Jazz Articles about Mike Longo

Mike Longo and the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble: Oasis

by Jack Bowers
October 14, 2004

Having ignited an Explosion and braved the Aftermath on their first two albums, composer/arranger/pianist Mike Longo and the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble offer the listener an Oasis on the third, a sanctuary that is perhaps a touch more temperate and peaceful but nevertheless houses an ample reserve of pugnacity and power.

Longo, who learned as Dizzy Gillespie's longtime music director to swing first and ask questions later, makes sure the momentum never slackens on his seven ...

Mike Longo: Oasis

by Jim Santella
October 11, 2004

Mike Longo's New York State Of The Art Jazz Ensemble preserves the big band tradition that he served loyally with Dizzy Gillespie for more than sixteen years. Lyrical ballads and hot romps characterize the spirit well. Collectively, the band provides a balanced performance that swings with a relaxed air.

Vocalist Hilary Gardner interprets “Love Walked In," “Song of My Dream," and “The Night We Called it a Day." She's particularly effective on the latter Matt Dennis composition, where ...

Mike Longo Trio: Live: Detroit Jazz Festival

by Jim Santella
March 2, 2003

You can feel the training Mike Longo received from Oscar Peterson when he stretches out liberally on “Fiesta Mojo.” The swing he inherited from Cannonball Adderley and the spontaneity that stems from his long association with Dizzy Gillespie also show up on this live recording from last year’s Detroit Jazz Festival. Bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Ray Mosca find the setting ideal as well for turning loose their improvisational ties. At one hour and 15 minutes, this festival set allows ...

The Mike Longo Trio: Still Swingin'

by Jim Santella
January 1, 2002

Timeless standards from an intimate piano trio bring a lasting impression when they swing. As Mike Longo tells it at jazzbeat.com , “The motivation for making a CD of this nature came as a result of my watching the Ken Burns special on Jazz." Later, he confesses: “I thought, 'There has got to be a contemporary equivalent to this!'" Longo's session preserves the timeless swing quality of the music, while placing it in a contemporary setting. A veteran jazz artist ...

The Mike Longo Trio: Still Swingin'

by Jack Bowers
December 1, 2001

Between you and me, I had no doubt whatsoever that pianist Mike Longo was Still Swingin’. When one learns to swing from a master such lessons are never forgotten, and Longo’s teachers have included at least two acknowledged geniuses, pianist Oscar Peterson and Mike’s close friend and mentor, John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie. Longo served for a number of years as Dizzy’s pianist / music director, and if one wasn’t able to swing in that milieu the maestro would quickly find ...

The Mike Longo Trio: Still Swingin'

by Jack Bowers
December 1, 2001

Between you and me, I had no doubt whatsoever that pianist Mike Longo was Still Swingin’. When one learns to swing from a master such lessons are never forgotten, and Longo’s teachers have included at least two acknowledged geniuses, pianist Oscar Peterson and Mike’s close friend and mentor, John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie. Longo served for a number of years as Dizzy’s pianist / music director, and if one wasn’t able to swing in that milieu the maestro would quickly find ...

Mike Longo with the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble: Explosion

by Jack Bowers
January 1, 2000

Any big band that can make Porgy and Bess swing has my approval. Pianist Mike Longo’s New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble not only enlivens a medley of tunes from George Gershwin’s groundbreaking folk opera, it pulverizes without remorse every other chart during a fabulous coming–out party on Longo’s Consolidated Artists label. After forming the band, Longo spent a year gigging around before shepherding everyone into a recording studio to document their prowess. The time invested together paid ...