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Jeff Lederer: Eightfold Path
by Jerome Wilson
The “spiritual jazz" tradition has been undergoing something of a revival and it gets a real boost with this robust new offering from tenor saxophonist Jeff Lederer. This is a revival of the Sunwatcher Quartet, a group Lederer formed in 2011 to celebrate the music of Albert Ayler. This version of the band retains original members Jamie Saft on keyboards and Matt Wilson on drums but adds the distinctive electric bass sound of Steve Swallow. Lederer wrote all ...
Continue ReadingMary LaRose: Out Here
by Mark Corroto
Vocalist Mary LaRose has explored the instrumental music of jazz artists in the past, penning lyrics to the music of Thelonious Monk,Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, and Charles Mingus. Also included in her previous releases is the music of Eric Dolphy, who has always been a spirit guide for LaRose. With Out Here, she dedicates an entire album to Dolphy's compositions, plus a couple pieces tied to his legacy. This session reminds you of the great Carmen McRae's Carmen ...
Continue ReadingSarah Wilson: Kaleidoscope
by Jerome Wilson
Trumpeter Sarah Wilson has had several unique experiences throughout the development of her musical career, such as writing music for dance productions and puppet shows. That is reflected in the wide range displayed on this aptly-titled CD which draws as much from folk music, classical music, African pop and indie rock as it does from jazz. Wilson has a top flight group of collaborators here, Charles Burnham on violin, John Schott on guitar, her mentor, Myra Melford on ...
Continue ReadingJeff Lederer's Sunwatcher: Eightfold Path
by Mark Corroto
Knowingly or unknowingly, we are all on the Dharma path. It doesn't matter if you are a Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jain, or Satanist. Okay, maybe not Satanist, but we are all in our own way desiring some form of enlightened awakening and the end of suffering. During the height of the pandemic, saxophonist Jeff Lederer assembled his Sunwatcher quartet to explore this noble Eightfold Path. As students of the path are told, you must walk hand in hand with ...
Continue ReadingYellowjackets & Bill Frisell
by Joe Dimino
In our final show of 2020, we look back at all the musicians and Iive sounds that made up a very strange and surreal year on planet earth. Featuring Matt Wilson, the Yellowjackets, Peter Hess and Bill Frisell. The 681st Episode shows the strength and optimism of the jazz community during tough times. Enjoy. Playlist Matt Wilson “Space Force March/Interplanetary Music" Hug (Palmetto+) 00:00 Host talks 5:59 Yellowjackets & WDR Big Band “Mile High" Jackets XL (Mack Avenue ...
Continue ReadingMatt Wilson Quartet: Hug!
by Jerome Wilson
A hug is something which is a distant memory for most of us these days. The warm and friendly vibes of this new Matt Wilson album could be thought of as a virtual hug, full of smile-inducing swing and raffish humor. Wilson's partners on this excursion are some of his usual cohorts, saxophonist Jeff Lederer, cornetist Kirk Knuffke and bassist Chris LIghtcap. As usual on Wilson's albums, they go through a mix of original tunes and eclectic covers. ...
Continue ReadingSvetlana Shmulyian: Night at the Movies
by C. Michael Bailey
Svetlana Shmulyian is a gift that keeps on giving. The Russian-American emigre made her recording debut with Night at the Speakeasy (AO2 Records, 2016), where she infused the Great American Songbook's early canon with an Eastern essence of determination and intelligence. The singer followed that with her survey of film music Night at the Movies (Starr Records, 2020). Then the pandemic emerged, changing everything in the musical performance landscape. Shmulyian responded by surprising listeners with an outtake from ...
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