Jazz Articles

like 428

Sonja Dunson: You Can't Buy Love

by Jim Santella
December 17, 2009

This soundtrack from Sonja Dunson's 2001 film project oozes soulful emotion with every breath. It's the kind of feel-good music that's envisioned with dim lights, a cozy sofa and plush carpet, pleasant company and a whole lot of privacy. It's feel-good music. You Can't Buy Love represents quite an achievement for the budding film director. She wrote the story, produced the film, wrote and sang a portion of the soundtrack, acted in the movie, and led a talented group of ...

like 635

Holiday Gift Guide 2009

by Jeff Fitzgerald, Genius
December 17, 2009

For many years, Your Own Personal Genius earned his drinking money by working retail. I've sold computers, appliances, furniture, mattresses, and kitchen cabinets; and in the process, became somewhat of a Grinch when it came to the material aspects of the holidays. Spending 14 hours a day in a store dealing with surly shoppers, an endless loop of the same maddening Christmas songs, and the insincere and overdone holiday decorations is enough to beat the holiday spirit out of all ...

like 400

Theo Bleckmann and Fumio Yasuda: Schumann's Favored Bar Songs

by C. Michael Bailey
December 16, 2009

Schumann's Bar am Hofgarten is located at Odeonsplatz 6+7 80539 Munich, Germany. It derives its name from founder and bartender, Charles Schumann, who originally ran a similar bar in New York City. It is a world famous watering hole for the rich and and famous, something Schumann has cultivated among his patrons. Winter and Winter, who shares Munich as a home town, has made recordings using Schumann's as inspiration, including Salon Music At Schumann's Bar (Winter and Winter, 2005) and ...

like 1,359

Joey Baron: Just Say Yes

by Sean Patrick Fitzell
December 16, 2009

Combining technical acuity with a deep sense of groove, Joey Baron drums with playful exuberance. Throughout his more than 35-year career, he's propelled experimentalists like guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist John Zorn, as well as mainstreamers like vocalist Carmen McRae and saxophonist David Sanborn. He's even played with pop stars David Bowie and Marianne Faithfull. But Baron makes no distinctions between gigs, keeping an expansive, welcoming view of music. After leading the groups Barondown, Down Home, and Killer Joey, he's ...

like 487

Lucien Dubuis Trio with Marc Ribot: Ultime Cosmos

by Mark Corroto
December 16, 2009

Lucien Dubuis' Swiss trio has had a long association with guitarist Marc Ribot. He might even have been the inspiration for the reedman, bassist/guitarist Roman Nowka, and drummer Lionel Friedli to form their group. So when the New York guitarist joins them for Ultime Cosmos, there is bound be fireworks.

The Lucien Dubuis Trio has released Le Retour (Unit Records, 2007) and Tovorak (Self Produced, 2005), both bearing the mark of Ribot's early bands: Rootless Cosmopolitans, The Lounge ...

like 483

Shooting Star: Esperanza Spalding in Paris

by David Miller
December 16, 2009

Esperanza SpaldingNew MorningParis, FranceNovember 24, 2009 The heavy drumbeat pierced the air, and the sellout crowd, believing the show to have started, slowly put down their drinks and turned to face the stage. It took some longer than others, but soon all realized that Esperanza Spalding, she whose name was on the bill for the evening, had yet to grace the stage. As it turned out, her band was giving her an introduction by way ...

like 369

Joe and the Meanderthals: Open The Gate And Flood The Valley

by Jerry D'Souza
December 16, 2009

Reedman Joe Albano makes quite an impact with a debut recording where improvised music is seasoned with rock, heavy metal, classical music and jazz. The mix could have been intemperate, but Albano fertilizes it with his sense of invention and forward movement. The result is energetic and imaginative, with a touch of whimsy for added measure.

Albano wrote all the music, but while the written note leads the musicians in, atmosphere is created by individual flights of fancy. ...

like 727

Tristan Honsinger and Tobias Delius at the Jazzwerkstatt in Berlin

by John Sharpe
December 16, 2009

Tristan Honsinger and Tobias Delius Jazzwerkstatt + klassik SHOP Berlin 31 October 2009

An in-store concert at Berlin's ultra smart Jazzwerkstatt café and record shop, just off the city's main shopping strip at Kurfürstendamm, provided the unlikely venue for the ongoing collaboration of cellist Tristan Honsinger and reedman Tobias Delius. Both are perhaps best known as members of the ICP Orchestra. Even though neither was born in the Netherlands (Honsinger is American, while ...

like 289

December 2009: New Photo Gallery, Profile Improvements and More

by Michael Ricci
December 16, 2009

Dear fellow musician: We made several musician-related improvements since our September newsletter. We upgraded your musician profile and we added more features to promote yourself and your music. And we're also running a $100 off sale on our Showcase and Listening Party services. Please read on...Index Share your photos at All About Jazz! Musician Profile improvements Your promotional service checklist: Free & Pay Your Suggestions / Your Kudos Showcase and Album Streaming ...

like 450

Dan Aran: Breathing

by Bridget A. Arnwine
December 16, 2009

When a CD is released, one of its most revealing aspects--and that of the artist's mindset during the recording process--is the title that has been assigned. With a title like Breathing, there are several things that can be presupposed: first, maybe the artist recorded the album in a stiflingly hot space and the title was chosen for its irony; second, perhaps making the music was as effortless a process as breathing; or third, it's possible that the process of creating ...