Jazz Articles

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Ron Carter: Finding The Right Notes

by Eugene Holley, Jr.
August 24, 2009

Ron Carter: Finding The Right Notes Dan Ouellette 435 pagesISBN: 978-0-615-26526-1 ArtistShare 2008 Songwriter and vocalist Gil Scott-Heron said that his basslines “glowed in the dark." Trumpeter Miles Davis proclaimed him the “anchor" of his groundbreaking quintet of the 1960s. And he literally laid down the groove for the Tribe Called Quest's hip-hop classic, “The Low End Theory." From 1960 to 2009, whether the music is rock, pop, bop, post-bop, ...

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Bern Nix: A History In Harmolodics

by AAJ Staff
August 24, 2009

New York-based free jazz guitarist Bern Nix is one of the few people who are well-versed in Ornette Coleman's “harmolodics" style. He played with Coleman from 1975-1987, and now leads the Bern Nix Trio in New York City. In his compositions and his intriguing covers of standards, he is always looking in the corners of the music for something new.Described recently by a viewer on YouTube as being “the Billy Bang of the guitar," Nix's sound is both ...

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Kyle Eastwood: Metropolitain

by Jim Santella
August 23, 2009

Recorded in Paris, Kyle Eastwood's Metropolitain achieves an original jazz sound that combines the tradition of his father, Clint's record collection with a new generation of influences. He hasn't fallen prey to any gimmicks of style and is carving out his own musical voice with elements that combine to appeal to a broad audience. Anyone who has seen a movie recently will realize that modern jazz remains a big partner in bringing emotions to life.

Eastwood and writing ...

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Brazilian Buffet: Trio + 1, Patricia Talem, Paulinho Garcia, Nilson Matta, Fred Hersch

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
August 23, 2009

Here's a tasty buffet from Brasil: five newly released, or in 2009 recently revived, CDs that underscore the richness of the music. The artists range from brand new to legendary, while the menu includes two vocal CDs, one mix of vocals and instrumentals, and a pair of unusual takes on the genre: an other-worldly trio, and some dazzling solo piano.

In Brazil, a singer's expressiveness tends to weigh more heavily than the smooth perfection of the voice. Hence, ...

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Sean Nowell: The Seeker

by Woodrow Wilkins
August 23, 2009

The group dynamic is a powerful force in jazz. Tenor saxophonist Sean Nowell recognizes that with The Seeker, a set of songs that demonstrate his abilities as a leader, songwriter and soloist, but doesn't ignore those around him. Nowell hails from Birmingham, Alabama. Versed in several styles of music, he has also traveled world-wide and has worked with musicians, actors, dancers and many others throughout his career. In addition to playing jazz in New York clubs, Nowell ...

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Mountainside Mardi Gras in Denver, Colorado

by Geoff Anderson
August 23, 2009

Mountainside Mardi Gras Red Rocks Amphitheater Denver, Colorado August 8, 2009

A good-sized chunk of the New Orleans music scene landed at Red Rocks Saturday for an 11-hour funk and Dixieland marathon. Eight different bands and dozens of musicians left their sea level, horizontal environment to play a mile high in the vertically oriented, rock-rimmed amphitheater just west of Denver. Billed as the “First Annual Mountainside Mardi Gras," the festival brought together some ...

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Take Five With Susan Perti-Dunn

by AAJ Staff
August 23, 2009

Instrument(s):Piano, vocals, and keyboard.Teachers and/or influences?All teachers have influenced me over the years. Some more than others, but all have touched me and allowed me to grow as a person. Influences: Diana Krall, Karen Carpenter, Bonnie Raitt, Shania Twain, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Tim Janis, The Secret Garden, '70s classic rock, Mozart, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, classic jazz, and some '80s. I knew I wanted to be a musician when...I ...

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Dave Holland / Gonzalo Rubalcaba / Chris Potter / Eric Harland: The Monterey Quartet: Live at the 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival

by Mark Corroto
August 23, 2009

Supergroups thrown together for jazz festivals are, as a general rule, a disappointment. The chemistry of a regular working unit is usually missing, and they tend to resort to “theme-solo-theme" weariness. Not so when the supergroup is made up of dedicated composers and listeners such as The Monterey Quartet, assembled on the occasion of Monterey's 50th anniversary celebration concerts in 2007.

Bassist Dave Holland, together with two familiar players--Chris Potter and Eric Harland--are joined by the Cuban pianist ...

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Take Five With Scott Forrey of Vector Trio

by AAJ Staff
August 23, 2009

Meet Scott Forrey: Scott Forrey has played trumpet with jazz, funk, Latin, and avant-garde bands for more that 30 years. He was both a student and faculty member at Berklee College of Music in the 1980s, where he studied improvisation with saxophonist George Garzone and bassist Miroslav Vitous. Among his interests are composition, arranging and scoring film, digital recording technology, and collaborating with poets and other artists. In 1999 Scott contributed to the score of the independent British ...

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Alexander Hawkins Ensemble: No Now Is So...

by John Sharpe
August 22, 2009

Both the enigmatic title and Red Planet sleeve photography of this debut recording by Alexander Hawkins' six-piece ensemble suggest something out of the ordinary. The feeling is confirmed by a glance at the distinctive instrumentation, which pitches the strings of cellist Hannah Marshall, guitarist Otto Fischer and bassist Dominic Lash against the percussion of Javier Carmona and the Hawinkins' piano, with the wildcard being vibraphonist Orphy Robinson's steel pans. Elsewhere Hawkins is fast making a name for himself, recording with ...