Jazz Articles about Cyrus Chestnut

Cyrus Chestnut & Friends: A Charlie Brown Christmas

by Derek John
December 1, 2000

Good grief! That time of year is, indeed, here once again, and with it a fresh batch of seasonal CD releases. Although nothing new, a few years back it suddenly became especially vogue for many artists to cut an album of holiday favorites. The result, more often than not, has been a senseless butchering of once-classic songs for a quick buck.

Rarely, does a contemporary artist have anything new to offer, other than recycled variations on a Yuletide theme. Accomplished ...

Cyrus Chestnut: Blessed Quietness

by C. Michael Bailey
December 1, 1999

Seasonal Piano Pianist Cyrus Chestnut is the latest of jazz artists to release a solo piano holidays disc. Other recent and notable examples include Dave Brubeck's Christmas (Teldec 83410), Marcus Robert's Prayer for Peace (Novus 63124), and Dave McKenna's Christmas Ivory (Concord 4772). For y entertainment dollar, this Chestnut Disc and the McKenna disc are running in a dead heat.

Like all who apprentice in a Marsalis band, Cyrus Chestnut has talent steeped in the older traditions of gospel, swing, ...

Cyrus Chestnut: Cyrus Chestnut

by Ed Kopp
February 1, 1999

Purists who believe that every jazz release should break new ground might dismiss Cyrus Chestnut's latest, but in a jazz world dominated by Coltrane and Miles disciples, I find it very refreshing.Pianist Cyrus Chestnut is influenced to some extent by Coltrane collaborator McCoy Tyner, but he also embraces stride, '50s-style bebop, gospel, and the blues. This self-titled release is actually the fifth from the talented 36-year-old pianist, and for my money it's his best yet.There's an ...

Cyrus Chestnut: Blessed Quietness

by AAJ Staff
October 1, 1997

In the famous 1980 cult film classic The Blues Brothers, Curtis (Cab Calloway) suggests that Jake and Elwood Blues “slide on down to the Triple Rock, and check out the Rev. Cleophus." When Jake resists the suggestion, Curtis snaps “Jake, you get wise...you get to church!" Jake and Elwood heed wise Curtis's advice and are saved. Today's generation of jazz musicians seem to have heeded Curtis' advice as well. Several heavily church influenced projects have hit the jazz shelves over ...