Jazz Articles

like 407

Alan Ferber: Chamber Songs: Music for Nonet and Strings

by Raul d'Gama Rose
June 28, 2010

There is a magnificent sequence on “Paradox," about four and a half minutes into the piece, as it races upward. The instruments trade interpretations of the song's conundrum, its paradox, the inverted chord changes on which the song is built--saxophones, then trumpet, the blat-blat-blat of Alan Ferber's trombone, before the strings get their say. It is here that the true ingenuity of the composer's musical apparition comes into light. The truth is that Ferber appears to have heard every instrument ...

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Ottawa Jazz Festival 2010: Days 1-3, June 24-26, 2010

by John Kelman
June 28, 2010

Days 1-3 | Days 4-6 | Days 7-9 | Days 10-11 Mikko Innanen & InnkvisitioEtienne Charles and Folklore / Bill Frisell's Beautiful DreamersBill Frisell 858 Quartet TD Ottawa International Jazz Festival Ottawa, Ontario, Canada June 24-26, 2010 Back in April 2010, when the TD Ottawa International Jazz Festival unveiled its 30 Anniversary program, the general consensus was that it had somehow managed to top its 2009 edition, which boasted one ...

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Jimmy Dawkins Presents: The LERIC Story

by John Barron
June 28, 2010

During the 1980s, Chicago blues musician Jimmy Dawkins ran his own label, LERIC Records, producing original 45s by artists entrenched in the local club scene. Now these sides have been released for the first time on CD by Delmark Records as The LERIC Story, revealing the traditional and soul-influenced sounds of a dynamic group of vocal stylists and chronicling an under-appreciated era of Chicago blues. Many of the artists represented on this collection fell into obscurity and despite ...

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Chris Massey: Vibrainium

by Dan Bilawsky
June 28, 2010

A tight, two horn front-line, strong solo personalities, an aggressive--yet flexible--rhythm section and first-rate compositions are all part of the package on drummer Chris Massey's Vibrainium. From the first notes of the album-opening “Galactus" to the end of “Mr. Twilight," Massey demonstrates a take-no-prisoners attitude and a willingness to explore different avenues of music with great attention to detail and a good balance between explosive, raw energy and musical restraint. The aforementioned “Galactus" starts off with a ...

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Exploring the Essence of the Relationship

by Brian Camelio
June 28, 2010

Way back in September of 2000 a few of my friends were having a difficult time with their record labels. Some were dropped two weeks before a big recording session (years in the planning.... poof!) and others found fine print in their contracts which made it impossible for them to make money from their recordings. Being a musician myself and knowing what it was like to dedicate one's life work to music and one day after hearing yet another story ...

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Curtis Fuller: I Will Tell Her

by Woodrow Wilkins
June 28, 2010

The title song and two-disc set are dedicated to a true love, but the music is clearly for the audience. I Will Tell Her, by trombonist Curtis Fuller, achieves plenty. The title song was written for Fuller's wife of 30 years, Cathy, who died before getting a chance to hear the music. The artist explains that she was a source of inspiration. That love comes through clearly in the 14 tracks--eight recorded in studio and six during a ...

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Alan Ferber: Developing String Theory

by Franz A. Matzner
June 28, 2010

Trombonist and composer Alan Ferber is a precise and thoughtful individual whose careful, deliberate expression is equally evident in both his insightful way of speaking--and his beautifully composed and executed recordings. As a freelancer, Ferber has tackled a wide breadth of music, everything from big band and small ensemble jazz to Broadway musicals and the beats of Dr. Dre.But it is as a composer and a performer of his own music that Ferber's gifts most clearly shine.

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Meg Okura: Naima

by Dan McClenaghan
June 27, 2010

Naima is the name of one of saxophonist John Coltrane's more famous compositions. It's also the name of Japanese violinist Meg Okura's CD release. Joined by her nine-piece Pan Asian Jazz Ensemble, Okura has honed a finely-crafted set of chamber jazz, with all players being equals, and all players getting their chances to play the melody, and to improvise.Coltrane might seem an unlikely vehicle for a string player, if you haven't heard the Turtle Island String Quartet dig ...

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Assaf Kehati, Billy Hart, & Noam Weisenberg: Trio Music

by David Lighton
June 27, 2010

Assaf Kehati Trio featuring Billy Hart Twins Jazz Washington, D.C. June 5, 2010

In recent years, the guitar trio--with bass and drums--has reached mythic status. Once an obscure instrumentation, the setting has been elevated to new heights by young guitarists seeking the kind of interplay for which the piano trio is so lauded--the very interplay so written about that it has become a cliché to even mention. After all, who has not read ...

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My Life with the Chord Chemist

by Jack Huntley
June 27, 2010

My Life with the Chord Chemist: A Memoir of Ted Greene, Apotheosis of Solo Guitar Barbara Franklin 276 pages ISBN: 10-1449575579 Create Space 2009

Throughout his career, the guitarist, author, and teacher Ted Greene (1946-2005) developed a devoted following of students and listeners. His books were sought-after references for guitarists eager to develop a style based on a broader harmonic approach to the instrument than was generally available ...