Jazz Articles about Brad Whiteley

About Brad Whiteley

Album Review

Charlie Apicella and Iron City Meet the Griots Speak: Destiny Calling

Read "Destiny Calling" reviewed by Troy Dostert

by Troy Dostert
June 29, 2023

Since the early 2000s, guitarist Charlie Apicella's Iron City trio has devoted itself to maintaining the tradition of soulful, organ-based jazz. The aptly-titled Groove Machine (OA2 Records, 2019) preceded Destiny Calling, the group's 2023 album. And the latest one is quite a change-up. For this outing, Apicella has teamed up with The Griots Speak, an all-star assemblage of veterans who trace their roots to the halcyon days of the New York loft scene of the 1970s: multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter, percussionist ...

Album Review

Charlie Apicella & Iron City: The Griots Speak: Destiny Calling

Read "The Griots Speak: Destiny Calling" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
June 18, 2023

Guitarist Charlie Apicella and his organ trio Iron City are solidly based in the hard-bop mainstream. However, some of their releases are flavored with other motifs, partially by virtue of the guest artists. For instance, the tribute to legendary guitarist B.B. King, Payin' the Cost To Be the Boss (CArlo, Music, 2016), with an augmented sextet, was aptly bluesy. Meanwhile Classic Guitar (Zoho, 2020), with tenor saxophonist Stephen Riley, was an intimate interpretation of the Great American Songbook.

Album Review

Brad Whiteley: Presence

Read "Presence" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic

by Mike Jurkovic
April 12, 2019

It's not stretching the imagination to wonder where and how New York City fits the myriad of excellent jazz players who call the city home. They come, gratefully, from everywhere, bringing with them fresh ideas, odd twists on the tried and true and a creative energy that lights this most fertile diaspora. Making comparisons with Dave Brubeck can often be a stretch of that same imagination and also a fool's errand. But Whiteley, who navigates his many selves—his ...

Album Review

Brad Whiteley: Presence

Read "Presence" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson
February 11, 2019

Pianist Brad Whiteley has had a lot of varied experiences in his career. He has played with rock artists like Regina Spektor and David Byrne and improvisers like Dave Liebman and Cameron Mizell. He's also worked on film soundtracks and played in the pit band of a Broadway show. That eclecticism is reflected in Presence--his second album as a leader--through his original compositions mixing varying combinations of jazz-rock, mainstream jazz, progressive rock, and jazz-funk. “Dusk" begins the program ...

Album Review

Brad Whiteley: Pathless Land

Read "Pathless Land" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
April 8, 2014

Pathless Land doesn't live up to its title. The name of this album suggests music that's dense and sonically impassable, but that's the antithesis of what actually awaits; instead of unnavigable constructs, pianist/organist Brad Whiteley delivers music that's easy and enjoyable to traverse. Whiteley's built his reputation as an accompanist and music director, working with artists as diverse as witty pop songstress Regina Spektor, Broadway singer Jeri Sager, and opera-to-cabaret cross-over vocalist Sylvia McNair. On the surface, ...