Jazz Articles

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The Multi-Tasking State of David Binney 2010

by C. Michael Bailey
May 21, 2010

Saxophonist David Binney has been a ubiquitous presence in jazz since his first recording, Point Game (Owl, 1989), both as a leader and a sideman. So prolific is Binney, that any multiple-disc review featuring him will be dated immediately. Well, so be it, this is a summer 2010 snapshot of some of the recent activity of this very busy and talented saxophonist/producer. It features Binney first as leader and then in the company of drummer Adriano Santos and bassist Alper ...

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Judith Berkson: Oylam

by John Kelman
May 21, 2010

As renowned as Manfred Eicher is for his ability to scout out new talent deserving wider recognition, ECM's other regular (albeit less prolific) producer, Steve Lake, is equally worthy of similar consideration. Few others could have imagined the remarkable synchronicity of folk traditionalism and unfettered free play that came about when, after recruiting Robin Wililiamson for The seed-at-zero (2000), Lake pushed the British singer/songwriter into new territory by teaming him with Swedish multi-instrumentalist Ale Möller, and free improvisers Barre Phillips ...

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David Binney Quartet at L'Astral in Montreal, May 13, 2010

by John Kelman
May 21, 2010

David Binney QuartetL'Astral Montréal, Canada May 13, 2010

For one night, saxophonist David Binney brought a little taste of the 55 Bar to Montréal's L'Astral, courtesy of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. Mind you, as much as the well-known New York club acts as a regular performance space for Binney, and a laboratory for new music and new collaborations, it's hard to imagine it matching L'Astral, a venue opened during the 2009 FIJM ...

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Take Five With Lissy Walker

by AAJ Staff
May 21, 2010

Meet Lissy Walker: Lissy Walker grew up in Berkeley, California. She studied piano and theatre as a child, and later formed her first jazz band under the tutorship of the legendary Phil Hardymon at Berkeley High School. She went on to study voice and theatre at UCLA and The Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC. She was in numerous theatrical productions, from New York's Public Theatre to San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre. Lissy sang in bands, choirs, and musicals ...

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Misha Piatigorsky: Paris Troika

by Dan Bilawsky
May 21, 2010

Popular music and jazz have always been connected but, over the years, a bit of a divide has developed. A large portion of songs lumped under the Great American Songbook heading were the popular music of their day. As folk and rock began to eclipse jazz in the public eye, some people refused to get on board while others happily tried these tunes with mixed results, and critical responses ranging from praise to scorn. Paul Desmond tried on Simon and ...

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Take Five With Jeanie Barton

by AAJ Staff
May 21, 2010

Meet Jeanie Barton: I am a singer/songwriter born in Nottingham, in the UK.

After moving to London I studied jazz harmony at Morley College and bebop improvisation with BBC jazz award winner Anita Wardell. Jazz became my career after being taken under the wing of legendary bebop drummer Laurie Morgan and his band, for whom I sing and compere. I gig regularly with my quartet as well as guesting in other ensembles at some great venues including the ...

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Gabriel Johnson: Fra_ctured

by Chris M. Slawecki
May 21, 2010

Gabriel Johnson seemed anointed for jazz greatness: A New England Conservatory prodigy who served as musical director for Blood Sweat & Tears when he was merely 24, and was personally recruited by Clint Eastwood to serve as trumpet soloist for Eastwood's films Changeling (2008) and Invictus (2009).

Then a friend hipped Johnson to electronic music and music software, and all musical hell broke loose. “For so many years now, the trumpet has been confined to a specific spot ...

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Arild Andersen: Live at Belleville

by Karl Ackermann
May 21, 2010

More than forty years ago, Norwegian bassist, Arild Andersen joined saxophonist Jan Garbarek and the late Finnish drummer Edward Vesala to record the groundbreaking Triptykon (ECM 1972), one of these musicians' most energized work. It's a happy coincidence that the new millennium has seen both Garbarek and Andersen--ECM artists, both--create what may be their individual masterpieces--Live at Belleville, in the bassist's case. Andersen's intervening ECM years have generated an impressive catalog of high quality work including Molde Concert (1982), Sagn ...

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Howard Riley: Solo In Vilnius

by John Sharpe
May 20, 2010

No stranger to being alone in the spotlight, Solo In Vilnius is at least the 11th such entry in English pianist Howard Riley's extensive discography. Musically active for more than 40 years, Riley, now in his 60s, enjoys an impressive résumé which name checks the cream of British improvisers, including London Jazz Composers Orchestra, Keith Tippett and Tony Oxley.

Recorded live in St. Catherine's Church in Vilnius, Lithuania, the 13 cuts spread across the two discs' 96 minutes, comprising ten ...

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Eddie Gomez: The Playing is Free

by Donald Elfman
May 20, 2010

Eddie Gomez is known throughout the world as a consummate bassist, sterling educator and a musician active in a wide variety of musical settings. He has been on the music scene for more than 40 years and has worked with everyone from Bobby Darin to Giuseppi Logan. Gomez moved from Puerto Rico as a child and was playing music from an early age. He came to prominence when Bill Evans asked him to be the bassist for the pianist's trio, ...