Jazz Articles
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Atley King: Unconditional
by Jack Bowers
Unconditional is the debut recording as leader by Atley King who is described in a press release as “Canada's leading young jazz vibraphonist." While that portrayal may or may not be true--not to mention gratuitous--King is very good, as are the members of his admirable quintet. Besides playing splendidly, King wrote the first eight of the album's nine selections, closing with John Coltrane's soulful “Naima." His compositions are fine, albeit more or less generic--that is to say, ...
Continue ReadingJames Brandon Lewis' Red Lily Quintet: Sparrow
by Chris May
Here is the opening track from James Brandon Lewis' Red Lily Quintet's For Mahalia, With Love (TAO Forms, 2023), a celebration of the music of Mahalia Jackson, remaining true to its original essence but framing it in a jazz context. Not since Oded Tzur's Isabela (ECM, 2022) has such an exalted tenor saxophone-led album come along. Is that Albert Ayler on the tenor, and brother Donald on the cornet? No, but having been summoned, the Aylers stay close to hand, ...
Continue ReadingThe Modern Beat Combo: Soul-Jazz Reflections
by Jerome Wilson
The Modern Beat Combo is a British group with an affinity for American mainstream jazz and jazz fusion, which they demonstrate through the swinging, supple grooves they consistently put out on this album. Their skill at fusion is shown best by their version of Miles Davis' “It's About That Time" where Steve Harding's electric piano maintains a funky groove over the thick, bubbling electric bass of Dave Good and the simmering percussion laid down by John Baker and ...
Continue ReadingNew releases from 2024 bassist Mark Egan, Julian Lage, and David Aubaile
by Len Davis
New releases from 2024 including bassist Mark Egan from Crosscurrents , Julian Lage, from Speak To Me and from Canada multi-instrumentalist David Aubaile with Trafiquants. The new single from drummer Ollie Usiskin Improv In Three. From the Netherlands guitarist Elewoot de Raad, from Ukraine pianist Ruslan Siorota, and from Italy the Lo Greco Brothers from Stand Up And Dance. Brazilian drummer Ramon Montagner and Japanese band Trix from Parade. Playlist Mark Egan “Pocket Call" from Crosscurrents (Wavetone) 00:00 ...
Continue ReadingVijay Iyer: Compassion
by Mike Jurkovic
As the title track of Compassion gets conjured up on a rubato tumble of Tyshawn Sorey's cymbals, bassist Linda May Han Oh begins her work which--on all of Compassion--is herculean. Vijay Iyer ushers in, and a quiet thing of beauty gets underway. It is one of the album's monster tracks. And eleven more tracks follow. Much like the trio's 2021 ECM effort Uneasy, Compassion makes for a most intense and most satisfying listen. “Arch" is a vivid display ...
Continue ReadingDi Castri, Cisi and Zirilli 'More for Joe' at Milestone in Piacenza
by Danilo Codazzi
A collection of photos from the Di Castri, Cisi, Zirilli “More for Joe," concert at Milestone in Piacenza on January 28, 2024 featuring Furio Di Castri, Emanuele Cisi, and Enzo Zirilli. ...
Continue ReadingIntroducing Pianist Tyler Bullock
by Sanford Josephson
Tyler Bullock began taking classical piano lessons in his hometown of Nashville when he was four years old. Eight years later, he discovered jazz through an organization called the Nashville Jazz Workshop. “It's kind of similar to Jazz House Kids," he said. “They have classes and summer camps. It was a summer camp I went to, and that just opened up the world to me." Lori Mechem, Founder and Director of Education at NJW, remembered that Bullock “was ...
Continue ReadingEddie Henderson: Everything Changes
by Ian Patterson
Eddie Henderson made his name in Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band in the early 1970s, at the dawn of jazz-fusion--a new frontier. It was undoubtedly a launching pad that saw the New York-born trumpeter go on to play with Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Elvin Jones, Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders and McCoy Tyner. Yet Henderson has always been his own man. From Realization (Capricorn, 1973) to Witness To History (Smoke Sessions, 2023), Henderson has built an impressive career ...
Continue ReadingEddie Henderson: Polishing The Mirror of Truth
by Steven Roby
When a jazz musician rolls into Denver for a performance, it's not often that a documentary film and immersive art exhibition await them. But jazz great Eddie Henderson is no ordinary musician, nor has he led an ordinary life. A few hours before Henderson played a two-show set at Denver's premier jazz venue, Dazzle, an exhibit called Time and Spaces: The Life of Eddie Henderson opened to the public at the CU Denver Experience Gallery in the Denver ...
Continue ReadingQ3: Water Speckled Midnight
by Neil Duggan
Named after a species of lichen, Water Speckled Midnight is the third album from British quartet, Q3. Their debut came with 2014's Spider Dance (Lenox Music) and was followed by Monkey Puzzle Tree in 2019 (Lenox Music). Whilst hardly prolific, it does suggest that the tunes are gestated over a long time. That is borne out by the finely-crafted melodies and well thought through arrangements that are revealed here. This instrumental line-up of the quartet consists of five-string ...
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