Jazz Articles

like 596

Pat Metheny, Orchestrion Tour in Denver

by Geoff Anderson
May 19, 2010

Pat Metheny Paramount Theater Denver, CO May 5, 2010

“Because it's there." That's the classic answer to the question of why climb the big mountain. That's pretty close to the explanation for Pat Metheny's current Orchestrion tour. He's taken the concept of the one-man-band to heights never dreamed of by buskers and carnival acts and built a giant musical machine with more instruments than The Music Man, Harold Hill, sold in his life. It ...

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Iron Kim Style: Iron Kim Style

by Chris M. Slawecki
May 19, 2010

Iron Kim Style is quite humorous but serious too--The eponymous debut of an improvisational jazz-rock quintet that is: Built around two guitars, with no keyboards, plus trumpet and bass clarinet as the other solo voices; named for both the North Korean dictator and the martial arts style instructed by Grandmaster “Iron" Kim; and, creative home for some of Seattle's most exploratory jazz-rock instrumentalists, including drummer Jay Jaskot and guitarist Dennis Rea, both of whom perform in another progressive jazz-rock instrumental ...

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Take Five With Milton Suggs

by AAJ Staff
May 19, 2010

Meet Milton Suggs:The remarks of those who hear him for the first time often go something like this: “I didn't know he could talk, let alone sing!" or “That voice does not belong to that body!" That's because Milton prefers to let his talent speak for itself.

Music has been an integral part of Milton's life from an early age. While in elementary and middle school, he played various instruments including the bass, the ...

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Dave Glasser: Evolution

by Woodrow Wilkins
May 19, 2010

There's nothing wrong with a little old school. Saxophonist Dave Glasser keeps it simple--no flash, no gimmicks. Glasser has spent many years as a sideman, performing with artists including the Clark Terry Quintet, the Count Basie Orchestra, Illinois Jacquet and the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars. He has also recorded several CDs as a leader. A native of New York City, Glasser is a master saxophonist, having studied under Lee Konitz, Frank Perowsky and Barry Harris.

Drawing on his admiration for ...

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Marbin: Marbin

by Hrayr Attarian
May 19, 2010

Categorizing Marbin's eponymous release as ambient jazz hugely underestimates its music. It is rather atmospheric, but also has enough improvisational substance to not just stay in the background. Marbin is the duo of guitarist Dani Rabin and saxophonist Danny Markovitz. The two also composed all the pieces on the record, ranging from the vaguely bluesy “Abadaba" and theatrical “Mei" (with added vocalese from Mat Davidson), to the Japanese-sounding “Crystal Bells" and gorgeous tango, “Cuba." The CD is ...

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Pat Metheny: One Man's Band

by Tom Greenland
May 19, 2010

In plays such as Medea and Alcestis, the ancient Greek tragedian Euripides was roundly criticized, even parodied, for his use of an artificial plot device or deus ex machina ("god from the machine"), because it violated narrative logic and challenged the audience's suspension of disbelief. Guitarist Pat Metheny, never one to shy away from wrathful gods, has taken a bold step on his latest tour: eliminating his band in favor of a miraculous machine able to extend and expand his ...

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Jazz As Art

by Chuck Anderson
May 19, 2010

The new jazz has nothing to do with the music. It has to do with the attitudes, the perception about jazz. History has created an image about jazz and jazz musicians. It's not a flattering image nor is it a beneficial one. Drugs, heavy drinking, seedy clubs and late hours have all contributed to this unseemly reputation. Traditionally, the smoke filled jazz club seemed part of the “charm" of a venue. I seriously doubt whether that holds ...

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Michael Leonhart: A Fortunate Son

by Telly Davidson
May 18, 2010

For most musicians, writers and actors, making the final decision to go against the grain and pursue a paycheck-to-paycheck, month-to-month career as a performing artist is one of the harder choices in life. Yet for trumpeter Michael Leonhart, a life in jazz and art is “all in the family": his father is the noted jazz bassist, studio musician and humorist Jay Leonhart; and his sister is the sprightly, sassy, and torchy alt-rock and jazz singer Carolyn Leonhart. And after a ...

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Keith Jarrett / Charlie Haden: Jasmine

by John Kelman
May 18, 2010

As close to a direct pipeline to the heart as anything, it's hard for music to be anything but intimate reflection of events transpiring in a musician's life. Pianist Keith Jarrett's last release--the stunning triple-disc Testament--Paris / London (ECM, 2009)--was, self-admittedly, impacted by the pianist's “incredibly vulnerable emotional state," but resulted in some of his deepest, most moving solo improvisations yet. Recorded in 2007, the year before the shows from which Testament was culled, the song choices on Jasmine--Jarrett's first ...

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Dr. Lonnie Smith: Spiral

by Dan Bilawsky
May 18, 2010

Vitality and age might be normally be at odds with one another, but not when discussing Dr. Lonnie Smith--the inimitable organ shaman of the modern soul-jazz epoch. Whether turning in clever takes on the music of indie rocker Beck, recasting familiar standards in his organic organ mold or shaping his own compositions to his liking, Smith never seems to be short on ideas. He furthers the traditional role of the organ in small-group jazz and puts a modern slant on ...