Jazz Articles about Seamus Blake

About Seamus Blake

Album Review

The Kevin Brady Electric Quartet: Plan B

by Ian Patterson
December 7, 2021

Plan A, which is to say, leading his own acoustic band, has worked pretty well for Irish drummer Kevin Brady. A number of fine small ensemble recordings--with Ensam (Lpr Music, 2016) perhaps the pick of the bunch—has seen him marshal talents such as Bill Carrothers and Norma Winstone, touring the world in the process. With Plan B Brady plugs in and rocks out, taking wing on the back of 1970s-era Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. It is not entirely new ...

BackTracks

Your Eggs Scrambled, Any Way You Like

by Mike Jacobs
October 27, 2021

This edition of BackTracks takes a look at a few selections that might rewire, reset, thoroughly scramble or even short-circuit the “normal" music pathways of your noodle. These five selections are each capable of this in subtle or sometimes not-so-subtle ways. Everything from stylistic jumbles and conceptual twists to abandonment of premeditated form and utter mayhem is here because let's face it, the old grey matter needs a musical shake-up now and then. (Note: Selections from Don Li's Gen were ...

Album Review

The New York All-Stars: Live Encounter

Read "Live Encounter" reviewed by Chris May

by Chris May
March 11, 2020

Some things live forever and take-no-quarter hard bop is one of them... If you time travelled back to New York City circa 1958 and wandered into the Half Note or Five Spot, Live Encounter contains the sort of music you might have heard. Tough, emotionally-rich jazz with no-fuss head arrangements, extrovert horn solos and a propulsive rhythm section. The album, recorded at London's Pizza Express Jazz Club in 2018, will appeal to anyone who keeps their Hank Mobley and Tina ...

Live Review

Seamus Blake & Terzetto Abusivo

by Neri Pollastri
May 20, 2019

Seamus Blake e Terzetto Abusivo Dietro Le Quinte Le Sieci (Firenze) 22.4.2019 Nel corso di un tour “pasquale" attraverso l'Italia, è approdato anche in prossimità di Firenze il tenorsassofonista Seamus Blake con il Terzetto Abusivo, ovvero il pianista Alfonso Santimone, il contrabbassista Danilo Gallo e il batterista Enzo Zirilli. La formazione nasce dall'incontro a Londra tra Blake e Zirilli (che nella capitale inglese risiede per gran parte del ...

Album Review

Seamus Blake: Guardians Of The Heart Machine

Read "Guardians Of The Heart Machine" reviewed by Roger Farbey

by Roger Farbey
April 3, 2019

Seamus Blake was born in 1970 in London, England but raised in Vancouver, Canada. He studied jazz at Berklee College of Music and following his graduation moved to New York Cit, where he became a fixture on the jazz scene including being a member of the Mingus Big Band. He's played or recorded with Victor Lewis, John Scofield, Chris Cheek, Bill Stewart, Ethan Iverson and Dave Douglas and appeared as a sideman on over 70 albums. In 2017 ...

Album Review

Seamus Blake / Chris Cheek: Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

Read "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" reviewed by Edward Blanco

by Edward Blanco
August 29, 2016

Friends and musical collaborators for more than two decades, New York tenor saxophonists Seamus Blake and Chris Cheek have been leaders, sidemen and big band soloist throughout their distinguished careers and seem to cherish their roles as co-leaders on joint projects such as their critically-acclaimed Reeds Ramble (Criss Cross Jazz, 2014). Let's Call the Whole Thing Off is their follow up album bringing together the same quintet they call Reeds Ramble which include pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Matt Penman and ...

Live Review

Tommy Halferty Trio With Seamus Blake at JJ Smyth's

by Ian Patterson
February 23, 2016

Tommy Halferty Trio With Seamus Blake JJ Smyth's Dublin, Ireland February 13, 2016 The great thing about jazz clubs the size of your living room is that nearly every night is a full house. Within minutes of JJ Smyth's opening its doors it was standing room only for Tommy Halferty's Trio featuring Canadian tenor player Seamus Blake. The Saturday night crowd of regular patrons and fun-seeking tourists responded to an animated set with enthusiasm ...