Jazz Articles about Jim Beard

About Jim Beard

Live Review

Jim Beard And Jon Herington At The Kennett Flash

by Mike Jacobs
June 29, 2017

The Herington / Beard Duo The Kennett Flash Kennett Square, PA June 15, 2017 Nestled in the small town of Kennett Square Pennsylvania, the Kennett Flash is a bit of an anomaly these days-- and a welcome one at that. It's a small non-profit venue for the arts, able to hold no more than 100 people, set up with family-style table seating. With its intimacy and solid turnout this night, it also seemed an ideal ...

Interview

Jim Beard: Serving The Music

by George Colligan
January 21, 2014

[ Editor's Note: The following interview is reprinted from George Colligan's blog, Jazztruth ] Joe Zawinul said, “Jim Beard is my favorite keyboard player besides myself." I think that's a pretty high compliment, don't you? Jim Beard has been on the scene since the 1980s with a resume that reads like a sideman's dream: Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker, John McLaughlin, Steely Dan, and a host of other upper echelon artists. Beard is a virtuoso pianist and composer, yet ...

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Album Review

Ron van Stratum: Swingin' In The Swamp

Read "Swingin' In The Swamp" reviewed by Gina Vodegel

by Gina Vodegel
December 13, 2010

It's a generally accepted misconception that those who earn a living as a teacher in the arts must either not be good enough a performer, or are compelled to satisfy a wretched sense of envy, while clipping the wings of very talented students. Some of the stories out there may be true, but drummer/percussionist Ron van Stratum's Swingin' In The Swamp defies all such horror tales. Van Stratum has been a drum teacher since 1993 at The Netherlands' Maastricht Conservatory--recruited ...

298

Album Review

Jim Beard: Revolutions

Read "Revolutions" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose

by Raul d'Gama Rose
May 27, 2009

Few big band music is as exiting and swings with such abandon as the music played by the various incarnations of ensembles that gather together in the name of Charles Mingus, and that played by bands sometimes assembled by Carla Bley and, of course, the music directed by the one and only Maria Schneider. And then there is this music written by Jim Beard and performed by him and a few guests but largely directed by the magisterial Vince Mendoza, ...

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Album Review

Jim Beard: Revolutions

Read "Revolutions" reviewed by Mark F. Turner

by Mark F. Turner
August 4, 2008

Jim Beard might just be one the best modern jazz composers; correction, music composers, you've never heard of. Since the mid 1980s he's either, performed, produced or written compositions for the likes of Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny, and recently can be heard providing his wares on Walter Becker's (of Steely Dan) recording, Circus Money (Mailboat Records, 2008). Yet it's Beard's own critically acclaimed (if obscure) recordings, beginning with his 1990 debut, Song of the Sun ...

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Album Review

Bill Evans: Touch

Read "Touch" reviewed by Paula Edelstein

by Paula Edelstein
June 1, 1999

Touch, produced by veteran saxophonist-composer Bill Evans for his debut on Zebra Records is one of compositional integrity that continues to explore the melodic themes of his previous release, Starfish & The Moon. His 11th as a leader, Touch exemplifies the personality and depth of Bill Evans’ musicianship on tunes ranging from smooth to straight ahead, charged with soaring soprano and robust tenor solos. The serenely lyrical “In Your Heart” imprints his smooth sax deep within the soul, ...

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Album Review

Bill Evans: Touch

by Ed Kopp
June 1, 1999

Whenever I hear a soprano saxophone played over a pre-programmed beat my attention inevitably wavers, even if the music it is somewhat challenging. I call this condition the Kenny G Syndrome.While listening to Touch I really had to fight through the Kenny G Syndrome on a couple of tracks, but in time I warmed up to most of these 11 tunes.To be fair, Bill Evans is no Kenny G. He's a veteran solo artist with a ...