Jazz Articles

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Edmar Castañeda Trio at the Jazz Standard

by Ernest Barteldes
January 2, 2010

Edmar Castañeda Trio with Joe Locke, Samuel Torres and Andrea Tierra Jazz Standard New York, New York December 22, 2009

A sold-out room warmly greeted harpist Edmar Castañeda's trio as they took the stage opening their set with the up-tempo “Entre Cuerdas," the title track off the leader's new album. The tune began with a Middle Eastern feel, then quickly took on a Latin American character. Castañeda exhibited impressive mastery (there is ...

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Mike Longo Trio: Sting Like A Bee

by Edward Blanco
January 2, 2010

Pianist Mike Longo has a couple of things in common with legendary heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali: first, they both employed the same phrase throughout their careers--"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee"--and second,, they both deliver quite a punch, Ali with his fists and Longo on the keys. Sting Like a Bee--dedicated to Longo's father, who passed away in 2009--is Longo's follow-up to Float Like a Butterfly (Consolidated Artist Productions, 2007) and does not pull any punches, providing quite ...

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January 2010

by Mr. P.C.
January 1, 2010

Dear Mr. P.C.; One night during my drum solo the guys in the band walked off and left me all alone. The next set, during the vocalist's song, I walked off and went to the bar for a couple of shots. This seemed to upset her a great deal. Should I have ordered water or pop instead? John

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Joey Berkley: More 'n Four

by Mark F. Turner
January 1, 2010

A single listen to the pop/jazz standard “Nature Boy" is proof that saxophonist Joey Berkley's tenor is as robust and accomplished as they come. Living in New York since the late 1970s, the Canadian expat has survived and thrived in the “City That Never Sleeps"--performing with top musicians, running his own music company and teaching, while maintaining a couple of bands including the nine-piece jazz/funk Band, Funkasaurus Rex. More 'n Four is a straight-ahead release--a continuation and ...

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Top Ten "Most Read" and "Most Recommended" CD Reviews: 2009

by AAJ Staff
January 1, 2010

All About Jazz tracks how often a CD Review is read and recommended, and the reviews listed below represent our top ten published from each category in 2009.

Top 10 Most Read CD Reviews | Top 100 1.Henry Cow - Henry Cow: The 40th Anniversary Henry Cow Box Setby John KelmanPublished: January 12, 2009 2.Tore Brunborg - Lucid Greyby ...

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Tessa Souter: Obsession

by Victor L. Schermer
January 1, 2010

Tessa Souter is a consummate and dedicated vocalist who is deservedly on the rise in the New York jazz scene and elsewhere. A contralto who sings with both precision and emotion, her impressionist and minimalist interpretations bring out the meanings of her songs while remaining true to their melodic lines. Following Listen Love (Nara Music, 2004) and Nights of Key Largo (Venus Records, 2008), Obsession continues her in-depth preoccupation with the nature and experience of love, but with a slight ...

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Top Ten "Most Read" and "Most Recommended" Articles: 2009

by AAJ Staff
January 1, 2010

All About Jazz tracks how often an article is read and recommended, and the articles listed below represent our top ten published from each category in 2009. Careers in Jazz by Bill Anschell was the clear winner generating over 40,000 page views since August.

Top 10 Most Read Articles | Top 100 1.Bill Anschell's Notes from the LobbyCareers in Jazz by Bill Anschell Published: August 18, 2009 ...

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Fieldtrip: No Destination

by Jerry D'Souza
January 1, 2010

Fieldtrip, a Montreal-based trio comprising alto saxophonist Colin Power, bassist Patrick Reid and drummer Mark Nelson, was formed in 2005 after they graduated from the jazz program at McGill University. The trio builds its music largely in a contemporary frame with elements of classical and new wave music. Much of the mood they evoke is placid and flows in calm waters, but the moments when they get out of that and hit the hard road give their music a solid ...

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John Kelman's Best Live Shows of 2009

by John Kelman
January 1, 2010

It was a great year for live music, what with covering six festivals and a host of individual shows, from Canada to Germany to Norway. Perhaps most remarkable was just how consistently fine every show was, but of the 99 shows covered in 2009 for AAJ, 17 stood out as being especially memorable. In chronological order:

1. April 28, 2009: Five Peace Band with Chick Corea and John McLaughlin Salle Wilfred-Pelletier in Montréal, Canada ...

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2009 Paris Jazz Diary

by Patricia Myers
January 1, 2010

Paris, France: Proof-positive that the jazz scene here is still thriving came via five encores for 91-year-old pianist Hank Jones during the Jazz a la Villette Festival, and the crowds of enthusiastic listeners that filled small jazz clubs night after night.

During my annual stay in the City of Light, I planned outings to more than a dozen pure-jazz venues, plus concerts and festivals, by perusing the every-Wednesday Pariscope and L'Official Spectacles magazines (35 centimes at newsstands) and ...