Jazz Articles

like 218

Andrew Rathbun: Where Are We Now

by Mark Corroto
July 5, 2009

It is quite insouciant to categorize jazz musicians as either composers or players. But jazz devotees sometimes typecast artists as writers or interpreters of music. With a mature talent such as composer/saxophonist Andrew Rathbun, categorizing him in one camp or the other is unwarranted.

With Where We Are Now, his tenth disc as leader, he displays his growing maturity as a player and more of his acclaimed talents as composer/arranger.

Like his last few discs, he sets aside his taste ...

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Chucho Valdes Quintet at 2009 Ottawa International Jazz Festival

by Marcia Hillman
July 5, 2009

Chucho Valdés Quintet 2009 Ottawa International Jazz Festival Ottawa, Canada July 3, 2009

The rain held off and skies cleared just in time for the Chucho Valdés Quintet to delight the audience at the Ottawa Jazz Festival, Confederation Park. The group-consisting of Chucho Valdés on piano, Lazaro Alarcon on bass, drummer Juan Carlos Rojas, percussionist Yurali Abreu and vocalist Mayra Caridad Valdés (who appeared later in the set)--started the set with an Ellington ...

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Jon Bremen: Lines

by Matthew Warnock
July 5, 2009

Lines is an intellectually engaging and emotionally stimulating release by L.A. based guitarist extraordinaire Jon Bremen. Bremen and his quintet perform with a very tight groove throughout, though they are just loose enough to allow each tune to ebb and flow into new and exciting directions. This strong group dynamic, coupled with compelling compositions and energetic improvisations, come together to produce an album that pays tribute to the jazz tradition while breaking new ground in the realm of the guitar ...

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Michael Jackson: The Possibility of Communion

by Jeff Dayton-Johnson
July 5, 2009

Can anyone write about Michael Jackson's music without talking about themselves? My story goes like this. An after-school dance in the multi-use room at Charlotte Wood Junior High School. I'm 13 years old, my back firmly affixed to the wall, together with my coterie of friends, watching the less socially awkward kids dance in the center of the room. All of a sudden an insistent bass line, tapping me on the shoulder, resonating in my gut like butterflies in my ...

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Arc: The Pursuit Of Happiness

by Glenn Astarita
July 5, 2009

This album's title justifiably parallels the trio's radiant synergy. With their third release as a unit, this 2009 outing signifies the artists' initial employment of live electronics--a component that has been gaining steam with improvisation-centric bands over the years. But like anything else, good taste and using effects as an instrument stand as the antithesis of some heavily employed electronics configurations that can at times, saturate core musical aspects. Here, the unit seamlessly combines the best of both worlds into ...

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Boris Savoldelli / Elliott Sharp: Protoplasmic

by John Kelman
July 5, 2009

In the realm of free improvisation and even more structured pursuits, the limits of the human voice are being tested and expanded more than ever before by artists including Norwegians Sidsel Endresen and her groundbreaking One (Sofa, 2007), and Maja Ratkje with her equally innovative River Mouth Echoes (Tzadik, 2008). Italian singer Boris Savoldelli may have been mentored by Mark Murphy, but his approach on Protoplasmic--a challenging series of free improvisations recorded without overdubs with free-spirited guitarist Elliott Sharp--owes more, ...

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Timothy Leary: Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out

by Raul d'Gama Rose
July 5, 2009

The historic Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out is not to be confused with the synonymously titled musical recording that infamous '60s “tune in, drop out" spokesperson Timothy Leary also did for ESP Disk. That disc consisted of narrated meditation by Leary mixed in with psychedelic rock music played on the veena, an Indian drone instrument, by Maryvonne Giercerz, along with guitarist Lars Eric and tablaist Richard Bond. That recording is rather a guided tour of mind-expanding meditation; this record, ...

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Montreal Jazz Festival: Days 1-3 July 1-3, 2009

by John Kelman
July 5, 2009

Days 1-3 | Days 4-6 | Days 7-9 Festival International de Jazz de Montreal Montreal, Quebec, Canada July 1-3, 2009 It's the 30th Anniversary for the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal (FIJM) and, based on the stellar line-up, it promises to surpass its 25th Anniversary celebration from 2004. Opening with one of the outdoor street festivals for which it's become world renown, over 200,000 people attended a free pre-festival concert by ...

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The Taj Mahal Trio at Higher Ground

by Doug Collette
July 4, 2009

The Taj Mahal Trio Higher Ground South Burlington, Vermont June 18, 2009

Given the pre-show buzz in the ballroom, it is quite likely Taj Mahal had the Higher Ground crowd in the palm of his hand before he even ambled onstage on June 18th. He didn't take their loyalty for granted, however, or just go through the motions--he only made it look that easy.

More a stylist than an innovator, Taj Mahal has nevertheless ...

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Towner Galaher: Courageous Hearts

by J Hunter
July 4, 2009

Thanks to a weapons-grade lineup and original compositions that recall the salad days of The Brecker Brothers, Towner Galaher's Courageous Hearts has more than its share of awesome moments. However, Courageous also begs a question about the drummer that was asked about Mike Tyson back in the day: Can he do more than just hit really hard?

Like Tyson, Galaher works fast: Most of his music comes in under five minutes, with two pieces clocking in around 3:45. In the ...