Articles by Pierre Giroux
Joe Magnarelli: Decidedly so
by Pierre Giroux
Joe Magnarelli's Decidedly So strongly reaffirms the enduring virtues of straight-ahead jazz, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, where these qualities have long been valued. Brought to life in March 2025 before a small but attentive audience, the session benefits from a rare blend of relaxed confidence and deliberate swing that can only come from musicians who know exactly who they are and what they cherish. Joined by trombonist Steve Davis and a top-tier rhythm section ...
Continue ReadingJerry Weldon: The Summit
by Pierre Giroux
Recorded live before an attentive audience at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in New Jersey, in November 2024, The Summit features tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon consistently giving his best in honour of the hard-swinging values of mid-century hard bop while keeping the music vibrantly alive in the moment. In addition to Weldon, the front line of trumpeter Alonzo Demetrius and trombonist Peter Lin evokes the powerful blend of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and the Jazztet of Art Farmer and ...
Continue ReadingMartin Wind: Stars
by Pierre Giroux
A chamber-jazz glow hangs over Stars a sessions featuring renowned bassist and composer Martin Wind, with a quietly luminous quartet including legendary pianist Kenny Barron, exceptional clarinetist Anat Cohen, and imaginative drummer Matt Wilson. The album feels less like a blowing date than a late-night conversation among old friends, where each phrase is weighted with warmth and meaning. The opening track is Aaron Bell's “Passing Thoughts," which conveys a blue-tinged melancholy told through a few carefully-chosen phrases. Cohen's ...
Continue ReadingBetty Bryant: Nothin' Better To Do...
by Pierre Giroux
Betty Bryant's nothin' better to do.. radiates the natural confidence of a seasoned club date, where the music speaks for itself. A pianist, singer, and composer whose artistry has been shaped by decades of experience rather than trends (at the impressive age of 96), Bryant brings a storyteller's instinct and a deep respect for melody to this session. Producer Robert Kyle, himself a seasoned saxophonist and flautist, places her in a setting that is both intimate and expansive, featuring a ...
Continue ReadingVancouver Jazz Orchestra: Vancouver Jazz Orchestra Meets Brian Charette
by Pierre Giroux
The Vancouver Jazz Orchestra's debut album arrives with a sense of purpose that feels both timely and reassuringly traditional. Formed to showcase the city's rich pool of jazz musicians while creating a platform for composers and arrangers, the VJO proves itself not through rhetoric but through sound. This release features a confident, well-rehearsed ensemble playing music almost exclusively by Vancouver writers, united here by the invigorating presence of Hammond B3 master Brian Charette. Steve Kaldestad's “Equestrian Interlude" opens ...
Continue ReadingPierre Giroux's Favorite Jazz Albums of 2025
by Pierre Giroux
The story of my selection of the top jazz albums of 2025, is, fittingly a conversation between past and present. New recordings by working bands and veteran leaders proved that the language of swing, blues and modern harmony is still being spoken with conviction, while carefully curated reissues reminded us just how deep the tradition runs. Equally compelling were the previously unheard sessions finally brought to light, offering a fresh glimpse of great artists caught in unguarded, inspired moments.Together these ...
Continue ReadingDave Stryker: Blue Fire - The Van Gelder Session
by Pierre Giroux
Dave Stryker's Blue Fire--The Van Gelder Session features the guitarist performing at one of the most revered venues in recorded jazz, and the chosen setting is anything but incidental. Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary Englewood Cliffs studio in July 2025, the album benefits from the ambiance itself. Its warmth, clarity, and a sense of history, while showcasing a deeply rooted guitar-organ-drums trio that understands groove as both discipline and release. Joined by organist Jared Gold and drummer McClenty Hunter, ...
Continue ReadingConvergence: Reckless Meter
by Pierre Giroux
Colorado has long nurtured a quietly serious jazz scene, and Reckless Meter makes a compelling case that Convergence ranks among its most seasoned examples. This is not a band formed for convenience or novelty; it is an ensemble built through years of shared bandstands, rehearsals, and the kind of musical debates that foster trust. Pianist Eric Gunnison, trumpeter Greg Gisbert, saxophonist John Gunther, trombonist Mark Patterson, bassist Mark Simon, and drummer Paul Romaine perform here with the relaxed authority of ...
Continue ReadingGregory Groover Jr.: Old Knew
by Pierre Giroux
With Old Knew, tenor saxophonist Gregory Groover Jr. offers a mature and deeply rooted statement that gracefully balances reverence for tradition with openness to spontaneous expression. Recorded without rehearsal and driven by a diverse group of top-tier collaborators, including Joel Ross on vibraphone, Paul Cornish on piano, Harish Raghavan on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums, this 11-track set reveals a leader eager to let the music flow, communicate, and develop in the moment. The result is a highly interactive ...
Continue ReadingLa Tanya Hall: If Not Now, When...
by Pierre Giroux
With If Not Now, When... , La Tanya Hall emerges not just as a vocalist but as a storyteller, deeply connected to the quiet power of a well-chosen song. This is her most personal statement yet, an album crafted with intention rather than for show, where each track earns its place through lyrical depth and emotional impact. Hall avoids the obvious, assembling a selection of lesser-known material that invites the listener inward, asking for attention rather than applause. Supporting this ...
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