Jazz Articles about Daniel Ian Smith

About Daniel Ian Smith

Album Review

Argentine-born bassist and composer Fernando Huergo's heavy-duty Massachusetts-based big band delivers the goods on Relentless, a taut and vibrant review of oppression, discrimination, environmental challenges and other social issues, interwoven with Huergo's lively tribute to the saxophonist Ornette Coleman and a charismatic and thought-provoking survey ("La Vida Sigue") on life after the Covid-19 pandemic, with all compositions and arrangements by the leader. This is well-designed, no-holds-barred big-band jazz, delivered with verve and enthusiasm by eighteen well-prepared musicians ...

Album Review

Brian McCarthy Nonet: After|Life

Read "After|Life" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
June 4, 2023

Saxophonist Brian McCarthy, not one to shy away from a big theme, draws inspiration from the creation of the universe to craft After|Life Science says we are all stardust, compiled ultimately in all its complexities via gravity. Given that, he opens this expansive octet offering with “Nebula," referring to cosmic gasses consisting of hydrogen and deep space dust that--given gravity's propensities--coalesce into stars and solar systems consisting of planets with water, landforms and eventually us. Or something ...

Album Review

The New World Jazz Composers Octet: The Next Stage

Read "The Next Stage" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello

by Nicholas F. Mondello
May 31, 2021

The jazz octet has long been somewhat of a “Swiss Army Knife" for composer-arrangers. Consider, for example, the great Dave Pell, Ornette Coleman, David Murray, and the J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding Octets. In the hands of great arrangers, the eight-piece format allows arrangers to leverage the flexibility and creativity of a “Messengers" frontline with the total sonic impact of a classic big band. The Next Stage from The New World Jazz Composers Octet is a superb ...

Album Review

Pablo Ablanedo: Christreza

Read "Christreza" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
March 26, 2021

This LP clocks in at around 38-minutes and is a bit of a tease since it progresses rather quickly and may leave many listeners wanting more. Here, Argentine-reared pianist/composer/educator Pablo Ablanedo's compositional gifts often take on cinematic film scoring intonations and developments, executed with jazz luminaries who the artist met while attending the Berklee College of Music in 1999. Owing to his heritage, the leader infuses subtle Latin jazz foreground grooves into several movements, whereas the opener “La ...

Album Review

Daniel Smith: Smokin' Hot Bassoon Blues

Read "Smokin' Hot Bassoon Blues" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
February 22, 2014

It is rare that a jazz album comes with laugh out loud moments but bassoonist Daniel Smith's Smokin' Hot Bassoon Blues is full of them. Unfortunately these do not appear to be intentional humorous attempts merely risibly poor performances. This is a shame as Smith is both an accomplished musician and a jazz connoisseur with a commendable taste. His choice of material of classic blues compositions by such luminaries as bassist Charles Mingus and saxophonists Sonny Rollins and ...

Album Review

Daniel Smith: Smokin' Hot Bassoon Blues

Read "Smokin' Hot Bassoon Blues" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
February 1, 2014

All those who can resist reviewing--or reading a review about--a jazz / blues quartet led by a bassoonist, please raise your hands. No one? Very well, then, let us proceed. The bassoonist in question is Daniel Smith, and while his name may be unassuming, it would be good to report that there is nothing ordinary about Smith's prowess on his chosen instrument. Alas . . . Perhaps the choice of music is partly to blame, but whatever ...

Album Review

New World Jazz Composers Octet: Breaking News

by AAJ Italy Staff
February 10, 2012

Il saxofonista americano Daniel Ian Smith ha fondato il New World Jazz Composers Octet nel 2000, come veicolo per organizzare le energie dei talenti che con lui studiavano alla Berklee School of Music. La musica che questo ottetto ci propone è molto ben strutturata e parte sempre da composizioni rifinite che lasciano poco spazio all'improvvisazione o per meglio dire lo lasciano solo alle loro precise condizioni. Da una parte questo favorisce il senso di ordine e pulizia che pervade l'album, ...