Jazz Articles

like 418

Bushman's Revenge: Jitterbug

by John Kelman
May 29, 2010

With Jitterbug, Bushman's Revenge asserts that the modern power trio continues to be alive, well, and living in...Norway. You Lost Me At Hello (Rune Grammofon, 2009) was an intense, often-times relentless debut that married Hendrix-ian psychedlia with Ayler-esque abandon. Leaning hard towards the rock side of the jazz-rock equation, the personnel remains the same, but is augmented by Supersilent/Elephant9 keyboardist Stale Storløkken on two of the disc's nine songs, all written by guitarist Even Helte Hermansen, with the exception of ...

like 417

Keefe Jackson and Aram Shelton: Seeing You See and Two Cities

by Clifford Allen
May 29, 2010

The city of Chicago continues to find itself in a jazz renaissance well into the waxing years of the 21st century--a status that many of America's cities can't easily lay claim to. With the pedigrees of individual improvisers and composers like reedman Ken Vandermark and flutist Nicole Mitchell well established in the 1990s, a slightly younger generation of players has assembled things in their wake, on both the North and South Chicago axis.

The most individual voices to step out ...

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Contact: Dave Liebman / John Abercrombie / Marc Copland / Drew Gress / Billy Hart: Five on One

by Dan McClenaghan
May 29, 2010

The band called Contact is about as all-star an affair as can be found in modern jazz, and it's hard to imagine any serious listener not having a favorite among the players, whether it's saxophonist and renaissance man Dave Liebman, pianist Marc Copland--whose marvelous New York Trio Recordings pushed his profile up closer to where it belongs--ECM Records stalwart/guitarist John Abercrombie, veteran drummer Billy Hart, or ubiquitous super sideman/bassist Drew Gress. Five on One burns brightly, with a highly cohesive ...

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The State of Jonas Kullhammar's Moserobie 2010

by Mark Corroto
May 29, 2010

The brainchild of Swedish saxophonist Jonas Kullhammar, Moserobie Music has released nearly one hundred discs to date in May 2010. Kullhammar's vision to “save the world through good music" might be a bit ambitious, but perhaps the venture is more important than the destination. Moserobie has released music by familiar names including saxophonist Hakon Kornstad and pianist Havard Wiik. The label's strength is its adventure-loving character, allowing for experimentation and an unmistakable penchant for making pleasurable music.Jonas Kullhammar ...

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Mindi Abair: In Hi-Fi Stereo

by Woodrow Wilkins
May 29, 2010

Sometimes, trends are a good thing. A number of recording artists have dipped back into old-school sounds--not necessarily remaking hits, but making new music using older styles. Saxophonist Mindi Abair follows suit with In Hi-Fi Stereo, a set of mostly original music. Abair was surrounded by musicians as a child, with a grandmother singing opera and a father playing saxophone and Hammond B-3 organ. At the age of 5, she took up the piano. She later studied woodwinds, ...

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Take Five with Trinelise Vaering and Fredrik Lundin aka Offpiste Gurus

by AAJ Staff
May 29, 2010

Meet Trinelise Vaering and Fredrik Lundin aka Offpiste Gurus:Offpiste Gurus was formed as collaboration between Trinelise and Fredrik in 2008. The band's first album will be released on Stunt Records in 2010.

Instrument(s):Vocal, saxophones, guitar, bass and drums.Teachers and/or influences?Our music sounds somehow like a mix of all the music we love, blues, roots, jazz, country, rock, trip hop. We've been influenced by musicians and bands like Tom ...

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Quack Quack: Slow As An Eyeball

by Bruce Lindsay
May 28, 2010

Good grief, Slow As An Eyeball is fun. Not fun as in “quite enjoyable" or “this might bring a smile to the face," but fun as in Fun. The sort of immediate, raw and inescapable joy that leaps out of the speakers to demand smiles, dance action and increased volume all at the same time. The trio of musicians who form Quack Quack--based in Leeds in the northern English county of Yorkshire--inhabit a musical world on the fringes of jazz, ...

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Sonny Fortune: Last Night At Sweet Rhythm

by Chuck Koton
May 28, 2010

Jellyfish plumes of toxic smoke may no longer hover in the air, but clinking glasses, persistent waiters and the intermittent roaring of drink mixers still conspire to diminish a jazz lover's listening pleasure at a live nightclub performance. Yet, somehow, spontaneous improvisation--the lifeblood of jazz--and the intimate interactions among the musicians and the audience, combine in clubs around the world to consistently conjure sonic magic on the bandstand.

Reed and flute master Sonny Fortune's incendiary blowin' style is ...

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The Sun Ra Arkestra at Cafe Oto, London

by John Sharpe
May 28, 2010

Sun Ra Arkestra Cafe Oto London, England 14 April 2010

A fantastic atmosphere enveloped Dalston's Cafe Oto with whoops and shouts of affirmation greeting every inflection and chant as the Sun Ra Arkestra launched into “Interplanetary Music," with vocal interjections erupting from all corners of the bandstand. With their colorful kaleidoscopic costumes, Cafe Oto decked out with extra lights and a spangly backdrop, and infectiously joyful music, it was impossible not to beam ...

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Bruce Barth / Steve Wilson: Home

by Larry Taylor
May 28, 2010

The increase in house concerts throughout the country is apparent, taking place in big cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Baltimore, as well as in smaller towns such as Columbia, Missouri, where this recorded duo date took place. Appearing at the home of Barbara Tellerman and Allyn Sher in 2009, pianist Bruce Barth and saxophonist Steve Wilson created some excellent music with vibrantly alive sound quality.

Barth and Wilson have been playing together since they met in New York ...