Jazz Articles

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In Memoriam: George Russell 1923-2009

by AAJ Staff
September 6, 2009

George was such an inspiration to all of us in his sextet. He encouraged us to go beyond our limitations by introducing and suggesting fresh new concepts. As band members (students) he gave us the encouragement we needed to go further and deeper into our musical improvisations.Playing in his band was a turning point in my drumming because of his encouragement and trust in my ability. George was a good drummer himself so he knew what he wanted, ...

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Punkt Festival 2009: Day 2, Kristiansand, Norway, September 3, 2009

by John Kelman
September 5, 2009

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 One of Punkt's many definers is its fearless avoidance of stylistic boundaries. Some festivals are expanding their stylistic purview out of necessity; Punkt has always been style-blind by definition. So it's not uncommon to find a program where some of today's greatest experimentalists not only share the same bill as a soulful, pop-ready singer/songwriter, but share the same audience as well. Because Punkt audiences--at least the many ...

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Kobie Watkins: Involved

by Mark F. Turner
September 5, 2009

More recently recognized as a member of guitarist Bobby Broom's illustrious trio, Kobie Watkins has proven his savvy as a fearless drummer and now a leader on his debut Involved. Watkins is no neophyte. A native of Chicago who is also an educator, he was once dubbed in a newspaper article as “Teacher has Alter Ego as Jazz Musician" who has performed with the greats - Sonny Rollins, Arturo Sandoval, Fred Anderson and many others. Mirroring his ...

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Jack Grassel / Guillermo Espinasse: El Refugio

by Matthew Warnock
September 5, 2009

El Refugio is a musically rich and technically masterful release from Milwaukee guitar legend Jack Grassel. Grassel is joined, in a duo setting, by long time friend but first time musical collaborator, Guillermo Espinasse. Both of these diverse and highly accomplished musicians bring a unique approach to their instruments on every track. Their unsurpassed technical ability, as both compers and soloists, acts as a constant source of inspiration, as each guitarist draws from the other during their constant interaction, propelling ...

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Reeling In the Years: Steely Dan at Mud Island, Memphis, Tennessee

by C. Michael Bailey
September 5, 2009

Steely Dan Mud Island Memphis, Tennessee August 14, 2009

The only relationship Steely Dan had with the 1970s was the temporal fact of having existed and been popular then. The band's music was always light years ahead of its time. Intelligent, inventive, and way too clever, Steely Dan's music could have just as easily been created now, or for that matter, well in the future.

“Reeling in the Years" from the 1972 recording ...

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Taylor's Universe: Return To Whatever

by Glenn Astarita
September 5, 2009

Danish multi-instrumentalist Robin Taylor has a soft spot in his heart for the glory days of 1970s, Canterbury rock fare. The differentiator lies within his translucent mergence of the old with the new. However, noticeably absent from Taylor's Universe is Danish reedman and ex-Secret Oyster saxophonist Karsten Vogel, who has been a mainstay with the unit for several years. With Return To Whatever, he's replaced by Carsten Sindvald for a progressive-rock jamboree, highlighted by Taylor's memorable compositions and clever arrangements.

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48th Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival

by Wade Luquet
September 5, 2009

48th Annual Philadelphia Folk FestivalUpper Salford, PennsylvaniaAugust 14-17, 2009

Mud. It may have been the headline for the 48th annual Philadelphia Folk Festival were it not for a lineup of great musicians who covered many genres of music including folk, country, rock, independent, and jazz. The seventy-acre Old Pool Farm in suburban Philadelphia experienced rain prior to the opening of the festival that turned this fertile hay farm into slush, which caused significant parking problems but did ...

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Take Five With Peter Cobb

by AAJ Staff
September 5, 2009

Meet Peter Cobb:Saxophonist Peter Cobb hails from Boston, and grew up studying with the likes of Joe Viola and Jerry Bergonzi, and later went to Berklee on a saxophone scholarship. After taking a brief detour to attend UPenn Law School and practicing as an attorney in Philadelphia for a few years, Peter moved to New York City to return to a full-time career as a jazz musician, performer, teacher and writer.

Instrument(s):Saxophone(s).

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MIDIval PunditZ: Hello Hello

by Chris M. Slawecki
September 5, 2009

On Hello Hello, the fusion of Western electronic music with the traditional and folk music of India, synthesized by the New Delhi-based instrumental and production team of Guarav Raina and Tapan Raj, sounds nearly complete.

Built from Indian percussion, string, vocal and melodic traditions, and strung together like decorative lights with electronic samples, loops, and beats, Hello Hello crosses over world cultures and historical epochs. One tune sets a 19th century poem in a 21st century dance club ...

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Ralph Bowen: Dedicated

by Woodrow Wilkins
September 5, 2009

Many new releases seem to follow one stringent formula or another--whether to deliver cookie-cutter music to the masses, in hopes of getting noticed by commercial radio, or to adopt a certain trend, be it the traditional piano-led trio or covering standards. With that in mind, it's rarely, if ever, a bad thing when an artist or group just plays. That's the approached used by saxophonist Ralph Bowen for Dedicated. Bowen was co-leader of the sextet, OTB--Out of ...