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Amina Figarova: Persistence
by Maurizio Zerbo
Il pregio della varietà sostanzia la cifra artistica della pianista Amina Figarova, non circoscritta entro i soli confini del jazz. Dopo il progetto orchestrale del penultimo CD, la musicista azera residente a New York apre la finestra del suo etereo pensiero compositivo verso i territori della fusion, del funk, del rap. Da queste premesse discende un disco ibrido nella sua eccellente realizzazione, che testimonia la continua evoluzione del jazz e la nobiltà dei suoi migliori protagonisti. A far da tessuto ...
Continue ReadingBehn Gillece: Still Doing Our Thing
by Kyle Simpler
2020 was an unusual year to say the least, much in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in global restrictions, causing people to make drastic changes in everyday life. The situation was particularly challenging for musicians. For one thing, live performances were on hiatus, creating new problems for players who relied on performing live. In spite of these challenges, however, many musicians were persistent, finding ways to make the best of an unfortunate situation. Vibraphonist Behn Gillece is ...
Continue ReadingAlexa Tarantino: Firefly
by Dan McClenaghan
The twenty-first century sees many of us talking to a cloud-based artificial intelligence: “Alexa, play my music." And so she does. The time frame also sees the emergence of a talented human Alexa--Alexa Tarantino, who plays her music, on Firefly, the woodwindist's third album release on Posi- Tone Records, an evolutionary leap forward— conceptually and compositionally—from her debut, Winds of Change (2019), and her second outing, Clarity (2020), both on Posi-Tone Records. Fronting a quintet which includes vibraphonist ...
Continue ReadingDan McCarthy: A Place Where We Once Lived
by Friedrich Kunzmann
In light of Dan McCarthy's stunning new effort, the vibraphonist's last two outings, Abstract City (Origin Records, 2019) and Epoch (Origin Records, 2019), can be regarded as statements of intent. Both more than noteworthy musical offerings at opposite ends of the jazz spectrum (discussed on All About Jazz here ), the two albums give followers a good idea of Dan McCarthy's flawless craftsmanship and wide range. On A Place Where We Once Lived the Canadian vibraphonist combines the lyrical melodic ...
Continue ReadingLisa Hilton: More Than Another Day
by Peter J. Hoetjes
Pianist and composer Lisa Hilton's More Than Another Day is yet another effort reacting to the gloom which hung over the music industry in 2020. That does not mean the album is necessarily bleak. A brief survey of the cover photography will tell a very different story. Donning a wide-brimmed hat, blonde hair splayed out over a black summer dress, carrying a bouquet of white roses in one hand and a weathered, vintage suitcase in the other, Hilton seems to ...
Continue ReadingNoah Preminger: Zigsaw: Music of Steve Lampert
by Neri Pollastri
Noah Preminger prosegue nella pubblicazione di lavori estremamente interessanti, stavolta dirigendo e interpretando un'opera non sua, ma da lui commissionata al trombettista e compositore Steve Lampert—esperienze vastissime a partire da quelle giovanili con Lionel Hampton e Gerry Mulligan, fino a maturare una personale concezione dell'improvvisazione. Si tratta di un singolare brano unico, lungo oltre quarantotto minuti, fittamente strutturato, ma al tempo stesso illuminato dalle improvvisazioni dei singoli. Il titolo, Zigsaw, rimanda da un lato all'andamento zigzagante della musica, ...
Continue ReadingIan Patterson's Best Releases Of 2020
by Ian Patterson
A year like no other produced a terrific amount of great music, much of inspired by--or in spite of—the surreal circumstances. Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite releases of the year. A huge thank you to all the musicians, record labels, studios, agents, promotors and virtual technicians who helped keep us relatively sane and uplifted. Carole NelsonArborealBlack Stairs Records The growing threats to the environment provide the grist to ...
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