Jazz Articles about Jim Black

Jim Black - AlasNoAxis: Splay

by Glenn Astarita
July 3, 2002

This outing marks the follow up to drummer Jim Black’s well-received debut solo effort, Alas, No Axis. And while Black and associates render comparable regions of sound, they have seemingly cultured their overall approach with this new release. To that end, the musicians convey more of a “group” based vibe – partly due to less experimentation and more adherence to compositional attributes. Although, the drummer’s previous extravaganza was not lacking in the excitement and originality-of-concept arena.

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Jim Black: Alasnoaxis

by Derek Taylor
January 1, 2001

Jim Black is best known as one of the three points of the Ellery Eskelin 3, a go-for-broke free jazz triangle that routinely incorporates any and all ideas improvisational ideas into an unpredictable and highly versatile amalgam. Three consistently excellent releases on Hatology have more than measured the group’s mettle, but as anyone who has appreciated these releases will attest the time is past ripe for the drummer to step out on his own. He makes good on the promise ...