Jazz Articles about Various Artists

Various Artists: Africa Straight Ahead

by C. Michael Bailey
January 18, 2004

Heads Up Records continues its Africa Series with Africa Straight Ahead, a collection of reasonably mainstream jazz offerings by prominent South African jazz musicians. Listening to this collection conjures a couple of observations. First, jazz long ago became a universal language, assimilating the cultural characteristics of those composing and performing the music. Second, while not veering too far from the original muse, the music is transformed by different climates. The music performed on Africa Straight Ahead shares the notable distinctions ...

Various Artists: Rewind3! Original Classics Reworked, Remixed, Reedited and Rewound 3

by Chris M. Slawecki
January 13, 2004

“The Rewind concept is simple—a selection of our current favorite artists, producers, and bands record new versions of tunes that inspired them to make the music you love ‘em for now.”

On Rewind3, Ubiquity’s international roster of jazz and electronic artists from the US, England, Portugal, Italy, and Sweden, puts their unique spin on material by Herbie Hancock, Sun Ra, and Gil Scott-Heron, plus AC/DC, the Monkees, and Johnny Cash. Unlike previous releases in the Rewind series, though, ...

Various Artists: Free Zone Appleby 2002

by Rex Butters
January 12, 2004

Eight of Europe’s premier free improvisers come together to play in different groupings, but only once together, on Free Zone Appleby 2002. The all star cast makes the double disc set a state-of-the-art free music anthology. The musicians involved in the project have in their own ways accepted sound as music and create through traditional and original uses of instruments, voice, and objects. The magic can be bewildering.

Reedist Evan Parker plays an invocational gong, then the ...

Various Artists: Verve//Remixed2

by Chris M. Slawecki
January 11, 2004

“When we first started working on the Verve Remixed project four years ago, we were excited at the chance to have some of our favorite DJs and producers apply their unique musical ideas to the classic, timeless jazz in the Verve vaults,” co-producers Dahlia Ambach Caplin and Jason Olaine wrote in the liner notes to Remixed2. “Our hope was that Verve Remixed would help many new fans discover or rediscover some of the greatest jazz artists of all time while ...

Various Artists: Verve//Unmixed2

by Chris M. Slawecki
January 11, 2004

This compilation presents the source material, the original Verve sessions (most produced by Norman Granz or Creed Taylor) for the Verve//Remixed2 project. Female vocalists dominate, with two songs each from Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald plus tracks by Astrud Gilberto, Betty Carter, and Sarah Vaughan. Unmixed2 cuts from Cal Tjader, Willie Bobo, and Dizzy Gillespie also highlight Verve’s contributions to Latin jazz.

Co-composed with Walter Fuller and Chano Pozo, “Manteca” is one of Gillespie’s most enduring and hard-driving ...

Various Artists: Livin

by C. Michael Bailey
December 25, 2003

National Public Radio did more to expose and promote this fine recording than any other outlet. It was featured on Terri Gross’ Fresh Air and Morning Edition. And now it has crossed my path. This is certainly not the first time the Louvin Brothers have revealed themselves to me. Like many of my generation, I heard “I Like The Christian Life" on the Byrds' Sweethearts of The Rodeo and was also aware of Emmy Lou Harris’ cover of “If I ...

South Africa: Sheer Sound

by AAJ Staff
December 22, 2003

By far South Africa's biggest and most influential jazz record label, Sheer Sound has made a point of documenting both veterans and up-and-comers from all over the country and beyond. From traditional African sounds to modern folk music, from chill-out jazz to the avant-garde, the label has made its mark. Recent highlights from the label include Zim Ngqawana's uncompromising Vadzimu , a virtual tunnel through South African musical history; and Hotep Idris Galeta's Malay Tone Poem , a tight post-bop ...