Jazz Articles

like 338

The Jerry Garcia Band: The Jerry Garcia Band: Let It Rock

by Doug Collette
February 18, 2010

Jerry Garcia never officially announced he was embarking on a solo career apart from the Grateful Dead, the band for which he served as titular leader during its entire existence. Moved by the restless work ethic of the truly professional musician, the guitarist/vocalist/composer began working with a group dubbed Legion of Mary in 1975. Only after realigning that personnel over the next year did his unit became The Jerry Garcia Band (JGB).

This two-CD recording from shows at Keystone Berkeley ...

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Gia Notte: Shades

by Dan Bilawsky
February 17, 2010

Margie “Gia" Notte's debut recording, Just You, Just Me & Friends--Live at Cecil's, (GNote Records, 2009) was an exciting standards-based journey. Her follow-up, Shades, also finds her interpreting some well-worn songs but the delivery and the arrangements make this more than a run-of-the-mill recording. While the adrenaline-fueled excitement from her live recording is hard to match in a studio setting, she substitutes this quality with a more polished delivery. Each arrangement shows a different side of Notte and the nuances ...

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Alonzo Holliday: The Archaeology of Out-Bop

by Gordon Marshall
February 17, 2010

Frank Turek's dream: he is in a smoky bar where jazz floats in the background. Coming up to sit down next to him is a hip, old cat who begins to tell him stories of playing sax in bands in the early '40s. He introduces himself as Alonzo Holliday.

Back to waking life, in the '90s: Frank is making plans to start a band with another Frank, and since there can't be two Franks, Turek decides to adopt the name ...

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For Latin Lovers: Mark Weinstein, Claudio Roditi, Emilio Solla

by J Hunter
February 17, 2010

In many ways, the description “Latin jazz" is no more useful than the umbrella description “jazz." There are sub-genres inside the sub-genre, all of them with subtle color changes that provide different flavors, even though it all can lead to the same satisfying result. Here are three early 2010 entrants into this musical conversation.

Mark Weinstein Timbasa Jazzheads Records 2010

Back in the day, people going to their first ...

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Ernesto Cervini Quartet: Little Black Bird

by Raul d'Gama Rose
February 17, 2010

Ernesto Cervini has produced a gem of a record to closeout 2009. The music on Little Black Bird reveals the promise of a sophisticated intellect that is serious and funny, inventive, childlike and mature at once. Most of all, Cervini is unafraid of filling a blank musical canvas with waves of unusual harmonic color. He shows himself to be adept at genteel melody and constantly challenges himself rhythmically, as well. Although principally a percussionist, Cervini is also an astute pianist ...

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Steve Raegele: Last Century

by Pascal-Denis Lussier
February 17, 2010

Montreal guitarist Steve Raegele's debut, Last Century, with bassist Miles Perkin and drummer Thom Gossage, marks the beginning of a career that will, no doubt, be looked back upon despite being disregarded at this stage. The album doesn't mark Raegele's launching point, however, but the due reward of a turbulent turning point, as the guitarist has abandoned his role as lead guitarist for indie rock band, The Besnard Lakes, to seek more autonomy and creative freedom. Raegele has since played ...

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John Tilbury / Sebastian Lexer: Lost Daylight

by John Eyles
February 17, 2010

Lost Daylight has been a long time arriving. It has been much trailed, and eagerly anticipated since 2008, as indicated by its low catalogue number, at10. Now released as part of Another Timbre's piano series, alongside at24 and at25, good things are always worth waiting for--and this release proves the truth of that adage. Quite simply, it is a gem.

Although, perhaps, best-known for his long-established membership in AMM and his other improvised work, pianist John Tilbury is ...

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Ned Rothenberg / Catherine Jauniaux / Barre Phillips: While You Were Out

by Nic Jones
February 17, 2010

One of the most consistently intriguing things about freely improvised music is the degree to which it can transcend the moment. While on the surface of it that moment might be something the free improviser has only to reach an accommodation with, on a deeper level such practitioners are arguably more subject to its vagaries than musicians who work in more deliberate and preconceived areas.

This is an indirect way of getting around to the fact that While You Were ...

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Roberta Gambarini and Convergence

by Geoff Anderson
February 17, 2010

Roberta Gambarini and Convergence Dazzle Nightclub Denver, CO Februay 6, 2010 (First Set)Roberta Gambarini played Denver last year with a piano trio. She returned in early February this year for a three night stand with double the support, backed this time by the six piece Convergence. Gambarini can carry a show with minimal backing, but the high powered Convergence added considerable texture, variety and plain old fun.Gambarini had just left ...

like 420

Maria Neckam: Deeper

by Raul d'Gama Rose
February 16, 2010

It's not often that a singer like Maria Neckam comes along. Blessed with a voice that she can set free as it flutters and streaks into stellar regions of music, Neckam is still able to keep it in control. She has a natural ability for heartbreaking emotion, in much the same way that Billie Holiday did. She sings flat, yet in her singing, quarter notes abound as she tells a story. Her voice soars making notes bend and flap as ...