Jazz Articles about Various Artists

Various Artists: Freedom of the City 2004 - Small Groups

by John Eyles
April 22, 2005

Emanem is without equal as a purveyor of improvised music, with a catalogue now numbering over 130 albums. The label's annual Freedom of the City releases (this is the fourth annual “Small Groups double CD release) serve several functions. They provide an excellent record--aural and photographic--of the festival itself, whether or not one attended; they are a great way for newcomers to sample the label's music (effectively acting as samplers, even though the music is not available elsewhere); they are ...

Various Artists: One More: Music of Thad Jones

by Craig Jolley
April 5, 2005

An outstanding crop of big band leaders/composers emerged during the 1960s, including Clare Fischer, Thad Jones, Gary McFarland, Ladd McIntosh, Oliver Nelson, and other notables. Jones eventually established his preeminence, in part because he was able to keep a band together and get his music heard. Beyond that, his compositions are brilliant and drenched in the blues.

One More features tunes from the beginning and middle of Jones' career, before he turned the band over to Mel Lewis and moved ...

Looking for a Thrill: An Anthology of Inspiration

by AAJ Staff
March 29, 2005

Looking for a Thrill: An Anthology of Inspiration Directed by Braden King DVD (300+ minutes) Thrill Jockey 2005

In the flood of music that hits the market every day, we often get caught up in product and lose sight of its meaning. The fact that we can click through to a purchase in thirty seconds or less is awesome, but it sometimes means that individual personalities and experiences behind the ...

Various Artists: The Rough Guide to Dub

by AAJ Staff
March 28, 2005

Jamaica's greatest musical ambassador may have been the late Bob Marley, whose birthday is a national holiday and who continues to sell records in the zillions, god bless his soul (and his estate's massive fortune). The lilting rhythms of reggae have infiltrated popular music around the globe in ways that even Marley could not have imagined, opening ears to other Jamaican sounds like ska, rocksteady, and dancehall. But the island's most lasting legacy, borne out through its pervasive contemporary influence ...

One More: Music of Thad Jones

by Wayne Zade
March 26, 2005

Various Artists One More: Music of Thad Jones IPO Recordings 2005

Great jazz things have been happening at IPO Recordings, and they have been for a while. One More: Music of Thad Jones is the sixth CD from Executive Producer Bill Sorin, and it continues the generous spirit of tribute that has informed each of its predecessors.

Three of the six recordings so far have been among the final recordings of the ...

Various Artists: Afro-Latin Party

by AAJ Staff
March 25, 2005

As anyone with half a clue is well aware, there's but one imperative at a so-called Afro-Latin Party, which is to dance the night away. The title of this perky compilation may leave out the obvious, but there's no way you could possibly miss its implications once you hit play. So clear the floor and get busy.

Africando gets the fiesta going with a little bit of Cuba by way of West Africa, a combination with fresh twist ...

Various Artists: Acoustic Brazil

by AAJ Staff
March 25, 2005

Brazil has one of the most active and dynamic popular music scenes on the planet, which is reason enough for Putumayo to revisit the country for a fourth time. This update presents unplugged performances by megastars like Caetano Veloso as well as other artists with a lower global profile. It's a warm, liquid, romantic tour of samba, bossa nova, and beyond that rewards repeated spins.

Acoustic Brazil does its subject justice, to the extent twelve tracks can adequately ...