Jazz Articles about Justin Morell

Todd Sickafoose Group: Blood Orange

by Nathan Haselby
December 27, 2005

The young composer and bassist Todd Sickafoose waited a full five years to put out his second release, Blood Orange, following his debut, Dogs Outside (2000). Considering the advances he has made as a composer and arranger, the wait is worth it. Sickafoose still writes pensive mainstream jazz enriched by free improvisation, but his tighter new group makes possible writing which demands no less from individual players and gets much more from the whole.

To be fair, Dogs Outside was ...

Justin Morell Quintet: The Music Of Steely Dan

by Glenn Astarita
March 1, 2002

Rock/pop band, “Steely Dan" signified the epitome of hip-ness thanks to a string of monumentally successful recordings. They blended cool, jazzy licks with memorably melodic themes and soul, blues, rock frameworks during their successful 1970's run. In fact, the main proprietors of the band, keyboardist, Donald Fagen, and bassist, Walter Becker hired well-known jazz session musicians on several occasions. So, the jazz connection was in place, amid the unit's witty or perhaps, Dylan-esque lyricism and often endearing arrangements. With that, ...