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The DIVA Jazz Orchestra: DIVA + The Boys
by Dan Bilawsky
The all-female DIVA Jazz Orchesta has a boy-meets-girls story threaded into its origin, as drummer Stanley Kay served as the impetus behind the group's formation. Therefore, it's only fitting that the ladies have a few gentleman over to join them for some high times in the music every now and then. This eight-song set, recorded live at Pittsburgh's Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in March of 2017, finds clarinetist Ken Peplowski, dearly departed trumpeter Claudio Roditi, trombonist Jay Ashby, and ...
Continue ReadingThe DIVA Jazz Orchestra: DIVA + the Boys
by Jack Bowers
After more than twenty-five years as one of the world's most renowned big bands, drummer Sherrie Maricle's superlative all-female DIVA Jazz Orchestra invited a quartet of “the boys" onboard to help ensure the ensemble's twelfth album's success. Even though DIVA needs no consorts to affirm its unremitting mastery, it is nonetheless pleasurable to witness these talented women sharing the stage and blowing up a storm with such esteemed guest artists as clarinetist Ken Peplowski, trombonist Jay Ashby and (it hurts ...
Continue ReadingRoxy Coss: Quintet
by Paul Rauch
At times, saxophonist Roxy Coss can appear to be a whirlwind. Over the past decade, Coss has firmly established herself as a saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and activist. She has toured extensively, most notably with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. She founded Women In Jazz Organization (WIJO) to combat misogyny in jazz culture, and create gender equity in terms of opportunity and community. With the release of her new album, Quintet (Outside In Music, 2019), she has now authored five recordings under her ...
Continue ReadingRoxy Coss: The Future is Female
by Paul Rauch
Saxophonist/composer Roxy Coss migrated east ten years ago from her native Seattle, seeking a life and career in jazz in New York City. That time has seen her develop a strong and focused voice both as a musician and as an advocate and activist for female artists in America's quintessential art form. Coss gained international recognition touring with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, shedding light on her past two releases, Restless Idealism (Origin,2016), and Chasing the Unicorn (Posi- Tone, 2017). ...
Continue ReadingNew Faces: Straight Forward
by David A. Orthmann
New Faces is the brainchild of producer Marc Free, who comingles the talents of six young jazzers, each of whom has led at least one session for Posi-Tone. With the exception of a Herbie Hancock composition, the material is comprised of attractive, catchy themes of varying degrees of complexity, penned by a number of the label's artists and originally released on records throughout Posi-Tone's two-decade plus history. The record was recorded in one day, the group sounds well prepared, and ...
Continue ReadingNew Faces: Straight Forward
by Paul Rauch
The collection of musicians on this record, collectively referred to as “New Faces," is an attempt by Posi-Tone producer Marc Free to create a sampler of the label's mission, utilizing a selection of young leaders to collectively personify their overall musical vision. As stated on the Posi- Tone website, “The entire series of succinct performances included on this album are deliberately intended to provide accurate practical auditory insight and representation of the musical aesthetics and operational ethos of Posi-Tone Records." ...
Continue ReadingRoxy Coss: Standing Out
by Paul Rauch
All About Jazz: You have recently released a new CD, Chasing the Unicorn (Posi-Tone, 2017), just a year after the release of Restless Idealism (Origin, 2016). Albums are like a snapshot of a timeframe, how has that musical image changed in a year? Roxy Coss: More back story is it was recorded more than a year apart, even though they were released a year apart, so there was actually more time between recordings, almost two years. When I ...
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