Jazz Articles about Justin Powell

About Justin Powell

Album Review

With the release of Merge, Karla Harris' fifth album, the vocalist refines her sophisticated blend of traditional and contemporary jazz. She follows the time-honored jazz tradition of reimagining familiar standards, complemented by three original compositions that showcase her strength as a songwriter. What distinguishes Merge beyond Harris' superb vocal artistry is the creative space afforded to her collaborators to explore, improvise and weave their individual voices into the arrangements. Those arrangements, created by Harris and co-producer/pianist Tyrone Jackson, ...

Album Review

Randy Hoexter: Tomorrowsville

Read "Tomorrowsville" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
February 20, 2025

Several words spring to mind when listening to the music of Atlanta-based composer, arranger and pianist Randy Hoexter. Colorful is one, wide-ranging is another. Not to mention creative, robust and well-ordered. Each of those traits and more are deftly combined in Hoexter's latest album, Tomorrowsville, on which he leads a high-grade ensemble through its paces on eleven of his intriguing themes and charts. What is clear from the outset is that Hoexter is a talented and earnest ...