Jazz Articles about Rudy Royston

About Rudy Royston

Album Review

Pianist Amina Figarova released an album in 2005 that was about as far away from the theme of “joy" as could be. September Suite (Munich Records) explored the deadly events of September 11, 2001 (she was in New York at the time; she experienced it). It is an album that she called: “An Ode to Mourning striving to articulate the various stages of grief in musical terms." In 2022 Figarova turns 180 degrees to embrace optimism and a ...

Album Review

Dave Douglas Quintet: Songs Of Ascent Book 1—Degrees

Read "Songs Of Ascent Book 1—Degrees" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
September 26, 2022

“Devotion is not a singular expression. I wanted to come at this from as many directions as the psalms do." Dave Douglas. Trumpeter Dave Douglas released one of the finest recordings of his career in 2010, Spark Of Being (Greenleaf Records), a musical immersion into Mary Shelley's pioneering horror & science fiction novel Frankenstein. Douglas is at his best when he bites into themes--Frankenstein, the films of Fatty Arbuckle, the music of pianist & composer Mary Lou Williams, ...

Album Review

Brian Landrus: Red List

Read "Red List" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson
September 2, 2022

Saxophonist Brian Landrus created this project with a purpose summed up in its subtitle, Music Dedicated to the Preservation of our Endangered Species. The album was made to create awareness about all the animal species on Earth in danger of extinction, thirteen of which are explicitly referenced here. For most of these, such as the Malayan tiger and the snow leopard, only a few hundreds or thousands are still alive. For the Javan rhino, there were only 67 left at ...

Album Review

Michael Dease: Best Next Thing

Read "Best Next Thing" reviewed by Kyle Simpler

by Kyle Simpler
August 6, 2022

Like many other talented musicians, Michael Dease always looks for ways to take his music to the next level. He is continually exploring and looking ahead rather than simply resting on his laurels. Because of this passion and determination, he has earned a reputation as a top session player and as a band leader in his own right. Best Next Thing is Dease's ninth album for Posi-Tone Records, and it is an impressive addition to his discography. With ...

Album Review

Brian Landrus: Red List

by Jack Bowers
July 26, 2022

No matter how one receives his music, there is no doubt that woodwind specialist Brian Landrus' heart is in the right place. Red List, his eleventh album as leader, is dedicated to the preservation of Earth's endangered animal species. Landrus names thirteen, at least five of which--the kakapo, Malayan tiger, gharial, vaquita and Javan rhino--are all but gone, with less than three hundred of each species remaining. In fact, it is estimated that only eight vaquitas (a species of porpoise ...

Album Review

Brian Landrus: Red List

Read "Red List" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
July 18, 2022

L'undicesimo disco di Brian Landrus è un progetto a difesa di tredici specie animali minacciate di estinzione. Vegetariano dell'età di 12 anni e poi vegano, il sassofonista di Reno (Nevada) ha sempre operato a sostegno del mondo animale. Per sua stessa ammissione è questa la passione della sua vita, assieme al jazz. L'anno scorso, dopo aver aperto una sottoscrizione su Gofundme.com, Brian ha raccolto un settetto base più ospiti, per registrare quindici nuove composizioni dedicate alle specie minacciate, ...

Under the Radar

A Different Drummer, Pt. 7: Rudy Royston’s Higher Calling

by Karl Ackermann
May 18, 2022

A look at Rudy Royston's resume tells you that the drummer should be more recognized. Royston has racked up credits with Nate Wooley, Jon Irabagon, Tom Harrell, Aruán Ortiz, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Bill Frisell, JD Allen, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Ron Miles, Noah Preminger, Ben Allison, Tim Ries, Alex Sipiagin, Linda May Han Oh, Bruce Barth, Don Byron, Jenny Scheinman, Dave Douglas, and dozens of other top musicians. Royston's association with Douglas led to his first leader album, 303 (Greenleaf Music, 2014) ...