Jazz Articles about Jason Moran

Jason Moran: Same Mother

by AAJ Staff
February 2, 2005

Jazz and blues have the same mother. They were the first recorded music styles that allowed black people to fully express themselves. And therein lies the heart of Jason Moran's latest album. Same Mother is a re-examination of the blues, not so much of its formal or harmonic elements, but rather its emotional and aesthetic constituents. Moran, a Texan, says that this album represents “a really slow, deliberate, emotionally direct approach to things," a Texas approach.For Same Mother, ...

Jason Moran: Same Mother

by Jim Santella
January 25, 2005

Based on a film score that he wrote, Jason Moran introduces blues from the Deep South on Same Mother. The film, Five Short Breaths, depicts the raw outlook of life in a Mississippi prison during the 1940s. Thus, with his sixth Blue Note release, he's able to prove to the world once and for all that jazz and blues came “from the same mother."

The addition of guitarist Marvin Sewell to his stellar trio gives Moran's ensemble a ...

Jason Moran: The Bandwagon

by Mark F. Turner
October 24, 2003

This is not your typical Bandwagon...

Jason Moran's Bandwagon forges a path of individuality that is in stark contrast to typical jazz piano trios. The artist is well known for his prodigious talent and his much-earned respect for being both unconventional and progressive in his approach. The new release is not an exception. While the true essence of recorded live performances can be difficult to capture, Moran's concert at the Village Vanguard gives an aural picture of one of today's ...

Jason Moran: The Bandwagon

by Rex Butters
October 23, 2003

For his fifth Blue Note album, Jason Moran continues to build creative momentum. Once again, Moran stands as a conduit for a wide range of musical sources, from blues to classical to hip-hop to the Great American Songbook, often within the same song. His seemingly limitless vocabulary finds sympathetic support from two longtime collaborators, bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits. The tracks on The Bandwagon come from a six-day run at the Village Vanguard, and Moran & Co. continually ...

'The Bandwagon' Storms The Kennedy Center

by Franz A. Matzner
October 23, 2003

October 15, 2003 The Kennedy Center Washington, D.C.

Virtually drowning in accolades, Jason Moran needs little introduction. With the support of his band-mates, Tarus Mateen (bass) and Nasheet Waits (drums), Moran has established himself at the forefront of modern jazz, particularly with the breakthrough album released this year, The Bandwagon. One element contributing to Moran’s success has been his dedication to maintaining a working trio, the tight-knit results of which were clear during Wednsday night’s performance ...

Jason Moran on 'The Bandwagon'

by Franz A. Matzner
October 9, 2003

Jason Moran is busy. Busy touring to promote his upcoming release The Bandwagon , a live album featuring his outstanding trio; he’s busy winning critics and readers poles; he’s busy talking to reporters; and he’s busy carving out time for younger musicians like those gathered at the recent clinic Moran held at the University of Maryland during the 25th Kappel International Piano Competition and Festival. When I caught up with him, Moran had just finished a full ...

Jason Moran: The Bandwagon

by Jay Collins
October 7, 2003

Without a doubt, Jason Moran is now at the forefront of so-called modern jazz. While he has his share of detractors, his stature is certainly deserved. Possessed with a fearless technique, an impressive pedigree (both in terms of his mentors and his former employers), a striking compositional style and adventurousness within the conventional framework of the piano trio, Moran’s future is secure. On each successive release, beginning with Soundtrack to Human Motion, Moran has sought to make his recordings both ...