Jazz Articles about Various Artists

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Various Artists: We Remember Tal: A Tribute To Tal Farlow

by Jim Santella
November 1, 1999

Six leading jazz guitarists on one album. It’s a fine tribute to a legend. Tal Farlow’s acute single-note runs and energetic bebop drive distinguished him as one of the premier jazz guitarists of the 1950s. Replacing Mundell Lowe in the Red Norvo Trio and moving on later to Artie Shaw’s Gramercy Five, Farlow helped establish the guitar as an instrument of choice for the bop generation.

With the solo order listed in the album’s liner notes, it’s quite satisfying to ...

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Various Artists: Criss Cross Revisited

by C. Andrew Hovan
August 1, 1999

Anytime I hear the remark that jazz has died a tragic death and nothing like we had in the '50s and '60s with Blue Note, Prestige, and Riverside exists today, I'm always quick to bring up the efforts of Holland's Criss Cross label. Now with a catalog pushing some 160 plus albums, the brainchild of school teacher and jazz enthusiast Gerry Teekens continues to be one of the most viable forums for young talent going today and any comparisons with ...

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Various Artists: The Atlantic New Orleans Jazz Sessions

by C. Andrew Hovan
August 1, 1999

The traditional music of New Orleans has such a rich heritage and yet is so misunderstood and undervalued these days that its hard for me to convey in words just how important the music in this precious edition really is. The Ertegun Bothers, founders of the Atlantic label, were very fond of the traditional styles of the time and we have them to thank for preserving what is a remarkable document. For the record, this 4CD/6LP set contains the original ...

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Various Artists: The Best of Acid Jazz: In the Mix

by Robert Spencer
July 1, 1999

Yes, yasss, dig him, it's DJ Smash, bringing you a nonstop party of Acid Jazz, that funky stepchild of the r&b funk pioneered in the Sixties by Lee Morgan, Ike Quebec, and so many others.

“Everybody Loves the Sunshine" kicks off the jamfest is a vocal number from The Soul Society, featuring Roy Ayers. It's worthy of Earth, Wind, and Fire, or at least Earth, Wind, and Cool Breezes.

Sharpshooters follow with “Heavyweight," a synthesizer boogaloo featuring chunky unison horns ...

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Various Artists: The Other Side of Standards

by Jack Bowers
July 1, 1999

Palmetto Records, a relatively new label with a strong early track record, showcases its impressive roster of artists on The Other Side of Standards, whose inventory of songs certainly widens the definition of the word “standard.” No question that “I Should Care” (performed by Dewey Redman) and “Georgia on My Mind” (the Greg Hatza ORGANization) belong there, and perhaps “Hey There“ (the Matt Wilson Quartet), but to label the others “standards” is stretching the point. Definitions aside, the music is ...

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Various Artists: A Summit Jazz Adventure

by Jack Bowers
July 1, 1999

Adventure is a sampler from Summit’s impressive roster of Jazz artists, and like most such endeavors it’s something of a mixed bag. On the plus side, Summit has a number of strapping horses in its stable, and the track on which they’re running here is fast and well–tended. For maximum pleasure, however, one’s tastes should be fairly wide–ranging, as the music encompasses a number of styles from smooth to adventurous and much in between. There’s even a soupcon of comedy ...

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Various Artists: Memphis Piano Convention

by Wayne Zade
July 1, 1999

This collection of solo piano performances pre-dates two releases by the Contemporary Piano Ensemble, aka the Phineas Newborn, Jr. Project, who perform in unison with a rhythm section. Memphis Piano Convention features the impressions of six pianists from Memphis, Newborn's hometown, who either studied with or were influenced by him: James Williams, Donald Brown, Mulgrew Miller, Harold Mabern, Charles Thomas, and Russell Wilson. Each performs one or two pieces closely associated with Newborn in tribute to the pianist Williams calls ...