Jazz Articles about Jon Hamar

About Jon Hamar

Album Review

It seems that every saxophonist at some point in their career decides to pare the music down to its essentials. It is hard to pare down beyond the sax, bass, and drums trio. The history of this musical setup is long. Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers, Lee Konitz and Joe Lovano (and so many more) tried the trio mode out with great success. There is always the feeling with this type of recording (studio or live) that things leaned ...

Album Review

Steve Kovalcheck: Buckshot Blues

Read "Buckshot Blues" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
May 29, 2026

If a guitarist, pianist or anyone else who planned to record a trio could have a wish list, chances are good that one name at the top would be that of drummer Jeff Hamilton. On his 2026 album, Buckshot Blues, Colorado-based guitarist Steve Kovalcheck's wish has come true. Jon Hamar, a superb bassist, shares the rhythmic assignment with none other than the peerless Hamilton himself who can make any trio--including his own--seem several grades better than advertised. Why? ...

Album Review

Dawn Clement / Steve Kovalcheck / Jon Hamar: Dawn Clement / Steve Kovalcheck / Jon Hamar

Read "Dawn Clement / Steve Kovalcheck / Jon Hamar" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
September 19, 2024

A trio sans drums offers the opportunity for a capacious clarity that you can't find anywhere else. And this particular collective with pianist Dawn Clement, guitarist Steve Kovalcheck and bassist Jon Hamar embraces that possibility while highlighting an inviting style all its own. Splitting compositional duties and showcasing an empathetic sixth sense that involves baton-passing bonhomie, dovetailing joints, melodic volleying, conversational chemistry, steady support and sympathy, these three demonstrate what egoless creativity is all about. There is ...

Album Review

Jeff Hamilton Trio: Merry & Bright

Read "Merry & Bright" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
December 14, 2021

After thinking for many years about producing an album of holiday songs, drummer Jeff Hamilton finally took the plunge in March 2021, recording with his trio the delightful Merry & Bright whose seasonal perspective is far more contemporary than traditional, with only one of its ten selections ("O Tannenbaum") predating the mid-twentieth century. The mood is for the most part temperate and easygoing, a charming showcase for Hamilton's superlative brush work and deft interplay by all hands. ...

Album Review

Jim Knapp Orchestra: It's Not Business, It's Personal

Read "It's Not Business, It's Personal" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
December 12, 2021

The Jim Knapp Orchestra's CD It's Not Business, It's Personal, recorded in February 2009, was set to be released on November 19, 2021—six days after Knapp died at age eighty-two in Kirkland, Washington. Apart from his role as bandleader, Knapp was a trumpeter, composer, arranger and longtime faculty member at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. Described by Grammy-winning composer/pianist Jim McNeely as “a brilliant musician, great teacher and a humble, sweet [and] generous man," Knapp was widely recognized ...

Album Review

Jeff Hamilton Trio: Catch Me If You Can

Read "Catch Me If You Can" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
July 5, 2020

Any trio anchored by drummer Jeff Hamilton has a clear head start when compared to any would-be rivals. That's because Hamilton's unerring and tasteful timekeeping and resourceful use of brushes and sticks would be any trio's dream come true. In this case it's Hamilton's own trio, recording at least the sixteenth album under that name, the bulk of them with the superb Israeli-born pianist Tamir Hendelman at his side and, this time, with bassist Jon Hamar replacing longtime partner Christoph ...

Album Review

Jon Hamar: Hymn

by Hrayr Attarian
January 31, 2013

Seattle bassist Jon Hamar's third release as a leader is an intimate and collaborative effort. The textured harmonies with hints of western Classical influences that are heard on his prior CDs have further matured on Hymn, thanks, in no small part, to his choice of sidemen. Reed multi-instrumentalist Todd DelGiudice (a past collaborator who sticks to alto throughout this record) takes an approach inspired by saxophonist Charlie Parker on the whimsical “The Big Fat Hen" and his ...