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Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
Jazz Is Dead at Nectar's
by Doug Collette
Jazz Is Dead Nectar's Burlington, Vermont June 4, 2024 Originally spearheaded in 1998 by drummer extraordinaire Billy Cobham (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis), Jazz Is Dead has incorporated more than a few different personnel configurations over the course of its quarter-century plus existence. Having coalesced most recently to feature guitarists Steve Kimock and Bobby Lee Rodgers, bassist Alphonso Johnson (Weather Report) and drummer Pete Lavezzoli , the group celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary by hitting the road ...
Continue ReadingJazz Is Dead: Great Sky River
by Todd S. Jenkins
One of America's hottest jam bands continues to mine the bottomless repertoire of the Grateful Dead. On their third album, Jazz Is Dead breathes new life into classics that Deadheads haven't ever gotten enough of. The intuition between guitarist Jimmy Herring (Aquarium Rescue Unit, Allman Brothers Band, Phil Lesh & Friends), bassist Alphonso Johnson (Miles Davis, Weather Report, Billy Cobham, The Other Ones), and keyboardist T Lavitz and drummer Rod Morgenstein of the Dixie Dregs has become more uncanny over ...
Continue ReadingJazz is Dead: Laughing Water
by Dave Hughes
On their sophomore release, Laughing Water, Jazz is Dead continues their mission of presenting the catalog of the Grateful Dead in sort of a country-rock context, with occasional classical, gospel, and jazz flavoring. It's unpretentious, infectious jamming by musicians with virtuoso chops to burn. The exuberant “Let Me Sing Your Blues Away" (not a vocal) alternates hard-driving edgy guitar choruses with fleet-fingered, grooving organ. “Row Jimmy" has a laid-back country-rock feel. The next tune, “Stella Blue," begins with an almost-classical ...
Continue ReadingJazz is Dead: Laughing Water
by Dave Hughes
On their sophomore release, Jazz is Dead continues their mission of presenting the catalog of the Grateful Dead in sort of a country-rock context, with occasional classical, gospel, and jazz flavoring. It's unpretentious, infectious jamming by musicians with virtuoso chops to burn. The exhuberant "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away" (not a vocal) alternates hard-driving edgy guitar choruses with fleet-fingered, grooving organ. "Row Jimmy" has a laid-back country-rock feel. The next tune, "Stella Blue," begins with an almost-classical fugue, ...
Continue ReadingJazz Is Dead: Laughing Water
by David Adler
Essentially a Grateful Dead repertory ensemble, Jazz Is Dead boasts a fusion dream lineup: T. Lavitz on keyboards, Alphonso Johnson on bass, Rod Morgenstein (or Jeff Sipe) on drums, and rising star Jimmy Herring on guitar. If you like the Grateful Dead and know their songs, you'll probably warm to this disc. If you don't, you might still find it rewarding. The musicianship is top-notch and the recording sounds sharp (it was taken from live shows in Colorado and California). ...
Continue ReadingJazz Is Dead: Laughing Water
by Ed Kopp
On Laughing Water, the fusion ensemble Jazz Is Dead one-ups the band that it sets out to honor. Laughing Water is a superior remake of the Grateful Dead's rather ordinary rock album Wake of the Flood.Jazz is Dead's core musicians Jimmy Herring (guitar), T Lavitz (keys) and Alphonso Johnson (bass) trade melodic licks as they reinterpret the Dead's modal tunes from 1973. Fortunately you don't have to be a Deadhead to appreciate this album. Laughing Water not only ...
Continue ReadingJazz Is Dead: Laughing Water ("Wake Of The Flood - revisited")
by Glenn Astarita
Grateful Dead fans or “deadheads” who demand only the finest from those who cover Dead tunes or in this case, a complete rendition of the Dead’s classic “Wake Of The Flood” LP should find much to get excited about here. Jazz is Dead, touted as one of the best “jam bands” on the globe have carved out a nifty if somewhat deeply personalized stylization of this – crossroads – LP from those rock icons of year’s past. Laughing Water was ...
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