Jazz Articles

like 243

Cromagnon: Cave Rock

by Raul d'Gama Rose
July 17, 2009

It would be a travesty of justice to suggest--as some critics have--that there is only one stand-out track on this historic reissue of Cromagnon's only full-length release, Cave Rock. That track is “Caledonia," which is no doubt a magnificent song. For almost four-and-a-half minutes, the inner ear is treated to a priceless amalgam of Celtic music: the moaning bagpipes, dark and throbbing electric guitars, and relentlessly militaristic drums came together in a song that was so far ahead of its ...

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David Binney: Third Occasion

by J Hunter
July 17, 2009

The cool thing about liner notes is they contain clues about other places to look for great music. For example, cast members of Joel Harrison's flame-throwing Urban Myths (HighNote, 2009) have their own fish to fry: keyboardist Daniel Kelly gave the piano trio format a good swift kick with Emerge (Brooklyn Jazz Underground, 2009), and now altoist David Binney has cooked up the phenomenal Third Occasion.

Evoking classical theatre, a Greek chorus appears first with “Introdução," a portent of things ...

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Badal Roy: Keeping the Groove

by Chris Kompanek
July 17, 2009

India-born tabla player Badal Roy has spent the past four decades playing with some of jazz's greatest giants, including John McLaughlin, Miles Davis and Ornette Coleman. He has been playing with fellow On the Corner alum Michael Henderson, as part of the Miles from India tour. Backstage before a recent concert at the Iridium in New York City, he shared stories of Miles and the musicians who influenced him.All About Jazz: When did you start playing tabla?

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Alexander Zonjic: Doin' the D

by Jeff Winbush
July 17, 2009

Last year it had the highest murder rate in America. The mayor resigned in disgrace following a sex scandal and went to prison. Its football team won all its games in the preseason and went on to lose every game in the regular season. That's how things went for the city of Detroit last year and boy, could it use a hug.

Along comes Alexander Zonjic with flute in hand and big bouquet of roses for a town that's often ...

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Take Five With Noah Becker

by AAJ Staff
July 17, 2009

Meet Noah Becker:Noah Becker is a tenor saxophonist. A resident of New York City since 2004. Becker has recorded with Terry Deane, Kurt Rosenwinkel, George Colligan and many other prominent musicians.Instrument(s): Tenor, alto and soprano sax.Teachers and/or influences? Pat LaBarbera, Bob Mover, Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, John Coltrane.I knew I wanted to be a musician when... I found myself practicing a lot and listening to Joe Henderson.Your sound and approach ...

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Molde Jazz: Day 3, July 15, 2009

by John Kelman
July 17, 2009

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 Christian Wallumrød Ensemble with Arve Henriksen / Kristin AsbjørnsenMolde Jazz Molde, Norway July 15, 2009Located on a large fjord, Molde's weather is moderated by its proximity to the ocean, about 30 kilometers away. There are some dramatic changes, however, with weather systems moving in and out so quickly that the old saying, “you ...

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Tom Abbs: Lost & Found

by Raul d'Gama Rose
July 16, 2009

It is possible to respond to Tom Abbs & Frequency Response's Lost & Found with eyes wide shut, ears completely unlocked and a body ready to leap up and dance to some of its eighteen randomly arranged musical fragments. There is a cerebral angle here, most likely deliberate on the part of the artist. It has to do with the arrangement of the fragments--the songs, that is. Some are inspired by visual images and intended to sound like aural depictions ...

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Soft Heap: Soft Heap

by Nic Jones
July 16, 2009

None of the four gentlemen pictured standing on a London street in the booklet for this one are with us anymore, but their brand of music is a perfect antidote to somber reflection. Recorded in 1978 by a quartet of stalwarts from the likes of Soft Machine, Hatfield And The North and Gilgamesh, the music is rife with the aesthetics such backgrounds suggest, but at the same time there's an element of fire which is entirely the product of this ...

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Vision Festival 2009: Day 4

by John Sharpe
July 16, 2009

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

Miriam Parker's Corridor / Charles Gayle Trio / The Ras Ensemble / The Ayler Project / Zim Ngqawana and the Collective Quartet 14th Annual Vision Festival Abrons Arts Center New York City June 12, 2009

On Friday the Vision Festival was sold out again, with the line stretching down the road. On ...

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Louis Sclavis: Lost On The Way

by Jeff Dayton-Johnson
July 16, 2009

Clash of the jazz titans! Miles Davis famously remarked that the late Eric Dolphy played “like someone was standing on his feet." An uncharacteristically bad bit of timing for Davis: his comments appeared in print just after the tragically early death of the great multi-reedsman in 1964. Many years later, it is possible both to find Davis's comment kind of true and pretty funny, while still loving Dolphy's music.Louis Sclavis has subtly, and probably unwittingly, bridged the divide ...