Jazz Articles

like 561

Mark Murphy: Inside the Mystery

by Suzanne Lorge
July 31, 2009

Beyond its stylistic differentiators, jazz contains what vocalist Mark Murphy calls “a wonderful mystery," a mystery that was fostered in small, regional clubs around the US during the '30s-40s, when Murphy was developing the distinctive vocal style that launched his decades-long career. “I've seen this mysterious quality of jazz set rooms on fire," Murphy attests. “[Rooms] where nothing was going on until the band shuffled up and this musical rhythmic thing would happen right there on the spot." ...

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Bill Frisell: Disfarmer

by John Kelman
July 31, 2009

Often a cinematic writer, guitarist Bill Frisell has composed film scores in the past, including his back-to-back release of Music For The Films Of Buster Keaton: The High Sign/One Week and Go West (both Elektra/Nonesuch, 1995) and, more recently, music for the 2007 Canadian film All Hat (Emarcy/Universal, 2008). Instead of writing for images in motion, however, Disfarmer is an album of largely original music inspired by Depression-era photographer Michael Disfarmer's arresting images of rural America. Frisell manages to capture ...

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Derek Bailey: Barcelona Chronicles

by John Eyles
July 31, 2009

Barcelona Chronicles is the collective title for two Incus DVDs and one CD which document guitarist Derek Bailey playing on three occasions in Barcelona between February 2004 and May 2005. Bailey had moved there from Hackney, London, in 2003. During the spring of 2004, he began experiencing muscular difficulties; in June 2004 he dropped his plectrum during a solo performance. He was initially wrongly diagnosed as having Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. In August 2005, he was diagnosed as having Motor Neuron ...

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Rudder: Evolving Their Groove

by Cicily Janus
July 31, 2009

Unleashing their heavily rooted and pedigreed vine upon the jazz world, Rudder has succeeded in blurring genre lines with their irresistible groove. This NYC-based foursome with Henry Hey on Keyboards, Tim Lefevbre on Bass, Keith Carlock on Drums and Chris Cheek on Sax has continued throughout the past years to scale the wall of success in both the jazz and jam-band scenes. Their new release, Matorning, released in April through Nineteen-Eight Records promises more of their intelligent, head-knocking originality. Matorning ...

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Shane Theriot: Dirty Power

by Glenn Astarita
July 31, 2009

Guitarist Shane Theriot renders a medley of craftily placed spikes and high voltage maneuvers on his third solo endeavor, featuring several legendary drummers amid a who's who of superfine Louisiana musicians and others of note. Theriot's artistry has spread across multiple genres, due to a culmination of recordings and performances with Little Feat, Boz Scaggs, Aaron Neville and Willie Nelson, among an extensive list of jazz-rock, folk and funk undertakings. Armed with superior chops and an affinity for penning memorable ...

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Christian McBride & Inside Straight: Kind of Brown

by John Barron
July 30, 2009

Bassist/composer Christian McBride is one of the most in-demand sidemen in the music business, having toured and recorded with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Diana Krall and Sting. The Philadelphia-native has also made a name for himself as a daring leader, exploring both acoustic and electronic styles. For Kind of Brown, his premier date for the Detroit-based Mack Avenue Records, McBride introduces his new acoustic jazz quintet Inside Straight, featuring pianist Eric Scott Reed, saxophonist Steve Wilson, vibraphonist ...

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Take Five With Mike Mainieri

by AAJ Staff
July 30, 2009

Meet Mike Mainieri: Primarily recognized as an award-winning jazz vibraphonist, Mike Mainieri's equally remarkable talents as producer, performer, arranger, and composer have contributed to shaping the cutting edge in music.

During '50s and early '60s, he performed with such legendary artists as Buddy Rich, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, and Wes Montgomery. At the age of 20, he won Down Beat's International Jazz Critic's Award.

In 1962, he joined the ground breaking jazz/rock group Jeremy & ...

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Diane Hubka: I Like It Here: Diane Hubka Live in Tokyo

by C. Michael Bailey
July 30, 2009

Diane Hubka has made a reputation for being a straight-ahead, no-nonsense jazz singer and guitarist. Her previous recordings--Goes to the Movies (2008, 18th & Vine), You Inspire Me (2002, VSOJAZ), Look No Further (2000, Naxos)--all reveal a keen jazz talent with a conservative singing approach and swinging guitar sensibility.

Hubka solidifies her hold on mainstream jazz vocals with an excellent live set recorded in Tokyo, December 5, 2007. Hubka is supported by the superb trio of pianist Kiyoshi Morita, bassist ...

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Evan Parker Trio at the Vortex in London

by John Sharpe
July 30, 2009

Evan Parker Trio The Vortex London, England July 16, 2009

“Support your local heroes!" is an injunction that should be familiar to every jazz fan. And that's what the Vortex Jazz Bar does on a regular basis by giving saxophone master Evan Parker a slot, usually on the last Thursday of every month. Though he has redefined the art of the possible on the saxophone, particularly the soprano, it is usually ...

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Nicolas Thys: Virgo

by Jerry D'Souza
July 30, 2009

Nicolas Thys settled down to play the acoustic bass after transitioning through the piano, flute and electric bass. After his academic days, he spent eight years in New York City, where he integrated into the jazz community and set up a long line of collaborations before moving back to Europe. The Belgian native has played with some of the best, among them Lee Konitz, Tomasz Stanko, Nils Wogram, Simon Nabotov and the Brussels Jazz Orchestra.

Thys writes some effective music. ...