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Grrrr... Young Lions Revisited
by Patrick Burnette
It had to happen. The bastards came of jazz-age in the eighties and nineties--an era when young lions roamed the earth (and the mall record bins) and, sooner or later, attention must be paid. What to say about this last gasp of mainstream, corporate-approved jazz before the collapse of the majors? Oh, so very, very much. So much in fact that some of the ranting had to be tagged on to the ending just to avoid sinking the ship. Pop ...
Continue ReadingBenito Gonzalez: Sing To The World
by Jim Worsley
Unbridled rhythmic fury fueled by a rich harmonic underbelly is the essence of Sing To The World. Pianist Benito Gonzalez has once again assembled a vibrant cast that flourishes on ten original creations. Inventive and energetic, the ensemble gels in the moment and establishes interplay with rich and intelligent conversation. The depth and articulation comes as no surprise, with reference to his previous works as a leader and the seven years Gonzalez spent as a member of Kenny Garrett's band. ...
Continue ReadingYohan Giaume: Whisper of a Shadow
by Jim Worsley
Collaborations are quite common projects in the jazz world, and in most forms of music, for that matter. Collaborations, however, are slightly more rare when a modern day composer's album is in conjunction with a composer from the nineteenth century. Such is the case with the works of Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829-1869) melding with composer and trumpeter Yohan Giaume. Giaume has had a deep connection, both musically and intellectually, with Gottschalk for many years. Gottschalk's world travels, influences, and notable ...
Continue ReadingChicago Soul Jazz Collective: It Takes a Spark to Start a Fire
by John Pietaro
Solace. Listening to classic 1960s soul-jazz as an escape from today's stresses united the musicians who founded the Chicago Soul Jazz Collective. Many of us know of that comfort, the one carried by a cursory view of nostalgia. But don't look too close. Tenor saxophonist John Fournier and trumpet player Marques Carroll built a band on this foundation, exploring the canon. Their sophomore effort is an album of urban tinder and smoke signals, recorded on vintage equipment. The final product ...
Continue ReadingNicholas Payton, Carmen McRae's Centennial, Newk with Max Roach & More
by Marc Cohn
Nicholas Payton appeared a few days ago at the Manship Theatre, downtown Baton Rouge. So, we thought it would be a fine idea to feature several selections from his most recent recording, Relaxin' with Nick. This week we start our Carmen McRae centennial celebration, featuring her with Jack McDuff, Phil Upchurch and Red Holloway 'live..'. a sweet session. Then it's our continuing chronological Sonny Rollins salute featuring his work with Max Roach + 4. Along the way, 21st century music ...
Continue ReadingNicholas Payton, The Bad Plus and More
by Joe Dimino
This week we open with the great Drummer Jerome Jennings, a musician who has a keen eye on the social issues and political environment of today, and a cut off his new album Solidarity. We also visit the world of The Bad Plus with a song off their newest and highly anticipated album called Activate Infinity. We also were fortunate to hear from Philadelphia musician Lucas Brown with his album Skyviews and Italian jazz cat Roberto Tola. We profile the ...
Continue ReadingNicholas Payton: Relaxin' with Nick
by Mike Jurkovic
This percolating trio date of brothers from different riff mothers—bassist Peter Washington, drummer Kenny Washington and Nicholas Payton—is a bit misleading. In this setting Payton is a quartet unto himself, sailing with his trumpet while playing elegant piano/Fender Rhodes, electronics, and the occasional rap/vocal that we needn't discuss pro or con. Given all that, Relaxin' with Nick throws new color on the casual trio setting, and what else would you expect from a fleet, forward thinker like Payton?
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