Jazz Articles

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Manhattan Transfer: Live in Albany, NY

by R.J. DeLuke
October 11, 2009

The Manhattan TransferThe EggAlbany, N.Y.Sept. 25, 2009

The Manhattan Transfer vocal group--they of the multiple Grammy awards (10) and strong allegiance to jazz--shows no signs of wear and tear after some 35 years performing and recording.

The group has just released The Chick Corea Songbook on Four Quarters Entertainment, and is on tour doing some of that music as well as an assortment of pieces from their prestigious history. After a week at ...

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Bernt Rosengren: I'm Flying

by Jack Bowers
October 11, 2009

If the name Bernt Rosengren doesn't ring a bell, it probably would if you lived in Sweden. Rosengren, an unabashed champion of such implacable hard-boppers as Gene Ammons, Hank Mobley, Dexter Gordon and Johnny Griffin, has been one of that country's leading tenor saxophonists for more than half a century, and as his latest CD affirms, he's still flying high.

On this quartet date, Rosengren tests his mettle by surrounding himself with members of the younger generation--pianist Stefan Gustafson, bassist ...

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Rodrigo y Gabriela at Denver's Buell Theater

by Geoff Anderson
October 11, 2009

Rodrigo y GabrielaBuell Theater Denver, CO September 19, 2009

Who knew you could wring so much out of a couple acoustic guitars? At the Buell Theater, Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quinetro attacked their instruments in a manner that had the audience wondering whether the delicate wood would survive, or at the least, stay in tune. The guitars did stay in tune and the result was a sound far beyond what two humans are typically ...

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Joe Morris: Today On Earth

by John Sharpe
October 11, 2009

Joe Morris holds a unique position in creative music, meriting the top drawer on both guitar and bass, wielding the former in David S. Ware's resurgent company on Shakti (AUM Fidelity, 2009), and the latter on Wildlife (AUM Fidelity, 2009). For his third outing on the same imprint in 2009 Morris returns to guitar for what might just be his best showing yet, in a move which represents sustained artistic return on the label's investment.

Completing the quartet, on what ...

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Take Five With Steve Blanco

by AAJ Staff
October 11, 2009

Meet Steve Blanco:I play piano, compose, make films, write scripts and do odd jobs for dough ($$).Instrument(s):Piano, drums.Teachers and/or influences?There are too many to list.Two piano teachers that I feel I learned from would be George Mancini, Charles Blenzig and Jean-Michel Pilc. They were giants of help and wisdom at times when I needed much help with many aspects of my life. I will never forget ...

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Mark Weinstein/Omar Sosa: Tales From The Earth

by Raul d'Gama Rose
October 11, 2009

Tales from the Earth by flutist, Mark Weinstein and pianist/vibraphonist, Omar Sosa, is one of the most extraordinary musical expeditions in a long time. The need for a subtext is not necessary; the extraordinary depth and ethereal beauty of the music would suffice. Nevertheless, once that subtext becomes evident, then the music touches parts of the body that much music might not. There is really no beginning and no end; this musical continuum needs only be entered with eyes wide ...

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Shawn Colvin: Live

by John Kelman
October 11, 2009

In these days of Pro Tools, punch-ins, and quantizing, it's a sad reality that many artists who sound great on record are incapable of pulling off live performances of equal quality; it's now possible to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Then there's singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin. Starting with the breakthrough hit Steady On (Columbia, 1989), her studio albums have all been beautifully crafted, thanks in no small part to the astute choices and sonic layering of longtime ...

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Wu Fei: Yuan

by Kurt Gottschalk
October 11, 2009

Composer Wu Fei , as evidenced by the five compositions on Yuan, occupies a world that straddles traditional Chinese music and more contemporary styles of writing and playing. Fei seems to be particularly interested in strings and percussion, as well as in percussive strings and melodic percussion. The instrumentation ranges from solo percussion and solo piano (the latter, of course, being the king of all strung percussion instruments) to the Eastern string trio Melody of China (who ...

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David Berkman: Live at Smoke

by Ken Dryden
October 11, 2009

David Berkman is one of many seasoned pianists with an extensive discography who deserves wider recognition from the jazz public, though he has achieved it with his fellow musicians. Berkman has lived in New York since 1985 and has long played Smoke (as well as earlier incarnation Augie's). Since he appreciates its audiences, attentive owners and first-rate, well tuned-piano, it makes sense that he would choose the club to record a live CD. Berkman's working quartet includes ...

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Sofia Tosello: Alma y Luna

by Raul d'Gama Rose
October 10, 2009

There is a story that bears telling about Brazilian musician/multi-instrumentalist Egberto Gismonti and legendary teacher, Nadia Boulanger. Upon hearing him and evaluating his technique and higher knowledge of harmonic devices, the story goes that Boulanger said to him afterward, “Go back and learn the music of your country. This will unlock your voice and the world will then hear you." Gismonti returned to Brazil, spent years in the remotest parts of that country, and is now a great artist and ...