Articles by Hrayr Attarian
Kevin Fort: Chiaroscuro
by Hrayr Attarian
Pianist Kevin Fort and guitarist Andy Brown are two stalwarts of the Chicago jazz scene. With their easily recognizable styles and superlative musicianship, they have individually built critically acclaimed discographies. On Chiaroscuro, the pair draws on pianist Bill Evans and guitarist Jim Hall discs from the 1960s to craft eight intimate, lyrical tracks that crackle with spontaneity. For instance, the bluesy “Leroy" starts with melodic refrains played in unison. Out of the head seamlessly emerges Brown's resonant phrases. ...
Continue Reading...Christopher Lucas Wilson Trio: Wilson's Way
by Hrayr Attarian
Chicago pianist Christopher Wilson has an easily recognizable style: lean, elegant, and clear with a resonant sound. On the fourth addition to his discography, the captivating Wilson's Way, he has matured as both a composer and a bandleader. Together with two area stalwarts, bassist Alex Austin and drummer Isaiah Spencer, he creates a cohesive, multilayered work. “Night Notes," for instance, starts with dense, bluesy refrains that build an intriguing mood and form the basis for the shimmering main ...
Continue Reading...Las instancias: Las Instancias
by Hrayr Attarian
The collaborative Argentinian trio, Las Instancias, demonstrate inventiveness and creative maturity on its eponymous debut. Nominally under bassist Fermin Suarez's leadership, the group performs in a truly democratic fashion. The individual musicians maintain their own voices while becoming an integral part of the collective. The music is mainly spontaneous and free and sometimes flirts with delightful dissonance, yet it remains sublimely lyrical. For instance, the up-tempo, swinging “Pegao" opens with Suárez bowing out the intro with elegance and panache. Then clarinetist ...
Continue Reading...Cobby Brzeski: Vintage Girl In a Modern World
by Hrayr Attarian
Nostalgia is a powerfully alluring emotion with a bittersweet edge, which is why it's so popular. San Diego-based flutist and vocalist Cobby Brzeski delves into this wistfulness with plenty of romance and whimsy on her Vintage Girl in a Modern World. Fronting an eight-piece ensemble, Brzeski interprets ten songs with graceful panache, conjuring up moods of yore. The standard “All of Me" has a swinging vibe with pianist Kento Tsubosaka contributing block chords in the barrelhouse style. Adding ...
Continue Reading...The Arab Blues: Deserted
by Hrayr Attarian
The Arab Blues is a Chicago-based duo of multi-instrumentalist Rami Gabriel and percussionist Karim Nagi, who, as the name suggests, blend electric blues with Arabic musical genres. Gabriel and Nagi are also accomplished improvisers, and their creative spontaneity shines on their fourth release, the enchanting Deserted. Gabriel starts the title track with a simmering intro that evolves into a soulful swagger. Nagi responds with his eastern percussion, adding a mystical touch. Bassist Miles Jay anchors this vibrant interaction with ...
Continue Reading...Piero Bittolo Bon: Spell//Hunger
by Hrayr Attarian
Saxophonist Piero Bittolo Bon is a versatile improviser, excelling across all styles of creative music. His band mate of over a decade, the equally masterful drummer Andrea Grillini, is, like Bon, a restless experimenter. Together, they formed the genre-defying duo, Spell//Hunger. Their eponymous album consists of 11 spontaneous pieces that are more akin to abstract soundscapes than melodies with a “narrative" structure. For instance, the two iterations of the title track feature a mellifluous chorus over percolating percussion. The first, "Spell//Hunger #1 ...
Continue Reading...Ivo Perelman / Damon Smith: Duologue 6: Core of Existence
by Hrayr Attarian
Innovative saxophonist Ivo Perelman is a consummate improviser whose spontaneity flourishes in the company of like-minded artists. His Duologues series is a set of duets, each with a stalwart of the creative music scene. Duologues 6: Core of Existence matches Perelman with intrepid bassist Damon Smith, who has a stellar resume in his own right. The 10 collaborative tracks that ensue from this meeting have an incandescent glow and a perfectly balanced ambiance. The album opens with “One" ...
Continue Reading...Entre Amigos Pays Homage To Two Contemporary Composers on Magpie and Joyful Foundation
by Hrayr Attarian
The Chicago-based Entre Amigos is a dynamic collaborative quartet that performs refreshingly original music of contemporary artists. After their eponymous debut, which showcased the members' works, the ensemble released two albums, each spotlighting an inventive trumpeter's compositions. The 2025 Magpie consists entirely of pieces penned by Chicagoan Joe Clark. In comparison, the 2026 Joyful Foundation is dedicated to the Portland-based Justin Copeland's output. Entre Amigos Magpie Self Produced 2025 As the subtitle indicates, ...
Continue Reading...Leigh Pilzer: Keep Holding On
by Hrayr Attarian
Baritone saxophonist Leigh Pilzer is a member of A-list orchestras like the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra, among others. She is also an exciting improviser and bandleader in her own right. Her third release as a leader, the captivating Keep Holding On, is with her organ trio and features guest brass players on five tracks. It consists entirely of original material, most composed by Pilzer herself, and is firmly rooted in the ...
Continue Reading...Amalie Dahl's Dafnie EXTENDED: Live at Moldejazz
by Hrayr Attarian
Over the course of a mere five years, Danish saxophonist Amalie Dahl has garnered well-deserved praise as a bandleader, improviser, and composer. A year after releasing the critically-acclaimed and award-winning Står Op Med Solen (Sonic Transmissions, 2024), Dahl expanded her quintet Dafnie to a 12- member combo. They appeared live at the Norwegian Moldejazz Festival. The resulting recording is at once earthy and sophisticated, with a sublime balance of stimulating dissonance and captivating mellifluence. The seven tracks are ...
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