Jazz Articles about Michael Stephans

About Michael Stephans

Album Review

Henry Robinett Quartet: Jazz Standards Volume 2: Then Again

Read "Jazz Standards Volume 2: Then Again" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
February 23, 2021

Guitarist Henry Robinett is a patient man. In April 2000, when he was between gigs and bands, he brought together several top players from Northern California and, in two days, recorded two albums the first of which was called Jazz Standards, Volume 1: Then (Nefertiti 2019) . Now with the release of Jazz Standards Volume 2: Then Again we have the complete output from this aggregation which, in addition to Robinett, includes Joe Gilman on piano, ...

Album Review

Henry Robinett Quartet: Jazz Standards, Volume 1: Then

Read "Jazz Standards, Volume 1: Then" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
July 9, 2020

Back in April of 2000, guitarist Henry Robinett convened a quartet in The Hangar, a Sacramento studio where he had been working as an engineer and producer. An intentionally casual session, it was all standards all the way. Over the course of two days, tracks were called, solos and some other specifics were sorted out, and the music just flowed. When all was said and done, Robinett left and put the material on the shelf...where it sat for nearly two ...

Album Review

Michael Stephans / Spatial Edition: Open Spaces

Read "Open Spaces" reviewed by Chuck Koton

by Chuck Koton
October 11, 2012

Michael Stephans--educator and published author of prose and poetry--also happens to be a master jazz drummer and percussionist. The Miami-born Stephans, who these days lives in the surprisingly jazz-heavy Pennsylvania Poconos, has performed with world renowned horn players like Pharoah Sanders, Dave Liebman and Bennie Maupin, as well as Grammy-winning pianist, Alan Broadbent, among others. On Open Spaces, Stephans and Spatial Edition perform a dynamic and memorable mix of mostly original music.The quartet kicks off with the title ...

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Take Five With...

Take Five With Michael Stephans

by AAJ Staff
April 22, 2007

Meet Michael Stephans: Jazz drummer/poet/writer/teacher Michael Stephans has played with dozens of jazz luminaries. Currently performing in groups with Dave Liebman, Bennie Maupin, and Bob Brookmeyer, Michael has recently come home to the East Coast, after a thirty-year hiatus in Los Angeles as a studio and performing musician and teacher. His new CD, OM/ShalOM, was released in late February 2007, and he has played recently at the Blue Note and The Jazz Standard in New York City.Instrument(s): Drums.

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Album Review

Michael Stephans: OM/ShalOM

by AAJ Staff
April 9, 2007

Some may associate a certain repetitive quality with Jewish melodies--they're either upbeat and highly rhythmic, or almost mournful pieces more suitable for listening than dancing. In some cases they're both. Drummer Michael Stephans adds to this two- dimensional notion on OM/ShalOM, his very personal and well-rounded new self-released project, what might have been a prime candidate for John Zorn's “Radical Jewish Culture series. Featuring the stellar and diversely talented Dave Liebman, Bennie Maupin and Munyungo Jackson--all Miles ...

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Album Review

Bob Brookmeyer: Stay Out of the Sun

Read "Stay Out of the Sun" reviewed by Matthew Wuethrich

by Matthew Wuethrich
July 7, 2004

In valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer's biography, one can trace the map of jazz's history, both musical and personal. Brookmeyer has spent time in many of jazz's major ensembles, including Basie, Thornhill, Ellington and Lewis, and small groups, playing with Mulligan, Getz, Giuffre and Mingus. Along the way he has taken part in and contributed to the music's orchestral and instrumental innovations. He has also unfortunately experienced one of jazz's major tragedies: substance addiction, a disease that nearly cost him everything.