Jazz Articles about Chris Glik

About Chris Glik

Album Review

Royal Hartigan: Blood Drum Spirit: Royal Hartigan Ensemble Live in China

Read "Blood Drum Spirit: Royal Hartigan Ensemble Live in China" reviewed by Karl Ackermann

by Karl Ackermann
May 4, 2010

Recorded on Beijing, Blood Drum Spirit: Royal Hartigan Ensemble Live in China is the third of a trilogy, but includes changes from the original studio namesake. Guitarist Kevin McNeal is replaced by pianist Art Hirahara, giving the quartet a bit more punch. The first Blood Drum Spirit (Innova, 2004) entry consisted almost entirely of original compositions, other than a snippet of Duke Ellington's “Caravan." This two-disc live set features covers by artists including Ellington, Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins and Dizzy ...

232

Album Review

Royal Hartigan: Ancestors

Read "Ancestors" reviewed by Karl Ackermann

by Karl Ackermann
April 4, 2010

On paper, combining the musical influences of West Africa, America and Asia can appear a bit overwhelming. That's not the case at all on Royal Hartigan's Ancestors. The pianist/percussionist's trilogy--Blood Drum Spirit (Innova, 2004), Blood Drum Spirit Live in China (Innov a, 2008), and now Ancestors--reflects a universal viewpoint without being neatly categorized as world music. Jazz is pervasive throughout this collection, and the various musical ethnicities serve as reminders of where the genre came from and where it could ...