Jazz Articles about Emmet Cohen

About Emmet Cohen

Album Review

Benny Benack III: Third Time's The Charm

Read "Third Time's The Charm" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
August 14, 2023

While it remains to be seen whether rising star Benny Benack III's third album as leader is a charm (that is up to the listener), it is definitely a charmer, with delightful turns by trumpeter (and vocalist) Benack and pianist Emmet Cohen complementing stellar performances by a number of well-known and talented guest artists. This is basically a quintet date (Benack, Cohen, tenor saxophonist Ruben Fox, bassist Russell Hall, drummer Kyle Poole) enriched by star turns along ...

Album Review

Benny Benack III: Third Time's The Charm

Read "Third Time's The Charm" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
July 15, 2023

Though the title of this third album from multihyphenate Benny Benack III might imply misfires with his first two go-rounds, the truth really runs contrary to that line of reasoning. One of a Kind (BB3, 2017), while flying under the radar, introduced some listeners to a talent far too large to be contained; and A Lot of Livin' To Do (La Reserve, 2020) proved to be a strong follow-up statement, earning greater attention and acclaim for a dashing leading man ...

Album Review

Alex Weitz: Rule of Thirds

Read "Rule of Thirds" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
May 31, 2023

Tenor saxophonist Alex Weitz's third album, Rule of Thirds, is a quartet date with guests--on seven of its nine tracks. In addition to playing tenor, Weitz wrote all but one of those numbers, Cole Porter's seductive “Love for Sale." Like many saxophonists these days, Weitz has excellent technique, which means he plays a lot of notes, and does that quite well. To his credit, he doesn't lean exclusively on that aspect of his talent, slowing the pace on several numbers ...

Year in Review

Mike Jurkovic's Best Jazz Albums Of 2022

by Mike Jurkovic
December 14, 2022

Jazz continues to evolve and win swaths of converts despite what Tik-Tok and a chaotic, crumbling music industry (and world order) might render. These discs, in no particular order and representing no particular form, (ie: bop, free, nu-jazz, house jazz, whatever) are just a small gathering of the many great discs and great ideas the music and the musicians, continue to generate. Listening in 2022 was inspiring! Here's to a most promising 2023! Emmet CohenUptown In ...

Radio & Podcasts

Ghost Herd, The Lion + New Releases

by David Brown
December 6, 2022

This week, recordings associated with bandleader Woody Herman (Ralph Bures, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'Day, Jimmy Giuffre) but not playing any Herman (a ghost set). Then, Emmet Cohen's Uptown in Orbit and his influences—Ellington, Monk, Willy “The Lion" Smith. We've got new releases from Eri Yamamoto, Patricia Brennan & Dezron Douglas and a whole lot more! Travel the Jazz Continuum. Playlist Thelonious Monk “Esistrophy (Theme)" from Live at the It Club—Complete (Columbia) 00:30 Emmet Cohen “Finger Buster" from ...

Album Review

Emmet Cohen: Uptown In Orbit

Read "Uptown In Orbit" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic

by Mike Jurkovic
October 12, 2022

Pianist/composer/educator/impresario Emmet Cohen has proven himself time and time again to be one of the guiding lights of 21st century jazz. And he may have/could have single-handedly saved our collective sanity and jazz's continued rise and relevance when, in the face of a world plague, he began streaming Live From Emmet's Place from his apartment in Harlem. First it was Cohen and his trusty trio mates, bassist Russell Hall and drummer Kyle Poole. Then the sessions expanded to include such ...

Radio & Podcasts

Emmet Cohen has one foot in the tradition, and another in the future

by Leo Sidran
August 3, 2022

Within about a week of home quarantine in March 2020, pianist Emmet Cohen started live-streaming shows every Monday night from his apartment in Harlem.At first it was just Cohen and his bandmates, drummer Kyle Poole and bassist Russell Hall, set up in Cohen's living room. Eventually they started inviting guests, and Emmet's Place became one of the spots for live jazz in pandemic New York. Six months in, it had really caught on: the Emmet's Place performance of ...