Jazz Articles about Daniel Rotem

About Daniel Rotem

Album Review

Daniel Rotem: Solo II - Under Construction At Bluewhale

Read "Solo II - Under Construction At Bluewhale" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
May 30, 2026

This album plays as a story of second comings, both for a beloved West Coast jazz spot and a compelling artist's solitary explorations. Back in the fall of 2024, bluewhale--one of L.A.'s most welcoming clubs, permanently shuttered at its original location during the pandemic--was in the midst of starting a new lease on life in a different space. On November 10 of that year, venue proprietor Joon Lee held an open house to signal the shape of a scene to ...

Radio & Podcasts

Daniel Rotem, Stefano Bollani, Asher Gamedze, Holly Palmer & More

by Ludovico Granvassu
April 21, 2026

From Cape Town to L.A., New York to Brussels, Rome to the Bay Area--with a stopover in Wyoming--hop on an around-the-world tour in eight songs.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Asher Gamedze “Of the Fire" A Semblance: Of Return (Northern Spy) 0:16 Host talks 3:18 Daggerboard, The Skipper and Mike Clark “A Pride in the Prairie" Daggerboard The Skipper and Mike Clark (Wide Hive) 4:37 Host talks 10:03 ...

Album Review

Daniel Rotem: Wise One: Celebrating The Music of John Coltrane

Read "Wise One: Celebrating The Music of John Coltrane" reviewed by Jim Worsley

by Jim Worsley
July 13, 2022

There was, and still is, a stunningly intricate mosaic to John Coltrane's music. His visionary art form is a gift to the world that keeps on giving. Coltrane's impressions created a legacy of beautifully conceptualized music to be absorbed and reimagined for generations to come. The music is timeless, thanks in large part, obviously, to the man they called Trane. But thanks as well to the talented musicians who have breathed in all that is Coltrane and absorbed the passion ...

Album Review

Josh Nelson: Live At Bluewhale, Volume 1

Read "Live At Bluewhale, Volume 1" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
September 12, 2021

Pianist, composer and--maybe most importantly--conceptualist, Josh Nelson must be a big reader. For his album Exploring Mars (Origin Records, 2015) he drew from, in part, Ray Bradbury's fantastical science fiction story collage Martian Chronicles. And he took a deep look into science and science fiction (H.G. Wells, Jules Verne) for his Discoveries (Steel Bird Music, 2011). Live At Bluewhale features recordings from Nelson's Discovery Project originally performed at the Bluewhale jazz club in Little Tokyo in downtown Los ...

Album Review

Daniel Rotem: Solo

by Dan Bilawsky
January 22, 2021

Back in early March of 2020, tenor saxophonist Daniel Rotem was gathering a broad swath of West Coast talent for his next studio album. He was organized and had plans in motion, but the world had other ideas in mind. Everything quickly shut down and Rotem, like the rest of the global music community, found himself shifting priorities and exploring other outlets. He completed his first feature film score, wrote an orchestral work for the the Los Angeles Jazz Society, ...

Album Review

Alain Mallet Mutt Slang 2: A Wake of Sorrows Engulfed in Rage

Read "A Wake of Sorrows Engulfed in Rage" reviewed by Paul Rauch

by Paul Rauch
July 29, 2020

The art of jazz would seem to be a mystery to most, and at the same time, a language understood by many. In the entirety of its history, it has served as a central location for idiomatic change, a virtual jumping off point for explorative ventures into both new and traditional world forms. The wide lens of the music of pianist/composer Alain Mallet mirrors in a way, the large embrace of all humankind necessary globally to build a meaningful dialog ...

Album Review

Daniel Rotem: Serenading the Future

Read "Serenading the Future" reviewed by Geno Thackara

by Geno Thackara
December 5, 2018

However scary the world seems, Daniel Rotem remains determined to look on the bright side. The New York City saxophonist considers his music not just an art form but a reflection of life with a Zen-like perspective on time. Following suit, Serenading the Future is all about unity. Its framework is a simple one that allows a lovely, expressive emergent behavior from all involved. The multicultural cast all contribute as equal parts to the whole without needing any big showcases, ...