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Jazz Articles about Boris Kozlov
Blue Moods: Swing & Soul
by David A. Orthmann
Swing & Soul is the second in a series of recordings by Blue Moods, one of the projects initiated by Posi-Tone Records producer Marc Free to attract new listeners to jazz. The release showcases a collection of compositions by pianist Duke Pearson, an underrecognized figure who worked for Blue Note as an A&R man, arranger, and sideman, in addition to leading several dates that remain in high regard by many aficionados. Five of Posi-Tone's leading lights, tenor ...
Continue ReadingArt Hirahara: Echo Canyon
by Neil Duggan
The planned happenstance theory states that unplanned events can create new opportunities. So it was that Art Hirahara was in the right place at the right time, taking last-minute advantage of studio time at Brooklyn's Acoustic Recording studio following a cancellation by another artist. Along with his long time collaborators, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Rudy Royston, the session produced the album, Echo Canyon. This is his ninth album for the Posi-Tone Records label and follows on from Verdant Valley ...
Continue ReadingJosh Lawrence: And That Too
by David A. Orthmann
Less than ten seconds into “Grit," the opening track of Josh Lawrence's latest chapter as a leader for Posi-Tone Records, the trumpeter uncorks a jaw-dropping solo. Set in a brisk, no-nonsense tempo, it does not so much eclipse the music that follows as it sets the tone for the record by declaring that And That Too is playful and deadly serious. Lawrence's rich, full-bodied tone is the entryway to over two minutes of unadulterated invention. Every note ...
Continue ReadingDiego Rivera: Love & Peace
by David A. Orthmann
While some of its roots lie in jazz practices of the mid-to-late twentieth century, Diego Rivera's Love & Peace brushes aside the expectations and comparisons which often accompany newly-recorded records that bear a resemblance to sounds from the past. The tenor and soprano saxophonist assembled a cast of players who frequently appear on Posi-Tone releases. Pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Rudy Royston have met the challenges of loads of jazz and improvised music projects, ...
Continue ReadingSomething Blue: Personal Preference
by David A. Orthmann
Marc Free produced the second edition of Something Blue to encourage “a wider audience of new listeners" to jazz by presenting “a focused program of concise performances to provide maximum enjoyment." These goals are congruent with Free's trust in his artists. The eleven tracks of Personal Preference do not smack of compromise or a nebulous artistic focus. Free has assembled a band of players with ties to the label who boldly stride through the bop/hard bop/post-bop continuum, utilizing elements from ...
Continue ReadingJoe McCarthy's New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band: The Pan American Nutcracker Suite
by Jack Bowers
Yes, Peter Tchaikovsky's timeless Nutcracker Suite is basically holiday music; and, yes, the 2022 holiday season is squarely in everyone's rear-view mirror. Even so, there is always room for a fresh approach to the annual festive staple, which is what drummer Joe McCarthy's New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band brings to The Pan American Nutcracker Suite. The Nutcracker has been rhythmically amended before, but never quite like this, as McCarthy and the band use the strong ...
Continue ReadingOpus 5: Introducing Opus 5
by Josef Woodard
The Evident Charms and Secret Powers of Five For all the myriad varieties and contextual possibilities under the rubric of what makes for a valid jazz group, there is something distinctively powerful and tradition-enriched about the number five. Smaller groups tighten up the focus on individual voices involved, and often frame a specified protagonist leader, while larger groupings accentuate the greater good of the team. By contrast, the quintet format, especially in the conventional format of trumpet and tenor sax ...
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