Jazz Articles

like 329

Mark Egan: Truth Be Told

by Dan Bilawsky
March 10, 2010

Mark Egan often provides subtle accompaniment, holding things together with his bass work and making other musicians look good in his role as a studio musician. The music on Truth Be Told shows off his extroverted side as he blazes through an assortment of funk/fusion tracks with some formidable sidemen along for the ride. The quintet--Egan, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, percussionist Roger Squitero, keyboardist Mitch Forman and saxophonist Bill Evans--launches right into a funky strut on the album ...

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Momenta Quartet at Americas Society, February 24, 2010

by Ernest Barteldes
March 10, 2010

Momenta Quartet Americas Society New York, NY February 24, 2010

Americas Society has recently been introducing the work of new composers to a wider audience, and in late February, the organization presented contemporary music by Latin American composers at Manhattan's Upper East Side cultural institution. The music was challenging both for the musicians and the audience, since most of it was very free-form and could sometimes be chaotic in nature.

The evening began with ...

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Liam Sillery: Phenomenology

by Dan McClenaghan
March 10, 2010

There's a sense of danger and change on Phenomenology, trumpeter Liam Sillery's fourth CD release on OA2 Records. His quintet--trumpet, saxophone, and rhythm section--often sounds as if it's leaning over the edge of a cliff, just a degree or two away from tipping and falling.

It hasn't always been this way with Sillery. His debut, Minor Changes (OA2 Records, 2004) and the follow-up, On the Fly (OA2 Records, 2006) could both be called mainstream affairs, often described as having a ...

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Take Five With Glenn White

by AAJ Staff
March 10, 2010

Meet Glenn White:Described as “a brilliant gem," Glenn's modern jazz compositions and skilled, interactive playing have been called “a thoughtful, remarkable style," which “stems from a deeper understanding." A graduate of New England Conservatory, Glenn has performed alongside many notable musicians including Cuneiform artist Jamie Baum, Impulse! artist Greg Tardy, ECM Records artist Art Lande, and more. In addition to his own recordings, Glenn can be heard on recordings by Huevo Imaginary Records artists I'm In You, Matador ...

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Motorpsycho: Heavy Metal Fruit

by John Kelman
March 10, 2010

Together for two decades, indie/prog rock trio Motorpsycho has gradually built an audience outside its native Norway, though the group remains a better draw in Europe than in North America. That's a situation that, by all rights, should change with Heavy Metal Fruit, a combination of metal-tinged prog, space-rock jams, and passages of reckless abandon, all delivered through epic writing, thunderous grooves, and layered guitars.

Founding members Bent Sæther (bass) and Hans Magnus Ryan (guitar) are ...

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Frank Butrey: Malicious Delicious

by Victor L. Schermer
March 10, 2010

The versatile Frank Butrey lends a psychedelic rock-infused flavor to the jazz repertoire in Malicious Delicious. The Philadelphia-based guitarist displays his wares through these original compositions (some co-written), performed with some of his favorite musicians including members of bassist Warren Oree's Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble (Butrey is a working member), who flavor the tracks in various ways. Acknowledging the influence of rockers Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana, along with Chick Corea and Pat Martino from the jazz inner circles, Butrey whips ...

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Ralph Towner / Paolo Fresu: Chiaroscuro

by Thomas Conrad
March 10, 2010

After Enrico Rava, the most important trumpet player in Italy is Paolo Fresu. The fact that he is not well known in the United States may be about to change, because he is now an ECM recording artist. The label has placed him with major people: Carla Bley on The Lost Chords Find Paolo Fresu in 2007 and now guitarist Ralph Towner on Chiaroscuro. A pairing of trumpet and acoustic guitar is unusual. Towner and Fresu have ...

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Weasel Walter / Henry Kaiser / Damon Smith: Plane Crash

by Martin Longley
March 10, 2010

Power trio or acoustic sensitives? This album shuffles both manifestations and mostly decides to alternate the settings, allowing torn ears some peace following each eruptive onslaught. Surely this must be guitarist Henry Kaiser's most extreme recording, in terms of decibel achievement? His rabid emissions build a wall of Black Metal doom-chundering, a pinnacle of sludge detrimetalism. Damon Smith's grime-bass traverses the tonal range past cello and even as high as the violin, bowing, dexterously plucking, as if eternally questing for ...

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T. S. Monk at 38th Annual Lakeland Jazz Festival

by Matt Marshall
March 10, 2010

T. S. Monk Sextet 38th Annual Lakeland Jazz Festival Kirtland, OH February 27, 2010 Although the last of the February snow onslaughts tried its best to kill the 38th annual Lakeland Jazz Festival--the longest-running jazz festival in Northeast Ohio--and did, indeed, postpone trumpeter Sean Jones' scheduled February 26 performance until a later date, drummer T. S. Monk and his sextet bravely battled the elements to make it into Kirtland, Ohio, and entertain ...

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Christian Scott: Breaking Boundaries, Crossing Lines

by Frederick Bernas
March 9, 2010

Christian Scott is lounging on a black leather couch, easy and relaxed before taking to the stage at a Moscow jazz club. The cold, gloomy Russian capital hosted the New Orleans trumpeter's quintet for a trio of gigs in February 2009--including a show at the US ambassador's cushy residence, in front of an elite audience of officials and dignitaries.

Diplomatic functions do not represent a major part of the group's touring schedule. Maybe Scott was a slightly surprising choice for ...