Jazz Articles

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Charnett Moffett: Treasure

by John Barron
June 22, 2010

Treasure is the eleventh solo release for veteran bassist Charnett Moffett. Much like his previous efforts, the focus here is on the New York native's jaw-dropping technique on both upright and electric fretless bass. Mixed in with the traditional jazz instrumentation of bass, piano, guitar and drums, Moffett utilizes the more unconventional sounds of tablas, tamboura and sitar to enhance this all-original set of eclectic, swinging music. Although Moffett's performance throughout the disc will undoubtedly make bass players ...

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Os Paralamas do Sucesso at The 8th Brazilian Film Festival, Central Park Summerstage June 12, 2010

by Ernest Barteldes
June 22, 2010

Paralamas do Sucesso 8th Brazilian Film Festival in New York Central Park Summerstage June 12, 2010

On their first Summerstage appearance in over two decades, Brazil's Paralamas do Sucesso (Herbert Vianna: guitar, vocals; Bi Ribeiro; bass; Joao Barone: drums) took the stage prepared to showcase their most popular ska-influenced hits alongside material from their new disc Brasil Afora (EMI, 2009).

The group (augmented by keyboard, saxophone and trombone) is still in great ...

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Gerald Albright: Pushing the Envelope

by Woodrow Wilkins
June 22, 2010

Whether the economy, the climate or war, the world faces a multitude of crises. During times like these, music can be a valuable healing force. Saxophonist and producer Gerald Albright takes that approach with Pushing the Envelope. Albright counts saxophonist Maceo Parker and Julian “Cannonball" Adderley among his influences. His career has included work as both a band leader and a sideman. Among his associations are Anita Baker, Ray Parker, Teena Marie and Maurice White. For Pushing the ...

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Take Five With Koby Hayon

by AAJ Staff
June 22, 2010

Meet Koby Hayon:Koby Hayon was born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel. While studying at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Tel Aviv, Hayon gathered experience as a guitarist with the DGK Trio and other notable groups.

In 2001, Koby moved to the United States, where he would earn his BM in jazz studies at SUNY, Purchase. There, as a recipient of the Ullendorff Memorial Foundation scholarship, Westchester Art Council, New York ...

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Herbie Hancock: The Imagine Project

by John Kelman
June 21, 2010

Intersecting with the pop world is nothing new to Herbie Hancock. Collaborating with legendary trumpeter Miles Davis on the early nexus of jazz and rock, In a Silent Way (Columbia, 1969), the keyboardist scored his own fusion hit with the funkified Head Hunters (Columbia) in 1973) and, a decade later, was on the cutting edge of techno/electronica with Future Shock (Columbia, 1983). More recently, Possibilities (Hear Music, 2005) enlisted artists including Christine Aguilera, Paul Simon and Sting for an unmistakable ...

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Herbie Hancock: Seven Decades of Imagination

by A. Henkin
June 21, 2010

In the jazz world, certain figures exist purely as first names, their reputation assuring recognition. When ones hears the name Herbie, the mind jumps immediately to possibly the most famous 'rhythm section' in history: Herbie, Ron and Tony. That group included two more figures for whom last names are unnecessary, Miles and Wayne. Herbert Jeffrey Hancock was born on Apr. 12th, 1940 and, at the precocious age of 21, had made his recording debut in the band of another trumpeter, ...

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Gene Pritsker's Sound Liberation: Varieties of Religious Experience Suite

by Raul d'Gama Rose
June 21, 2010

Gene Pritsker's Sound LiberationVarieties of Religious Experience SuiteInnova Records2010

There are times when certain music--usually symphonic in scope--suggests the character of a new cultural epoch. Beethoven's 3rd Symphony, also known as the Eroica symphony, was one such, and it set the tone for the Romantic era. His 9th Symphony was even more significant as it not only celebrated the Age of Enlightenment, but also humanity's action against repression. The composition of the ...

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John Escreet: Don't Fight The Inevitable

by Bruce Lindsay
June 21, 2010

British pianist John Escreet is a prodigiously talented young musician with a growing reputation as a player and composer. Don't Fight The Inevitable--his second solo album, following 2008's acclaimed Consequences (Posi-Tone Records)--finds Escreet in the company of top-flight New York players, creating some intense and complex music. The quintet is almost identical to that which played on Consequences, the exception being drummer Nasheet Waits, who replaces Tyshawn Sorey. Waits, part of Escreet's mentor Jason Moran's trio, slips ...

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Spin Marvel: Spin Marvel 2: The Reluctantly Politicised Mr James

by Chris May
June 21, 2010

It's elephant in the room time. Though no-one likes to mention it, experience shows that it's wise to approach any band led by a drummer with a degree of caution. Drummers are primarily involved with rhythm--a crucial component in music, but only one of several. Unless, like Art Blakey or Chico Hamilton, a drummer/bandleader has an empathetic composer/arranger to hand, the broader musical picture, including melody and harmonic structure, will inevitably suffer. Well, almost inevitably. But for every Paul Motian ...

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Tom Graf: Grafitti

by Bridget A. Arnwine
June 21, 2010

There's a familiarity to the songs on composer Tom Graf's Grafitti, that makes the disc feel like an old favorite even though it goes from funk and cha-cha to bop and straight-ahead jazz. There's such an air of familiarity, in fact, that if Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane could hear Grafitti in heaven, they might jump right in play along. It's in the way some songs begin--little flourishes here, borrowed notes there--and in the way it feels like ...