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Trion In Flight: A Celebration Of Freedom and Form for the Jazz Gallery’s 30th Anniversary
by Dave Kaufman
The Jazz Gallery is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and the programming has been nothing short of remarkable. One of New York City's most hospitable and artist-friendly venues, the Gallery offers an ideal listening experience: comfortable seating, excellent sound and sightlines, and a genuinely welcoming vibe--including for photographers, which is much appreciated. Trion, the powerhouse trio led by drummer Johnathan Blake, features bassist Linda May Han Oh and saxophonist Chris Potter--leading lights of the contemporary jazz ...
Continue ReadingKris Davis: Run the Gauntlet
by John Sharpe
While Kris Davis hews close to the hallowed piano trio format on Run The Gauntlet, her first return to the set-up since Waiting For You To Grow (Clean Feed, 2014), she inevitably gives it a few intriguing twists. By recruiting bassist Robert Hurst, alumni of Tony Williams, Steve Coleman and Wynton and Branford Marsalis, and drummer Johnathan Blake, a Blue Note leader also to be heard with Kenny Barron, Ravi Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, she ensures a driving beat which ...
Continue ReadingHarry Skoler: Red Brick Hill
by Angelo Leonardi
Metodo catartico. Con questa tecnica, ideata da Freud e Breuer nelle prime fasi della psicoanalisi, si aiutavano i pazienti ad affrontare i postumi di un trauma. Da allora gli psicoterapeuti hanno perfezionato i loro metodi ma fuori dagli studi professionali anche l'arte s'è rivelata un mezzo per affrontare le ferite della psiche. Ad esempio con l'opportunità di elaborare un lutto in forma simbolica. Il nuovo disco di Harry Skoler sembra porsi in questa prospettiva e l'autore lo presenta ...
Continue ReadingKris Davis Trio: Run the Gauntlet
by Alberto Bazzurro
Innanzitutto le dediche: a Geri Allen, Marilyn Crispell, Angelica Sanchez, Carla Bley, Renee Rosnes, Sylvie Courvoisier, sei colleghe di strumento (e non solo), ognuna con la sua brava colonnina esplicativa nel booklet che accompagna il CD, a cui Kris Davis si sente evidentemente vicina. Poi la musica: un piano trio pieno, vitale, contemporaneo ma senza eccessi, come già l'iniziale title--track, tredici minuti di un jazz fluente, privo di particolari barriere, ci dice eloquentemente. Poi, però, ecco subito appresso ...
Continue ReadingKris Davis: Run the Gauntlet
by Mike Jurkovic
For her first trio outing as a leader since 2014's Waiting For You To Grow (Clean Feed Records), daredevil pianist Kris Davis takes on her inspirations and mentors on the whirlwind Run the Gauntlet. Dedicated to the beacons who have guided and supported her searching, inventive way--Geri Allen, Carla Bley, Marilyn Crispell, Angelica Sanchez, Sylvie Courvoisier and Renee Rosnes--Davis enlists longtime friend and collaborator drummer Johnathan Blake alongside well respected and well-traveled bassist Robert Hurst (Mulgrew Miller, Diana ...
Continue ReadingMisha Tsiganov: Painter Of Dreams
by Edward Blanco
A mainstay musician in the vibrant and exciting jazz scene of New York City, Russian-born pianist Misha Tsiganov presents his fifth Criss Cross album, Painter of Dreams, which features six original compositions and two familiar reimagined standards, with every piece but one running from between eight to eleven-minutes in length. The pianist expands his musical boundaries, implements new elements, augments the horn section and, with regard to his own playing, states that he was moved to include an “entirely acoustic ...
Continue ReadingMisha Tsiganov: Painter Of Dreams
by Neil Duggan
Like a fine wine, Russian-born and New York-based pianist Misha Tsiganov, seems to improve with age. His music continues to evolve and his creativity hits a high spot with Painter Of Dreams. He has appeared on countless albums over the years and has played with such musicians as Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Watson and Michael Brecker. His ability to shift tempos and mix meters in his compositions has always been notable. Recent work with the Romanian Radio Big Band has also ...
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