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Jazz Articles about Isaiah J. Thompson

About Isaiah J. Thompson

Album Review

John Pizzarelli: Dear Mr. Bennett

Read "Dear Mr. Bennett" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
March 28, 2026

John Pizzarelli has long been one of the most refined interpreters of The Great American Songbook, a musician who understands that this repertoire thrives not only on reverence but also on personality, swing, and storytelling. With Dear Mr. Bennett, Pizzarelli offers a heartfelt tribute to the incomparable Tony Bennett, whose phrasing, warmth, and commitment to timeless songs have influenced generations of singers. Joined by bassist Mike Karn and pianist Isaiah J. Thompson, Pizzarelli revisits material connected with Bennett, ...

Radio & Podcasts

Miles Davis, Ben Sidran, Max Roach & Isaiah J. Thompson

by Joe Dimino
June 8, 2025

Episode 909 of Neon Jazz ignites with brilliance--and it starts with a rising star lighting up the modern jazz sky: Isaiah J. Thompson. We dive into fresh, soul-stirring tracks from his powerful 2025 release, The Book of Isaiah--Modern Jazz Ministry, where faith, groove, and virtuosity collide. From there, it's a rich journey through the past and present of jazz. We revisit the legends--Gerry Mulligan, Miles Davis, Ben Webster, Max Roach, and Charles Mingus--through stunning remastered recordings that breathe new life ...

Six Picks

May 2023

by Pat Youngspiel
May 24, 2023

Isaiah J. Thompson The Power of the Spirit Blue Engine Records 2023 Since finishing second in 2018's Thelonious Monk competition, pianist Isaiah J. Thompson has established a particularly convincing profile as one of New York's most promising keyboard artists, while his recordings have been at home on Jazz at Lincoln Center's label ever since his 2017 debut, Handful Of Keys. The Power Of The Spirit can be considered the pianist's most original statement to date, ...

Album Review

John Pizzarelli: Stage & Screen

Read "Stage & Screen" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
May 19, 2023

Guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli's Stage & Screen salutes songs from Broadway and Hollywood. However, there is also a subtext in five songs on the track list in which “time" is featured either prominently or covertly, as it deals with love lost, found, unrequited or déjà vu. In this recital, Pizzarelli is joined by bassist Mike Karn and pianist Isaiah J. Thompson as they work smoothly together to trace the harmonic seams and essence of each tune. The ...

Live Review

2023 American Pianists Awards

by Mark Sullivan
May 8, 2023

2023 American Pianists Awards Indianapolis, Indiana April 20-22, 2023 The mission of the American Pianists Association is “to discover, promote and advance the careers of young, American, world-class jazz and classical pianists." One of the major activities in that mission is the bi-annual competitions run by the Association, alternating classical and jazz artists. The process spans 13 months: the Preliminary Round, Premiere Series, and Discovery Week are all adjudicated, and the contestant with the highest cumulative ...

Album Review

Steve Turre: Generations

Read "Generations" reviewed by Dave Linn

by Dave Linn
April 25, 2023

Generations is a wonderful exploration of the bop and post-bop era. Steve Turre both looks back to his roots while encouraging the next generation of musicians to find their voice. It's a position he's eminently qualified for, considering the artists he has played with and his tenure as a long-time jazz educator. Trombone players have a unique place in the sound created in a small jazz band. Their parts helped blend and define any given melody. On this ...

Album Review

John Pizzarelli: Stage & Screen

Read "Stage & Screen" reviewed by Steve Monroe

by Steve Monroe
April 24, 2023

Evoking heartfelt memories of love and longing, sunshine, laughter and more, vocalist/guitarist John Pizzarelli's Stage & Screen delivers vibrant interpretations of classic songs from Broadway and Hollywood. The album provides not only nostalgia and hopeful vibes, but what amounts to orchestral artistry by Pizzarelli, pianist Isaiah J. Thompson and bassist Mike Karn as a bonus. Pizzarelli, a Grammy award winner and long an internationally acclaimed performer and entertainer, has been credited as being a prime interpreter of the Great American ...