Jazz Articles about E.J. Strickland

About E.J. Strickland

Album Review

Various Artists: Black Lives - From Generation to Generation

Read "Black Lives - From Generation to Generation" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
May 19, 2022

Indeed, African Americans are the architects of several musical formations, hearkening back to Scott Joplin's development of 'ragged' rhythms i.e., Ragtime, along with blues, funk, jazz, and other genres, often evolving into various tangents and offshoots. And on this comprehensively entertaining set produced by Belgian Stefany Calembert with assistance from her husband and acclaimed bassist Reggie Washington, they righteously bestow Black Music as a “source of moral truth and potent weapon against racism." Numerous stars such as saxophonist ...

Album Review

Gabriel Vicéns: The Way We Are Created

Read "The Way We Are Created" reviewed by Mark Sullivan

by Mark Sullivan
November 11, 2021

Puerto Rican jazz guitarist & composer Gabriel Vicéns has been living in New York City since 2016 but, for this album, he chose to explore traditional Puerto Rican music (Bomba and Plena—music and dance styles born from African slavery and Caribbean influences) blended with his own compositional style. He was also exposed to Cuban Changüí, and began incorporating some stylistic devices from it into his guitar playing. The title tune begins the program with an infectious ostinato pattern ...

Album Review

Lynne Arriale: Chimes of Freedom

Read "Chimes of Freedom" reviewed by Jim Worsley

by Jim Worsley
March 5, 2020

Melodic intelligence and inner exploration are at the core of any Lynne Arriale recording. Chimes of Freedom is no exception. It does, however, have many moments which are exceptional. Once again featuring bassist Jasper Somsen and drummer E. J. Strickland, the record weighs in at a nourishing forty-five minutes of mood enhancement. Seven Arriale originals are the backbone of this ten-song project. Vocalist K. J. Denhert joins the ensemble for the final two tracks. The trio opens by ...

Live Review

E. J. Strickland Quintet At Scullers Jazz Club

by Nat Seelen
October 3, 2017

EJ Strickland QuintetScullers Jazz Club Boston, MA September 21, 2017 “A lot of people ask, you know, what the state of jazz is. I love what's going on." E.J. Strickland's mellow baritone is measured and thoughtful as he spoke from behind the drum set. This is the last tune of the evening, and after spending the past 90 minutes with Strickland and his quintet, I'm inclined to agree with him. If this is what jazz ...

Album Review

Oleg Kireyev & Keith Javors: The Meeting

Read "The Meeting" reviewed by Edward Blanco

by Edward Blanco
May 17, 2016

Performing together since 2007, Russian saxophonist Oleg Kireyev and Philadelphia-based pianist Keith Javors formed a solid quartet they eventually led to the studio for their debut album Rhyme & Reason (Inarhyme Records, 2010). The Meeting is their follow up recording with a program of four originals and three re-imagined tunes from The Great American Songbook delivered in a tasteful post-bop style. Interestingly enough, it was Kireyev who discovered Javors while surfing the internet and cemented their friendship while ...

Album Review

EJ Strickland: The Undying Spirit

Read "The Undying Spirit" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
September 17, 2015

A sei anni da In This Day (Strick Muzik, 2009), suo debutto in veste di leader, E.J. Strickland ritorna in sala d'incisione con un organico quasi identico, ma senza ospiti, confermando i suoi partner abituali: il fratello gemello Marcus, il pianista Luis Perdomo e il sassofonista contralto Jaleel Shaw. L'unico cambiamento è la sostituzione del bassista Hans Glawischnig con la bravissima Linda Oh. Il batterista conferma le ottime doti di scrittura presentando un altro gruppo di composizioni originali (eccetto ...

Album Review

EJ Strickland: The Undying Spirit

Read "The Undying Spirit" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
April 8, 2015

Drummer Enoch Jamal Strickland belongs to a technically brilliant and forward-thinking group of young musicians that include multi-reedist Sharel Cassity, vocalist/trombonist Natalie Cressman, and violinist/vocalist Nora Germaine. These musicians prove that youth is not wasted on the young. Strickland, New School-educated, is a veteran of The Ravi Coltrane Quartet, The Marcus Strickland Quartet and Trio, and The Russell Malone Quartet. He recently provided the drumming firepower for Manuel Valera's uniformly fine Live at Firehouse 12 (Mavo Records, 2015).