Jazz Articles about Alex Acuña

About Alex Acuña

Album Review

Some artists feel obligated to put out a new record every one-point-three years, or whatever their factory warranty calls for (mileage may vary). Others are more interested in quality than quantity. On her first record since Standard Blue (Prana, 2017), jazz vocalist Marilyn Scott has something to say about The Landscape. More than the title track, Scott's concerns with our landscape is the scope and focus of seven original compositions, all co-written with pianists Russ Ferrante or Scott Kinsey. Scott ...

Album Review

Lyle Mays: Eberhard

Read "Eberhard" reviewed by Mario Calvitti

by Mario Calvitti
October 11, 2021

La prematura scomparsa di Lyle Mays nel febbraio 2020 ha privato il mondo di uno straordinario musicista, troppo poco considerato al di fuori dell'importantissimo contributo da lui dato all'interno del Pat Metheny Group, dove ha rappresentato l'ideale complemento del chitarrista dal 1977 al 2010 prima di decidere di abbandonare definitivamente la scena musicale per dedicarsi professionalmente al mondo del software, un altro dei suoi numerosi interessi. Se i periodi trascorsi a fianco di Pat Metheny ne hanno ...

Album Review

Lyle Mays: Eberhard

by John Kelman
August 20, 2021

When pianist, keyboardist, synthesist and composer Lyle Mays passed away at the far too young age of 66 following a long battle with a recurring (but, to this day, undisclosed) illness in February 2020, it was a major loss for his fans. It was an especially deep body blow to those who'd followed his decades-long work as performer and compositional collaborator with Pat Metheny in the guitarist's critically and commercially acclaimed Pat Metheny Group. Mays had been largely ...

Album Review

The Jazz All Stars: The Jazz All Stars Volume 1

Read "The Jazz All Stars Volume 1" reviewed by Jim Worsley

by Jim Worsley
February 25, 2021

The gigless times of 2020--the year of the Covid-19 pandemic--could have brought musicians and the industry to their collective knees, gasping for air. Instead, it resulted in more new music than ever before. It filled our lungs with fresh air. It filled our hearts and souls, not to mention our ears. New businesses opening, defying the odds and pursuing their dreams, is a relevant factor. Le Coq Records, emerging in 2020, boldly presents an all-star ensemble—featuring many of ...

Album Review

George Kahn: DreamCatcher

Read "DreamCatcher" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
November 25, 2020

George Kahn is another one of those talented West Coast jazz pianists, in the fashion of Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis, Vince Guaraldi and Wynton Kelly. His recorded output presents a sound with a clean, bright polish, and an engaging, easy swing. Each of his previous discs shines a light on the beauty of the mainstream, especially on his terrific 2018 outing Straight Ahead (Playing Records). His tenth album, Dreamcatcher, carries on with that tradition. The group is the ...

Reassessing

Black Market

by Jeff Winbush
June 14, 2016

As Weather Report returned to the studio to cut their next album the band was yet again in flux. Gone from 1975's Tale Spinnin' line up were percussionist Alyrio Lima and drummer Ndugu Leon Chancler. Zawinul explained the latest comings-and-goings in a 1976 interview, “We're always happy with the group, because if we're not happy, we change it. There are a lot of musicians out there in the world. All the people who have played with us are ...

Album Review

Acuna - Hoff - Mathisen: Barxeta

by John Kelman
March 4, 2013

With Jungle City (Alessa, 2009), Norwegians Jan Gunnar Hoff (keyboards) and Per Mathisen (bass) documented their meeting with Peruvian-born Alex Acuña, a Weather Report alum who leapt onto the international stage, first as percussionist and then kit drummer, on the fusion super group's Black Market (Columbia, 1976) and Heavy Weather (Columbia, 1977). That, after a first rehearsal in Tromsø--situated in Norway's far north--Acuña jumped out of his seat, screaming “We have to play much more together!" only meant that Jungle ...