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Jazz Articles about Rafi Malkiel
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble: Dreaming In Lions
by Chris May
Music for dance comes in a variety of forms. At one end of the spectrum are abstract soundscapes composed without reference to the choreography with which they share the stage; an example being John Cage's work with the choreographer Merce Cunningham. At the other end of the spectrum is music written in close collaboration with the choreographer; an example being Igor Stravinsky's work for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, which reached its peak in 1910 with The Firebird, jointly realized by ...
read moreArturo O'Farrill: Virtual Birdland
by Jack Bowers
Whenever an obstacle presents itself--even one as devastating and disruptive as a global pandemic--it's a sure bet that musicians will find a way around it, a way to keep making music even in the most grievous circumstances. Jazz musicians have been especially creative during the Covid-19 scourge, using social media, the internet and any other means at their disposal to share their music with the world. True, the paychecks aren't as large or as regular as once they were, but ...
read moreArturo O'Farrill: Four Questions
by Jerome Wilson
Surprisingly this set marks the first time Arturo O'Farrill has recorded a set of solely his own compositions. It was worth the wait because this music, played by his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, really demonstrates the cinematic sweep and variety of his writing. The set is constructed around two topical extended works. The first, “Four Questions," is based on four questions about the struggle for human rights and personal dignity first posed by African-American author W.E.B. DuBois in ...
read moreArturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra: Four Questions
by Jack Bowers
The Four Questions addressed by composer / pianist Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra on its latest album were first posed in 1903 by W.E.B. DuBois in his book The Souls of Black Folk and are answered herein by the esteemed educator / historian / social activist Dr. Cornel West. For the record, the questions are “what does integrity do in the face of adversity and oppression, what does honesty do in the face of lies and deception, what does ...
read moreRafi Malkiel: My Island
by Chip Boaz
Latin jazz artists faces important choices when shaping their debut album. First-time leaders write original music or interpret standards--the resultant repertoire and musical expressions display wisely chosen risks or lack of judgment. Musicians invite guest artists to perform, adding a sense of cohesion or confusion to the album's overall sound. The musical direction deserves careful consideration; the recording represents the musical identity that will follow their name. Trombonist and euphonium player Rafi Malkiel offers a broad range of Latin styles ...
read moreRafi Malkiel: My Island
by Laurel Gross
Will My Island change the course of jazz? As the Gershwin song goes, “Who Cares. We're having too much fun swaying along to dreamy orchestrations and anticipating what may happen next in this world trombonist Rafi Malkiel has conjured out of thin air and musical prowess to worry about such things. His creation could be Cuba, a place of memory or some other port of call. But you can hear it in all its liveliness. The aural ...
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