Jazz Articles

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NOMO: Invisible Cities

by Chris M. Slawecki
June 15, 2009

Invisible Cities is NOMO's companion piece to Ghost Rock, comprising music recorded during Ghost's recording sessions and subsequent, supporting live performances. Cities uses many of the same musicians, structures, and approaches, but Bergman and NOMO seem to focus more on pulling traditional jazz sounds into, and pushing the boundaries of electronic rock out of, its swirling dervish mix.

For example, nothing on Ghost Rock sounds like Invisible Cities' opening, title track. Powered by the dual engines of a ...

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KTU: Quiver

by John Kelman
June 15, 2009

There's often considerable difference between live and studio recording, where the facility's greater capacity for control and manipulation can almost become an additional band member. Still, for some the difference is a subtle one. In the case of KTU--a collective that began with half of King Crimson (Warr guitarist Trey Gunn and traps/button man Pat Mastelotto) working together as TU, accordionist Kimo Pohjonen and sampler Samuli Kosminen (both Finns)--there's a world of a difference. The group's debut, 8 Armed Monkey ...

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Oran Etkin: Kelenia

by Martin Gladu
June 15, 2009

As the open air arias of grilling cicadas and bustling barbecues mix in with the distant thumping of convertibles to announce the new solstice, what better than a hot, mellifluously ornate African chant to brush off what is left of spring and get everyone in a festive mood?The cause of celebration? Summer, of course. But also “Yekeke," an oasis of a song to kick off the festivities to the lively African jazz concoctions of clarinetist Oran Etkin's group, ...

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Liner Notes

by Jeff Fitzgerald, Genius
June 15, 2009

When renowned jazz critic Leonard Feather was asked about this record, he said something favorable. And thus has become the general consensus since its release in late 1959, early 1974, 1989, 1998, and finally in 2004. I'm certain that upon hearing it, you'll feel the same. The fates aligned when this session was recorded. Not only did Miles Davis discover three additional skinny ties he'd forgotten that he'd bought, but Rudy Van Gelder snagged a really sweet parking ...

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Craig Taborn: Rooted

by Ian Patterson
June 15, 2009

There is no place for fear or doubt in pianist Craig Taborn's playing--such states are banished from a mind that seeks to explore the musical possibilities of each moment with maximum freedom. Taborn's improvisational playing is a continual creation where the journey is the thing, and words like beautiful, ugly and mistake have virtually no meaning. True improvisers like Taborn, with the ability to take the leap into the unknown, have always been a fairly rare breed. ...

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Bobby Broom: Plays for Monk

by John Barron
June 14, 2009

Chicago-based guitarist Bobby Broom pays tribute to jazz icon Thelonious Monk on Plays For Monk, a fresh take on eight of the late pianist's compositions, along with a couple of standards associated with Monk's repertoire. Joining Broom for his third release on Seattle's Origin Records are his long time trio mates, bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer Kobie Watkins.

Broom does a tremendous job navigating Monk's music in a bare-bones guitar trio setting. His horn-like approach to soloing, relying ...

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Jim Black: Alas, Not Exactly a "Houseplant"

by Sean Patrick Fitzell
June 14, 2009

A day off is something drummer Jim Black rarely takes. At Skirl Party V in April, he played two sets with different bands, recorded with one the next day and left the day after that to tour Europe with another group. Next, it was Australia for several shows during the Melbourne Jazz Festival with a new trio and a concert and recording with local musicians. Black then flew straight back to Europe and picked up a last-minute gig before hitting ...

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Phish at Fenway Park, Boston, May 31, 2009

by Doug Collette
June 14, 2009

Phish Fenway Park Boston, Massachusetts May 31, 2009

When the sun broke through the clouds just as Trey Anastasio took his first solo of the night May 31st, there seemed to be no other place to be than Fenway Park in Boston listening to Phish. In their first show since their triumphant return to performing in March of this year in Hampton VA, the quartet appeared genuinely happy to be playing ...

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James Tartaglia's Free Funk Assembly: Dark Metaphysic

by Jeff Dayton-Johnson
June 14, 2009

Thanks, as ever, to Google, it's possible to say with near certainty that British saxophonist James Tartaglia, leader of this electric funk-jazz ensemble, is the same person as Keele University lecturer in philosophy James Tartaglia, which raises an interesting question: what is the link between philosophy and funk?This is not the first time the question has been posed. A lot of '70s-era music by Sun Ra drew upon funk to ground its elevated philosophical conceits (e.g. Space Is ...

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Mark Dresser & Denman Maroney: Live In Concert

by Nic Jones
June 14, 2009

Bassist Mark Dresser is a veteran of Anthony Braxton's quartet and Denman Maroney is the creator of the term “hyperpiano," used to distinguish his approach from that of other pianists using prepared techniques for piano. Those two factors alone say enough about where their music is coming from, which by default arguably places great emphasis on where they take it.

The program they conjure from out of the ether here covers a number of bases without losing either focus or ...