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Louis Stewart: I Thought About You
by Ian Patterson
For jazz guitar fans, and for aficionados of Irish guitarist Louis Stewart in particular, the 2022 relaunch of '70s label Livia Records has been manna from heaven. This is the born-again label's fifth reissue of the great Dublin six-stringer's out-of-print recordings since the series launched with Stewart's other 1977 album Out on His Own (Livia Records, 2023). That album is widely viewed by guitarists past and present as a solo jazz guitar album for the ages. I Thought About You ...
Continue ReadingKenny Dorham: From 'Round Midnight At The Cafe Bohemia To Matador Revisited
by Chris May
In his mostly sane and admirable book Black Nationalism and the Revolution In Music (Pathfinder Press, 1970), Frank Kofsky describes Kenny Dorham as “house trained." The calculated insult attempts to conflate Dorham's respect for form and structure with an Uncle Tom outlook on the world. Some might say Dorham would have been justified in following (or, rather, anticipating) the example of the writer Stanley Crouch, who on spotting in a Manhattan restaurant a critic who had recently dissed one of ...
Continue ReadingPhineas Newborn, Jr.: A World of Piano!
by Richard J Salvucci
Did a critic ever accuse classical concert pianist Martha Argerich of displaying too much technique while playing Ravel? It is hardly an idle question as Argerich, one of the most gifted pianists in history, plays Ravel beautifully precisely because she has the technique to do so. She could not play “Sonatine" or “Gaspard de la Nuit"--fearsomely difficult, say pianists--if she did not. The beauty is inseparable from the technique; and the technique part of the beauty. This is ...
Continue ReadingClifford Jordan: Drink Plenty Water
by Pierre Giroux
Clifford Jordan, the iconic American jazz tenor saxophonist, has left an indelible mark on the world of jazz. Known for his dynamic playing style and innovative compositions, his album Drink Plenty Water and Walk Slow is a testament to his unparalleled musical prowess. The original album was recorded in 1974 for Strata-East as an LP but did not make it to the catalogue during this period. However, his wife, Sandy Jordan, unearthed this gem, which was remastered for presentation in ...
Continue ReadingClifford Jordan: Drink Plenty Water
by Dave Linn
In August 1974, Clifford Jordan entered the studio for what was to be the follow-up to his acclaimed 2-LP set, Glass Bead Games (1973) for his third album on the Strata-East label. Sadly, the label folded in 1975, and the album was never released. Now, 49 years later, Drink Plenty Water, has finally seen the light of day. It is a time capsule of that collaborative era when jazz stretched its boundaries. It features an all-star roster with a front ...
Continue ReadingSonny Stitt: Boppin’ in Baltimore Live at the Left Bank
by Alberto Bazzurro
L'11 novembre 1973 alla Famous Ballroom di Baltimora il quartetto di Sonny Stitt, fresco reduce dai fasti dei Giants of Jazz (Gillespie, Monk, Winding, Blakey, McKibbon) e certamente in stato di grazia (non aveva del resto ancora cinquant'anni pur essendo già un veterano, per qualcuno addirittura un sorpassato), tenne un concerto ricco di fuoco e invenzioni a getto continuo che oggi, grazie a Jazz Detective, trova posto in un doppio album (CD o LP) comprensivo di ampio libretto di accompagnamento ...
Continue ReadingBill Evans: Everybody Still Digs Bill Evans: A Career Retrospective (1956 - 1980)
by Chris May
Only occasionally do classy looking limited-edition box sets prove to be a triumph of style and substance. Too often they are undermined by cheapskate packaging, over elaborate design, poorly written and researched booklets, inadequate session details or, most egregiously, bizarre (in a bad way) track selections. So it is a more than pleasant surprise when something comes along which succeeds, and succeeds magnificently, on all those fronts. Such an item is Concord Records' Craft imprint's Everybody Still Digs Bill Evans: ...
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