Jazz Articles

like 488

Esperanza Spalding Live at Central Park Summerstage

by Ernest Barteldes
July 4, 2009

Esperanza Spalding Central Park Summerstage New York, New York June 28, 2009

The Oregon-born bassist and vocalist seems to have found her voice as an entertainer. At least comparing what we saw last Sunday with her performances at the Jazz Standard earlier this year, one could notice that Spalding has developed a fully-fledged stage persona that in turn helped elevate her music to much greater heights.

Casually dressed in jeans and a tan ...

like 500

July 2009

by AAJ Staff
July 4, 2009

Smoke Big BandSmokeNew York City June 4, 2009When the Smoke Big Band, under the direction of Bill Mobley, crowded onto the Smoke bandstand for its second set (Jun. 4th), the focus was on music by '80s-era Jazz Messengers alumni: Billy Pierce, Donald Brown and Mulgrew Miller. Mobley is a trumpeter, but in this setting he solely conducted, leaving the playing to a crack 15-piece band. They began with Pierce's “Sudan Blue," swinging at mid-tempo ...

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Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Strings: Renegades

by John Barron
July 4, 2009

Flutist Nicole Mitchell has been earning much deserved praise as of late for her various Chicago-based projects. Mitchell was voted Jazz Flutist of the Year in 2008 by the Jazz Journalist Association and in 2006 the Chicago Tribune named her Chicagoan of the Year. On Renegades, Mitchell's second release for Delmark Records, the Co-President of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) takes the listener on a fun, unpredictable ride with her boisterous Black Earth Strings ...

like 153

3 Play+: American Waltz

by Jerry D'Souza
July 4, 2009

The music of a band is determined by its players. 3 Play+ assimilates its diverse influences to bring about a confluent whole. The music scopes a wide panorama, from lilting waltz to startlingly fractured-time piece. Each track is a miniature encapsulation of its innovation, an inspired journey into the known and the unexpected.

3 Play+ is co-led by pianist Josh Rosen and bassist Lello Molinari. Rosen's musical biography is a cross-cultural musical travelogue; besides playing with Bennie Wallace and The ...

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Reggie Nicholson: Timbre Suite & Surreal Feel

by Francis Lo Kee
July 4, 2009

Reggie Nicholson Timbre Suite Abstract 2008 Reggie NicholsonSurreal FeelAbstract2009 Timbre Suite is a six-movement composition that focuses on the percussion instruments and the “sound-color" of which those instruments are capable. The suite and the titles of its movements ("Purple," “Green," etc.) are a little play on words and indeed the music has a playful ...

like 221

Johnny Griffin: The Best Of Johnny Griffin

by Martin Gladu
July 4, 2009

If big things often come in small packages, then Johnny Griffin's case as one of the music's top “tough tenors" really need not be plead. Affectionately nicknamed “Lil' Giant" for his diminutive stature, the late saxophonist was all but diminutive came time to rip through changes and defend his title--as would a proud, prized champion--as the fastest saxophonist roaming the nightclub circuit.

An explosive soloist indeed reputed for his incendiary chops and hearty tone, many often overlook the ...

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Michael Bisio Five Bass Hit: Live at Vision Fest. XII; By Any Other Name; Collar City Creatology; Colored Houses; Sideways

by John Sharpe
July 4, 2009

Michael Bisio Quartet live at Vision Fest. XII NotTwo 2009 Old Dog By Any Other Name Porter Records 2009 Michael Bisio/ George Muscatello/ Dean Sharp Collar City Creatology MJB Records 2008 Jack Gold-Molina Colored Houses Sol Disk 2009 Bob Gluck ...

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Houston Person: The Wizard of Jazz A Tribute to Harold Arlen, Well,Alright! Nancy Kelly Live, A Song For You

by Andrew Velez
July 4, 2009

Peter Hand Big BandThe Wizard of Jazz: A Tribute to Harold Arlen (feat. Houston Person)Savant2009 Nancy KellyWell, Alright!: Live! with Houston PersonSaying It With Jazz2009 Ernestine AndersonA Song For YouHighNote2008 As he continues on well into his 8th decade as the go-to tenor sax man, the ...

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Bending the Mainstream: Harry Allen, Nicki Parrott & Eddie Metz Jr.

by Elliott Simon
July 4, 2009

Nicki ParrottFly Me to the MoonVenus Records2009 The Eddie Metz Jr. TrioBridging the GapArbors Records2008 Stan Getz characterized the challenge that tenor saxophonists face as singing perfectly on an imperfect instrument. Harry Allen takes up Getz' challenge with a beautiful instrumental voice that hearkens back to the wonderfully vocal playing of the master himself. ...

like 246

Piano and Bass: Now Was the Time/Blues for Zarathustra

by Elliott Simon
July 4, 2009

Harvie S with Kenny BarronNow Was the TimeSavant Records2008 Ron Thomas and Paul KlinefelterBlues for ZarathustraArt of Life Records2008 Nothing against piano trios or drummers, but eliminating the latter can result in a far more elegant and interesting musical conversation. Part of the reason may be that in this trimmed-down setting the bass is ...