Jazz Articles about Ben Allison

About Ben Allison

Interview

Ugly Beauty: The Music and Mind of Ben Allison

by AAJ Staff
January 13, 2023

This interview was conducted by Paul F. Roberts and was first published at All About Jazz in September 2001. All of us have a story in our head-a myth of how a new jazz talent gets discovered. Here's how it goes: The young musician—let's call him “the Kid"-practices alone in his bedroom for hour upon hour, playing along with the records of his hero, who we'll refer to as “the Star." It doesn't really matter what ...

Interview

An AAJ Interview with Ben Allison

by AAJ Staff
January 12, 2023

This interview, conducted by Allen Huotari, was first published at All About Jazz in September 1999. As history has taught us, it's not enough to be gifted with talent, one must live up to the burden that “potential" brings. Paradoxically and ironically, the blessing of having one's abilities recognized in public forum is the curse of scrutiny. Although journalists covering popular arts and entertainment are notorious for falling over each other in an effort to “discover" the next ...

Album Review

Frank Kimbrough: Frank Kimbrough 2003 - 2006

Read "Frank Kimbrough 2003 - 2006" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
August 15, 2022

Frank Kimbrough, who died in December 2020, was a pianist of passionate originality, whose playing can be defined by an ease of technique coupled with a flow of ideas and meticulous execution. This current release, Frank Kimbrough 2003-2006, features newly mixed and remastered versions of the pianist's 2003 album Lullabluebye and the 2006 follow-up release Play. These albums were thought to be representative of a particularly productive period in his career. On Lullabluebye, Kimbrough is accompanied ...

Album Review

Frank Kimbrough: Frank Kimbrough 2003 - 2006

Read "Frank Kimbrough 2003 - 2006" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
August 2, 2022

Pianist Frank Kimbrough (1956 -2020) was involved in a good deal of collaboration throughout his career, with the Herbie Nichols Project and, most notably, his twenty-four year, seven CD stint in the piano chair of the Maria Schneider Orchestra, where he elevated an already high altitude music to an even loftier level. Such was Kimbrough's willingness to give his all in sideman contexts with like-minded artists that it could be argued that his own work as a leader may not ...

Album Review

Ben Allison: Moments Inside

Read "Moments Inside" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
November 15, 2021

Delizioso. Le sempre cantabili composizioni di Ben Allison, i raffinati intrecci dei chitarristi Steve Cardenas e Chico Pinheiro, l'insinuante apporto ritmico del leader e di Allan Mednard, fanno di questo 14° album del bassista un'altra gemma. Per timore di essere equivocati non usiamo il termine cool ma in senso ampio quell'estetica è viva, accanto ad aromi soulful, nostalgici echi di Brasile e bossa nova (c'è tutta la grazia di Gilberto e Jobim), più melodie cristalline che si ...

Radio & Podcasts

Malcolm Jiyane, Ben Allison, Nicole Glover, Giovanni Guidi & Other New Releases

by Ludovico Granvassu
November 6, 2021

One of the best things about today's jazz scene is its sheer variety. A glimpse of that is on display in this set, starting with a special treat for Mondo Jazz's loyal listeners: Ben Allison's “Breakfast with Eric," a tune that has a very special story... listen to the show to find out why. A special mention for the debut album by Malcolm Jiyane; once more... listen to the show and find out for yourself! Happy listening!

Album Review

Steve Cardenas: Blue Has A Range

Read "Blue Has A Range" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
February 9, 2021

Espressi con uno stile del tutto personale, ritroviamo in Steve Cardenas la ricchezza di accenti, le sfumature cromatiche e il patrimonio di sottigliezze melodiche e ritmiche che hanno caratterizzato -da prospettive diverse-chitarristi ben più noti di lui: ad esempio Jimmy Raney, Jim Hall e Pat Metheny. Il chitarrista è tanto significativo quanto riservato e resta per questo poco noto al grande pubblico; eppure ha fatto parte dell'Electric Bebop Band di Paul Motian, del quintetto di Steve Swallow, della ...