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Daily articles carefully curated by the All About Jazz staff. Read our popular and future articles.

LIVE REVIEW May 1, 2019

Odean Pope "Harp" Quartet at Chris’ Jazz Café

Odean Pope Quartet: Harp, Violin, and Two Saxophones Chris' Jazz Café Philadelphia, PA April 27, 2019 Time honored saxophonist Odean Pope has always been creative with fresh musical ideas. Who knew that this time he would field an unusual ensemble of harp, violin, and two saxophones without a rhythm section? Indeed, curiosity is what brought this reviewer to the show. First of all, this was not crossover (jazz/classical) music ...

LIVE REVIEW January 15, 2019

Odean Pope Quartet at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

By Victor L. Schermer

Odean Pope Quartet “Friday Nights" Music Series Philadelphia Museum of Art Philadelphia, PA January 11, 2019 The great tenor saxophonist Odean Pope came up in Philadelphia and still calls it home. He obtained his sea legs together with pianist Ray Bryant, John Coltrane and other young woodshedding musicians in Germantown and around the city way back in the 1950s when they were developing the new hard bop approach. And he ...

LIVE REVIEW August 7, 2018

Odean Pope Quartet at Chris’ Jazz Café

By Victor L. Schermer

Odean Pope Quartet Chris' Jazz Café Philadephia, PA August 4, 2018 Saxophonist Odean Pope is a living legend who has been blowing strong for sixty years, early on including John Coltrane among his Philadelphia cohorts and serving Max Roach as a charter member of the latter's groups. So when he gets on stage, you expect something special. In this set at Chris' Jazz Café, you got it. Since each ...

LIVE FROM PHILADELPHIA April 16, 2017

Sittin' In with the Odean Pope Trio at the Kimmel Center

By Geno Thackara

Odean Pope TrioSEI Innovation Studio @ The Kimmel Centerjny: Philadelphia, PAApril 12, 2017 The Kimmel Center's informal Sittin' In program is always about direct connections and communion, but April's exceptional event raised the bar up to the ceiling. Not everyone was even able to sit since the basement theater was packed enough to require some standing along the walls. The enthusiastic crowd came out to acknowledge Jazz Appreciation Month, to honor some local icons and ...

LIVE REVIEW July 23, 2014

Odean Pope Quartet at Chris’ Jazz Cafe

By Victor L. Schermer

Odean Pope Quartet Chris' Jazz Café Philadelphia, PA July 19, 2014 Legendary tenor saxophonist Odean Pope, in addition to his international status and iconic recordings, often appears in Philadelphia, his home town, but usually in festivals, concerts, and other situations where he is part of a bigger mix. His one evening show at Chris' Jazz Café gave listeners a special opportunity to hear him in an intimate setting where they could really attend to ...

ALBUM REVIEW May 24, 2013

Odean Pope: Odean's Three

By Greg Simmons

It's been a banner year for tenor saxophone trios. Not the most common lineup, this challenging ensemble has seen some terrific releases from musicians both famous and unsung, veterans and newcomers alike. Now Philadelphia saxophonist Odean Pope adds his superb contribution with Odean's Three. It might not be fair to judge any jazz musician by the standard of whether he's become a 'household name.' What's famous among jazz fans--a group dedicated to esoteric musicians if ever there was ...

ALBUM REVIEW May 27, 2010

Odean Pope: Odean's List

By Troy Collins

Though best known for his lengthy tenure accompanying legendary drummer Max Roach, Philadelphia-based tenor saxophonist Odean Pope has long demonstrated a flair for writing and arranging that is as impressive as his sideman work. His most arresting compositions have been conceived for his decades-old Saxophone Choir, while smaller-scale projects have featured his improvisational prowess in collaboration with peers such as Dave Burrell, Khan Jamal and Sunny Murray. The octet featured on Odean's List gracefully integrates the intricate charts of Pope's ...