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Daily articles carefully curated by the All About Jazz staff. Read our popular and future articles.
Two 2020 releases from Stefan Thut
Back in 2016, when two albums by Swiss cellist and composer Stefan Thut were released within weeks of one another, it was pertinent to comment on the relative slimness of his discography. When autumn 2020 saw the release of his Among hot on the heels of Atama, the comment remained true, the intervening years having brought some seven releases, including About (Elsewhere, 2018) as well as the two considered here. However, as too many artists' discographies testify, quantity does not ...
read moreSmithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra: Bernstein Reimagined
This impressive anthology by the superb Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra is not so much Bernstein Reimagined as Bernstein Unleashed. The jazz component in Leonard Bernstein's memorable compositions for symphony orchestra, Broadway shows, films and even liturgical works always lay simmering just below the surface. As Bernstein is said to have confided to Duke Ellington: “Maybe that's really the difference between us. You write symphonic jazz, and I write jazz symphonies." However credible the remark, there is no doubt that the ...
read moreDave Stryker, Howard Johnson & Steve Slagle
During our second show of 2021, we continue to look at the music and voices giving jazz fans new music and insights in this pandemic world. We begin with veteran guitarist Dave Stryker teamed up with the legendary Bob Mintzer and the WDR Big Band. We also profile the talents of Miki Yamanaka, Dean Tsur, Steve Sagle and Liberty Styles. Finally, we say good-bye to the prodigious Howard Johnson. Playlist Dave Stryker with Bob Mintzer & The WDR ...
read moreRaphaël Pannier Quartet: Faune
On his first recording as a leader, drummer Raphaël Pannier shows himself to be a musician who has one foot in the classical world and one foot in jazz. He leads his group in a set of original and classic compositions from both genres, maintaining a sense of formal grace and improvisational energy throughout. Pannier's quartet performs two familiar jazz tunes. A version of Ornette Coleman's “Lonely Woman" flows with somber intensity; Miguel Zenon's alto flies and Ben ...
read moreCelebrating the legacy of Joe Zawinul
Scott Kinsey, Zawinul, Steve Khan and much more. Playlist Scott Kinsey “The Combat Zone" from Kinesthetics (Abstract Logix) 00:00 Joe Zawinul “Patriots" from Live in Oakland (Self Produced) 08:32 Sixun “Ali Go Go" from Nomads Land (Polygram Jazz) 17:05 Ranjit Barot-Mohini Dey “Ekalavya" from Ekalavya (Self Produced) 25:29 Steve Khan “Guy Lafleur" from The Suitcase: Live in Koln 1997 (Tone Centre) 33:48 Al Di Meola “Cry For You" from Consequences Of Chaos (Telarc) 42:18 Al Di Meola “Broken ...
read moreDavid Broza: En Casa Limon
Imitation is often said to be the highest form of flattery, but independent inspiration forged into similar styling is a much higher art. That's the case here with guitarist David Broza, whose admiration for flamenco icons led to a marvelous album holding many delights. After living in Spain during some of his teenage years, Broza's focus over the decades on Spanish guitar comprised various formative influences from folk, blues and acoustic rock, recently melded even tighter with the ...
read moreRiff: The Shake Keane Story
Riff: The Shake Keane Story Philip Nanton 157 pages ISBN-13 : 978-1999776893 Papillote Press 2021 Except for occasional flare-ups of its La Soufriere volcano, the hilly eastern Caribbean island of St Vincent tends to keep a low profile among the least developed but politically stable nation states of the region. Philip Nanton's pioneering biography, Riff: The Shake Keane Story, chronicles the outstanding but turbulent life of a man whose unique creativity ...
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