Jazz Articles about Henry Hey

Rudder: Lucky Beard

by Mike Jacobs
March 30, 2024

Pete McCann: Without Question

by Jack Bowers
September 15, 2023

Guitarist and composer Pete McCann pulls out all the stops on Without Question, his seventh album as leader, unveiling his singular talents on everything from burners ("Without Question," “Trifecta") to ballads ("I Can Remember," “January," “Lost City"), blues ("Blues for O.M."), burlesque ("Conspiracy Theory"), biting commentary ("Erase the Hate") and borrowed themes ("Lovely Thing"). McCann, a native of Wisconsin who has been a fixture on the New York scene for more than thirty years, is also smart--smart enough, that is, ...

Bill Bruford: The Summerfold Collection 1987-2008

by John Kelman
September 2, 2023

Intrepid percussionist/composer/bandleader Bill Bruford began his career in the late '60s art-rock arena with Yes and, later, King Crimson, but jazz has always moved underneath, like an eddying current. His early recordings, well documented on the companion Winterfold Collection, may not speak the language of jazz, but they possess its spirit. By 1986, Bruford was looking for a new path. Crimson had again dissolved, the 1981-'84 incarnation having provided him with the opportunity to explore nascent electronic drum ...

Henry Hey: Trio: Ri-Metos

by Dan McClenaghan
August 23, 2023

Henry Hey's name may be unfamiliar to some--he is more of a collaborator than a headline hog--but a good percentage of us have heard his music. He played piano for Rod Stewart during the singer's Great American Songbook phase, and he contributed to David Bowie's 2013 comeback album, The Next Day (Columbia Records), served as musical director for George Michael and has co-written songs for Australian electronics music duo Empire of the Sun. And throw in some soundtracks for popular ...

Dino Govoni: Hiding in Plain Sight

by Jack Bowers
December 5, 2021

Tenor saxophonist Dino Govoni acquits himself well on the curiously-titled Hiding in Plain Sight, his third album for Whaling City Sound, as do his colleagues on this basically bop-leaning, mainly quintet studio date. The qualifier “mainly" is necessary because trumpeter Alex Sipiagin performs on only five of the album's nine tracks. On the others, Govoni is cradled by his capable rhythm section, pianist Henry Hey, bassist Michael Pope and drummer Jeff “Tain" Watts. Each of the numbers ...

Five Albums From Bands That Broadened The Jazz Paradigm

by Mike Jacobs
March 24, 2021

In this installment of BackTracks we take a look at five albums that not only helped expand the jazz paradigm, but also helped establish the band as a re-merging entity (and an ethos) in jazz. Lost TribeMany Lifetimes Arabesque Jazz 1998 In 1998, a first listen to this album could understandably have been a bit of a shocker (or possibly even a letdown) to more than a few Lost Tribe fans. The two ...

Susan Tobocman: Touch & Go

by Nicholas F. Mondello
August 16, 2020

A glance at the song list presented here--some rather unique choices, for sure--could lead one to assume that this album warrants a listen. What really slams things home, however, are Susan Tobocman's exceptionally slick arrangements of said selections, her excellent vocal skills, and some fine solo playing. With Touch & Go Tobocman—a Detroit native and now a New Yorker--offers five originals which are enveloped by a number of Top 40 re-imagined hits and a trio of standards ...