Jazz Articles about Chris Lightcap

About Chris Lightcap

Album Review

Darius Jones: Legend of e'Boi (The Hypervigilant Eye)

Read "Legend of e'Boi (The Hypervigilant Eye)" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson
November 7, 2024

As Darius Jones' new album shows, even the most harrowing music can serve as a form of healing, The alto saxophonist has released a trio album that draws from his attempts to deal with personal mental trauma via a daunting musical journey that begins in screams and ends with serenity. This album is the seventh volume in Jones' nine-volume Man'ish Boy series of releases. Working in a trio format with Gerald Cleaver on drums and Chris Lightcap on ...

Album Review

Rob Brown Quartet: Oblongata

Read "Oblongata" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
July 28, 2024

Although reedman Rob Brown has a string of small group leadership outings to his name, dating back to his first, Breath Rhyme (Silkheart) in 1990, Oblongata may be one of his finest. The 2022 studio session reunites him with some of his most enduring collaborators, the same crew responsible for From Here To Hear (Rogue Art, 2019), as well as an outstanding appearance at the 2019 Vision Festival, namely trombonist Steve Swell, bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Chad Taylor.

Album Review

Jon Irabagon's Outright!: Recharge the Blade

Read "Recharge the Blade" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
February 15, 2024

As with nearly all of saxophonist Jon Irabagon's music, the matter for debate is whether the listener needs to be as caffeinated as the musician. His brand of performance, going back two decades, has been one of constant motion and a bottomless cup of ideas. We heard this in Irabagon's contribution to the band Mostly Other People Do The Killing, his I Don't Hear Nothin' but the Blues series, and his collaboration with Joe Fonda in Barry Altschul's 3Dom Factor. ...

Album Review

Jon Irabagon: Rising Sun

Read "Rising Sun" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic

by Mike Jurkovic
October 14, 2022

Since his days with bassist Moppa Elliot's maddeningly inventive Mostly Other People Do the Killing, first-generation Filipino-American saxophonist Jon Irabagon has seemed to be on the periphery of the larger jazz world looking in. His big surging tone instantly and reverently recalls late era John Coltrane and has been associated with fellow adventurers Dave Douglas, Ralph Alessi, and a host of guitarist Mary Halvorson's musical configurations. With Rising Sun Irabagon sets his sights on getting his sound and vision out ...

Album Review

Will Bernard: Pond Life

Read "Pond Life" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
May 4, 2022

All great performances, be they athletic or musical, start with a solid base. For guitarist Will Bernard that is a trio with drummer Ches Smith (Ceramic Dog, Snakeoil) and completing Bernard's bass (sic) with both the acoustic and electric input of bassist Chris Lightcap. Upon this foundation Bernard is inspired to expand his music with the help of keyboardist John Medeski and saxophonist Tim Berne. Medeski can be heard on the guitarist's 2008 album Blue Plate Special (Palmetto Records) and ...

Album Review

Matt Wilson Quartet: Hug!

by Jerome Wilson
October 13, 2020

A hug is something which is a distant memory for most of us these days. The warm and friendly vibes of this new Matt Wilson album could be thought of as a virtual hug, full of smile-inducing swing and raffish humor. Wilson's partners on this excursion are some of his usual cohorts, saxophonist Jeff Lederer, cornetist Kirk Knuffke and bassist Chris LIghtcap. As usual on Wilson's albums, they go through a mix of original tunes and eclectic covers. ...

Album Review

Matt Wilson: Hug!

by Jack Bowers
September 8, 2020

While there are a number of red-letter moments on drummer Matt Wilson's latest album, Hug!, and others that are rather less so, the earnestness is high throughout as everyone in Wilson's seasoned quartet does his best to ensure its success. That success, however, rests in part on the music itself, and therein lies the down side. As noted, there are definite highs--Abdullah Ibrahim's lively “Jabulani," Dewey Redman's sunny “Joie de Vivre," Roger Miller's charming “King of the ...