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Julius Rodriguez: Evergreen
by Chris May
There are two faces of Julius Rodriguez and they are opposing rather than complementary. One face is the pop-jazz one presented by multi-instumentalist Rodriquez on his own albums. The other is the adventurous, strikingly singular modern-jazz face presented by pianist Rodriguez on other people's albums. It is possible to be wildly enthusiastic about the jazz face and lukewarm about the pop-jazz one, and, presumably, vice versa. But almost certainly not both. Rodriquez has released two albums under ...
Continue ReadingNicole McCabe: Mosaic
by Chris May
Alto saxophonist Nicole McCabe's Mosaic is produced by guitarist Jeff Parker, among whose other plus points is his relationship with International Anthem (IA), the Chicago-based label which has brought us Makaya McCraven, Jaimie Branch, Irreversible Entanglements and Ruth Goller, among other artists of note. Parker has released two albums on the label and is heard on all three of McCraven's albums for them. It is worth keeping on the radar any musician linked with IA, because since the mid-2010s it ...
Continue ReadingJoe Farnsworth: In What Direction Are You Headed?
by Dave Linn
Joe Farnsworth grew up in a musical family and began playing drums at a young age. He later attended and graduated from William Patterson College in New Jersey, where the staff included Harold Mabern and Cedar Walton, who would prove instrumental in kick-starting his career. He landed a gig with Benny Golson that lasted eight years and went on to become an in-demand name. His style is deeply rooted in the bebop and hard bop traditions, characterized by a driving ...
Continue ReadingJulius Rodriguez: Let Sound Tell All
by Chris May
At 23 years, New York-based keyboards player and drummer Julius Rodriguez is close to being a founder member of Gen Z and so was an adolescent when the iPad was giving way to streaming and a new, randomised perspective on jazz and music in general was being shaped. The Juillard School dropout--Rodriguez quit in 2018 to go on tour with rapper A$AP Rocky--stirs gospel, jazz, classical, R&B, hip-hop, electronica and advanced post-production techniques into the mix. It may not represent ...
Continue ReadingAlexander Claffy: Good Spirits
by Jack Bowers
Bassist Alexander Claffy's quintet dashes from the starting gate on Good Spirits with a fiery reading of McCoy Tyner's propulsive “Inner Glimpse," setting the tone for a bright and animated session whose spirit is undeniably good. The album was recorded “live" (no audience) at GB's Juke Joint in New York City “at the height of the [coronavirus] pandemic" in February 2021. Claffy's front line consists of trumpeter Benny Benack III and tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover; his teammates ...
Continue ReadingMichael Stephenson: Meets The Alexander Claffy Trio
by Pierre Giroux
Record executive and tenor saxophonist Cory Weeds readily acknowledges that growing up in Canada has insulated him from the racial issues prevalent in the United States. As a result, he is using the resources of Cellar Music to help address some of these inequities and record African-American musicians who might not ordinarily have such an opportunity. Vocalist and tenor saxophonist Michael Stephenson falls into this category with this release produced by trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. As envisaged ...
Continue ReadingCaleb Wheeler Curtis: Ain't No Storm
by Paul Rauch
Caleb Wheeler Curtis is a noted voice in the modern world of alto saxophone, in large part due to his association with fellow artists. Most significantly, his work with Philadelphia-based pianist Orrin Evans and the “village" of creative participants within has put a spotlight on his style which attaches itself to tradition while exhibiting a willingness to explore new territory. On his most recent release Ain't No Storm, he presents eleven original compositions that feature fellow Evans bandmates Mark Whitfield ...
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