Jazz Articles

like 440

Times 4: Eclipse

by Woodrow Wilkins
June 5, 2010

For some artists, there's a sense of defiance to classification. The members of Times 4 represent that contingent with their third release, Eclipse.Together for seven years, the group is comprised of two sets of San Francisco Bay-area friends who bring a mix of formal training and self teaching. Collectively, they count among their inspirations Grover Washington Jr., Bootsy Collins and Prince.The title song begins as an easygoing groove. The soprano sax leads the melody, piano and ...

like 351

Chris Lightcap: Deluxe

by Stuart Broomer
June 5, 2010

Bassist Chris Lightcap released a CD called Bigmouth on Fresh Sound-New Talent in 2003, featuring a quartet with drummer Gerald Cleaver and the unusual frontline of two tenor saxophonists, Tony Malaby and Bill McHenry. Seven years later, Lightcap returns to the concept, with “Bigmouth" now the name of the band rather than the CD. In the intervening period, the band and the concept have evolved considerably. Cleaver and Malaby are still present, but the second tenor saxophonist is now Chris ...

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3ology: With Ron Miles

by Ken Waxman
June 5, 2010

This album is appropriately titled as, in many cases, the addition of another musician raises the level of an entire band's playing. So it is on this session, where Denver-based cornetist Ron Miles joins Colrado's 3ology combo. Evident from the one track on which Miles isn't featured, 3ology--brothers Doug and Tim Carmichael (alto sax and bass, respectively) with Jon Powers on drums--are the sort of jazz-jam band that exists most places in North America; groove-makers whose forté is performance, not ...

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Stacey Kent: Raconte-Moi

by Andrew Velez
June 5, 2010

The opening tune of this set, from the winning vocalist Stacey Kent, is Jobim-Moustaki's “Les Eaux de Mars." In its English-language version, “The Waters of March," this bossa gem was well-known as the exclusive property of the late and wonderful Susannah McCorkle. Kent proves to be a worthy inheritor of it and other tunes in this all-French language album. Several tracks from the French repertory were featured on her previous recording, the fine Breakfast on the Morning Tram (Blue Note, ...

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Journey To Brazil at Rose Hall, May 28, 2010

by Ernest Barteldes
June 4, 2010

May 28, 2010 Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center New York, NY

The late maestro Moacir Santos (1926-2006) might have been obscured by Antonio Carlos Jobim during his lifetime (the fact that he chose to live in Los Angeles was probably a factor), but his music has inspired countless Brazilian musicians through the years. Guitarist and arranger Mario Adnet has been one of the driving forces in bringing Santos' vast catalogue to ...

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Joëlle Leandre / Francois Houle / Raymond Strid: Last Seen Headed: Live at Sons d'Hiver

by Eyal Hareuveni
June 4, 2010

It is always amazing, but also reassuring, to realize how three creative and resourceful musicians--French bassist Joëlle Léandre, Canadian clarinetist François Houle and Swedish drummer Raymond Strid-- can produce such a masterful piece of art out of a spontaneous free-improvised meeting. Obviously, all three have shared the same stage or studio in the past, most recently on 9 Momemts (Red Toucan, 2006), and are masters in free improvisation--in solo formats or in assorted ad-hoc outfits--but still, each new collaboration sounds ...

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Papa Bue: 80 at 80

by Chris Mosey
June 4, 2010

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was an age of duffle coats, beards, sandals and sunglasses. It was the age of Trad. It was how European youth discovered jazz. Britain had Chris Barber, Ken Colyer and, a little further down the line--by which time newspaper headlines were referring to a Trad Boom--clarinetist Acker Bilk. He wore a bowler hat and had hit records, at which point Denmark entered the fray with trombonist Arne ...

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John Butcher: duos with piano and harp

by John Eyles
June 4, 2010

Although his first release, Fonetiks (Bead, 1984), was a duo with pianist Chris Burn, in saxophonist John Butcher's large discography, duos are comparatively scarce. The majority are with drummers such as Gerry Hemingway, Paal Nilssen-Love, Eddie Prevost, Gino Robair, Mark Sanders and Dylan van der Schyff. Other notable partners include pianist Steve Beresford, bassist John Edwards, Toshimaru Nakamura on no-input mixing board, Phil Durrant on electronics and vocalists Phil Minton and Vanessa Mackness.

All his duos demonstrate the saxophonist's creativity ...

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Arturo Sandoval: A Time for Love

by Nicholas F. Mondello
June 4, 2010

Years ago, on The Tonight Show, host Johnny Carson asked guest Frank Sinatra what music he enjoyed listening to when “in those romantic moments." Sinatra, to the host's surprise, said he particularly enjoyed the hearing works of Debussy, Ravel and other Impressionists and Romantics. With A Time for Love, trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval steps away from the fast, hard-swinging Afro-Cuban and bebop con fuego jazz for which he is known and delivers a 14-cut romantic love letter con alma. This ...

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Stephane Kerecki Trio: Houria

by Bruce Lindsay
June 4, 2010

Houria is an intriguing mix of composition and improvisation, of North African and Western music, of the modern and the classical, and of Europe and North America. Bassist Stephane Kerecki leads this trio of French musicians, augmented by New York-based reeds player Tony Malaby, through twelve original tunes, and an arrangement of Olivier Messiaen's “O Sacrum Convivium, which are characterized by thoughtful and considered playing. “Houria" bears the most obvious stamp of Kerecki's North African influences--it's an ...