listeners, but he isn't well known outside the jazz world in the way that Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, John Coltrane are. He played with those legends and many more. He formed The Heath Brothers in 1975 with his siblings, drummer Albert “Tootie Heath and bassist Percy Heath, and has penned numerous tunes that have become classics, including “CTA" and “Gingerbread Boy." Like Gillespie before him, he reaches ...

340

Album Review

Julian Waterfall Pollack: Infinite Playground

Read "Infinite Playground" reviewed by Karl Ackermann

by Karl Ackermann
July 15, 2010

Musicians are often looked at in terms of their influences, mentors and roots, as if those things constitute some homeopathic magic. Though they don't, they provide convenient markers to use in weighing a frequently intangible level of talent. Twenty-two year-old jazz pianist Julian Waterfall Pollack arrives on the scene as if completely formed, full of innovative insights, technical skills and lyrical nuance. Pollack, bassist, Noah Garabedian and drummer, Evan Hughes have previously served as rhythm section for Joe Lovano and, ...

435

Album Review

Skinnie: One Add One

Read "One Add One" reviewed by Gina Vodegel

by Gina Vodegel
July 15, 2010

He's a man of few words who prefers a simple approach. His debut EP, My Heart Beats On The Moon (REMusic Records, 2008), a collection of five songs, is now followed by yet another mini-album of only seven compositions. Once again, Dutch singer-songwriter Skinnie makes sure he is in the best of company, this time relying on two outstanding and seasoned musicians--guitarist Martijn van Agt (Anouk, Ilse DeLange, Sarah Bettens), and multi-instrumentalist/producer Michel van Schie (Candy Dulfer, Anouk, Soulvation)--who definitely ...

916

Live Review

Jazz Gunung 2010, Bromo, Indonesia

by Ian Patterson
July 15, 2010

Jazz Gunung 2010Bromo, IndonesiaJuly 3, 2010 Gunung is not the name of the town which hosts Jazz Gunung; in Bahasa--the predominant language of Indonesia--it means mountain. Mountain Jazz is as good a name as any given that this one-day festival is staged among the swirling clouds, some two thousand meters above sea level in the East Java town of Wonotoro. It's a three-hour drive from the nearest airport of Surabaya and the contrast between sprawling conurbation ...

376

Take Five With...

Take Five With Kerry Politzer

by AAJ Staff
July 15, 2010

Meet Kerry Politzer: I started out as a classical pianist, went over to jazz and Brazilian music, and am now exploring the world of vocals and lyrics. I've released three jazz albums: Yearning, Watercolor and Labyrinth; and one jazz-pop album, You Took Me In. Labyrinth was a finalist in the 6th Annual Independent Music Awards, and its first track, “Rhodes Rage," won Best Jazz Category, Third Prize in the 2005 International Songwriting Competition. Instruments: Piano, vocals. ...