Jazz Articles about Matt Clohesy

Gabriel Vicens: Point in Time

by Dan Bilawsky
March 30, 2012

When Berklee beckons, most aspiring jazz musicians pick themselves up and trek to Boston to further their studies, but guitarist Gabriel Vicens isn't most people. While the young guitarist had a scholarship lined up at that venerable learning institution, he opted to stay in his native habitat and study at the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico. Over the course of his years there, Vicens developed a distinct tone that cuts, yet remains warm, round and focused. He also created a ...

Gabriel Vicens: Point in Time

by Andrew J. Sammut
March 16, 2012

Gabriel Vicens brings together simpatico colleagues from the scene in his native Puerto Rico and beyond to explore twelve of his works on the guitarist and composer's debut, Point in Time. Vicens' compositions explore quirky, catchy heads ("Point in Time," “Beautiful Place"), plenty of vamps ("La Diferencia," “Frame of Mind" and “El Camino") and medium tempo grooves blending straight-ahead and Latin rhythms ("El Comienzo," “Cuadro"). He also includes brief, abstract introductions to several tunes by one to two players.

Seamus Blake: Bellwether

by Robert Dugan
December 19, 2009

This is a great period for tenor players, with some of the best in our midst: Chris Potter, Jimmy Greene, Donny McCaslin, Marcus Strickland, and Seamus Blake, among others. Surfacing in the Mingus Big Band during the nineties, Blake's aggressive edginess was impressive in a group which took no prisoners. The tenor saxophonist more than held his own. Recently, he seems to be refining and elaborating his improvisational style while further developing his compositional skills.

With Bellwether, Blake brings a ...