Jazz Articles

like 317

Random Access: was, shall, why, because

by Jerry D'Souza
January 16, 2010

Multi-instrumentalist Barry Romberg brings his band of fellow adventurers, Random Access, on another musical journey that is filled with generous dollops of invention, surprise and just plain old darn good music. Romberg retains his trademark sense of humor, a trait that washes into his fellow cohorts. The underlining feature, however, is the way in which they can spin ideas into compelling tales of adventure on was, shall, why, because.

Romberg uses a sextet for “Suite for the Wolfman," ...

like 413

Roswell Rudd: Trombone Tribe & The Light

by George Kanzler
January 16, 2010

Roswell RuddTrombone TribeSunnyside2009 The Second ApproachThe LightSoLyd2009 The peripatetic, both geographically and musically, trombonist Roswell Rudd ranges far and wide on these two albums: a trombone-dominated romp involving five bands from two continents and a collaboration with a Russian improvising trio at a Moscow club. Trombone Tribe could well be called ...

like 295

Loren Stillman: Winter Fruits & Knu Gmoon

by George Kanzler
January 16, 2010

Loren StillmanWinter FruitsPirouet2009 Knu GmoonKnu Gmoonself-published2009 Everything old can be new again could be the motto of the ensembles on these two albums. And the emphasis is definitely on the group/ensemble on both, one a quartet led by by alto saxophonist Loren Stillman and the other a Brooklyn-based project band conceptualized by bassist Noah ...

like 175

Daniel Kelly: Emerge

by John Sharpe
January 16, 2010

For his fourth release as leader, pianist Daniel Kelly fronts a trio of Chris Tarry on electric bass and Jordan Perlson drums. Following the diversification of his fully improvised solo suite Portal (3x9 Records, 2009), and Duets With Ghosts (3x9 Records, 2008), which pitched his electric quartet against samples of field recordings by Alan Lomax and voices from the past like Marcel Duchamp, James Joyce and even his own great-grandfather, this represents more mainstream fare, though still with a twist. ...

like 316

Chad Taylor & Rob Mazurek: Chicago Underground Duo

by David Adler
January 16, 2010

Chicago Underground DuoBoca NegraThrill Jockey2009 Rob MazurekSound IsDelmark2009 Chad TaylorCircle Down482 Music2009 No account of American jazz in the '00s would be complete without a thorough look at the Chicago scene. The year 2009 was a good one, with strong recordings from Mike Reed, Josh Berman, ...

like 300

David "Fathead" Newman: The Blessing

by Andrew Velez
January 16, 2010

What an apt name The Blessing is for David Newman's final recording before his death ended a long career last January (2009). He played for more than a decade with Ray Charles and alongside Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin and Roy Ayers, among many others. For this last studio session he was in fine form. A Milt Jackson gem, “SKJ," is the set's opener, Steve Nelson's vibes providing glowing cascades before Newman swings in with a solo as brief in its ...

like 205

Globe Unity: Austria

by Kurt Gottschalk
January 16, 2010

Franz KoglmannLo-lee-ta: Music on NabokovCol Legno2009 Studio DanCreatures and Other StuffJazzwerkstatt2009 Max NaglBoulazacRude Noises2009 Maybe there's something in the Austrian water. Or maybe it's in the Wiener Schnitzel. The nation's population is just about equal to New York City's, but it boasts Mozart, Haydn and Mahler ...

like 270

Red Baraat: Chaal Baby

by Elliott Simon
January 16, 2010

Percussionist Sunny Jain has already impressed as a musician who weaves disparate musical worlds into new universes. Chaal Baby, from his Red Baraat band, produces incredibly infectious celebratory dance music using Punjabi bhangra rhythms, funk and Jain's skills on the dhol, a double-sided North Indian drum. The result is a brassy percussive party that doesn't stop rocking until the final cut is over. The brass band milieu has given rise to various ethnic/jazz combinations that lean heavily ...

like 522

Joe Morris: Today on Earth; Colorfield; The Necessary and the Possible; Fine Objects

by Wilbur MacKenzie
January 16, 2010

Joe MorrisToday on EarthAUM Fidelity2009 Joe MorrisColorfieldESP-Disk2009 Joe Morris/Simon H. Fell/Alex WardThe Necessary and the PossibleRecord Label #3Year Joe MorrisFine ObjectsNot Two2009 With four new releases, Joe Morris continues to expand his prodigious output with varied work, refining ...

like 212

Marc Copland: Solo and Duo

by Joel Roberts
January 16, 2010

Marc Copland Alone Pirouet 2009 Gary Peacock/Marc Copland Insight Pirouet 2009 There's a reason, perhaps, that Marc Copland doesn't get the acclaim he deserves as one of the masters of modern jazz piano. Copland's strengths are subtle ones that require careful listening. A deeply reflective artist, Copland doesn't play loud or fast or swing ...