Jazz Articles about Addison Frei

About Addison Frei

Radio & Podcasts

Marc Cary, Wayne Shorter, Betty Carter & Addison Frei

by Joe Dimino
December 22, 2024

Kicking off the 885th episode of Neon Jazz, we dive in with New York City pianist Addison Frei and the title track from his new 2024 album, Coin Flip. A talent with deep Kansas City roots, Addison sets the tone before we shift to Marc Cary, a mentor who's shared meaningful time and music with him over the years. From there, we round out the year in style, showcasing standout sounds from Melinda Rose, Frenchy Romero, Yannick Benoit, Nico Moreno, ...

Album Review

Ben Wolfe: Unjust

Read "Unjust" reviewed by Maurizio Zerbo

by Maurizio Zerbo
December 11, 2023

Sul piano compositivo e dell'organizzazione sonora, Unjust è uno dei più luminosi gioielli jazzistici degli ultimi anni. Contrabbassista di ragguardevole talento, Ben Wolfe ribadisce nel suo decimo progetto discografico la predilezione per architetture ariose ma arzigogolate, dimostrando come la scrittura jazzistica possa captare lo spirito dei tempi nel rispetto dei classici modelli di riferimento. A dimostrare come il contrabbassista statunitense non si accontenti di riprodurre le idee altrui, l'impasto sonoro del suo ottetto trascende le atmosfere post-boppistiche e ...

Album Review

Ben Wolfe: Unjust

by Dave Linn
May 19, 2023

The history of modern jazz contains only a handful of bass players who have both led their own groups and been visionary in their compositions and approach. Charles Mingus, Charlie Haden, Dave Holland, Jaco Pastorius and Christian McBride are those who come to mind. With the release of his 10th album, Unjust, Ben Wolfe shows he belongs in that group. Wolfe began his musical career as a classical bassist and studied at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in ...

Album Review

Staci Griesbach: My George Jones Songbook

Read "My George Jones Songbook" reviewed by William H. Snyder

by William H. Snyder
October 11, 2021

Some might question why write an All About Jazz review of an album featuring songs made popular by George Jones? Duke Ellington had the answer when he said, “There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind ... the only yardstick by which the result should be judged is simply that of how it sounds. If it sounds good it's successful; if it doesn't it has failed." Staci Griesbach and her colleagues have made good music ...

Album Review

Kristiana Roemer: House of Mirrors

Read "House of Mirrors" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson
March 27, 2021

Kristiana Roemer is a young German singer whose voice has a lilt and plush texture reminiscent of Annette Peacock. On this, her first album, she uses her intriguing sound in the service of both conventional jazz tunes and floating, airy pieces which border on art songs. Most of the material here is her own writing, though some lyrics derive from others' poetry. In addition, she proves her jazz bona fides by including familiar tunes by Stanley Turrentine and Charles Mingus. ...

Album Review

Cowboys & Frenchmen: Our Highway

Read "Our Highway" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
February 20, 2021

Okay, the name may be rather out of the ordinary (Cowboys & Frenchmen?), but once past that, what remains is a burnished New York City-based quintet whose music might best be described as decidedly liberated and contemporary. This isn't “free" jazz wherein each member of the group goes his own separate way; there is, however, a large share of free-lancing within the established boundaries of melody, harmony and rhythm that moderate all save the most ungoverned forms of the music. ...

Album Review

Jocelyn Gould: Elegant Traveler

Read "Elegant Traveler" reviewed by David A. Orthmann

by David A. Orthmann
May 10, 2020

The first thing that attracts attention on Elegant Traveler, Jocelyn Gould's debut as a leader, is her guitar's tone. The sound she coaxes from the instrument has a profound effect on the music as a whole, yet it remains intimate, unpretentious and disarming. Whether Gould is playing a melody, improvising, or offering sparse accompaniment, it is these qualities, instead of an anxious, rapid-fire delivery, which lead the way. Every note is struck with care, stands up on its own, and ...