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Doug MacDonald & the Tarmac Ensemble: Jazz Marathon 4: Live at Hangar 18
As befits a Jazz Marathon, guitarist Doug MacDonald's Live at Hangar 18 embodies not one but two CDs, complete with shifting personnel and groups that range from quintet to septet. This is the fourth in a recorded series of marathons conceived by producer Don Thomson and led by MacDonald with a supporting cast that boasts a number of Southern California's leading jazz musicians. Hangar 18, by the way, is not a repository for aircraft but a restaurant at the Marriott ...
read moreSkyjack: The Hunter
This South African / Swiss combo might seem like an unlikely pairing on paper, but turns out to be more than fruitful on record. The Hunter represents the sophomore effort by the collaboration between Swiss winds Marc Stucki and Andreas Tschopp and the South African rhythm section made up of Shane Cooper and Kesivan Naidoo on bass and drums. Kyle Shepherd, who is internationally renowned as being among South Africa's leading progressive jazz artists, skillfully handles the keys, shuffling between ...
read moreSloth Racket: Dismantle Yourself
Dismantle Yourself is the fifth release by British baritone saxophonist Cath Roberts' outfit Sloth Racket since its inception in 2015. From the hand-printed sleeves and accompanying zine to the shapeshifting compositions, a home-crafted feel pervades the album, which extends to the punkish bristle exuded even in the quieter moments. Roberts has developed a template for small group interaction, involving the interpretation of graphic scores, which promotes lots of freedom but still engenders a distinct character through judicious use of composed ...
read moreThe New Riders of The Purple Sage: Thanksgiving in New York City
As preserved on Thanksgiving In New York City, The New Riders Of The Purple Sage were far more than just a mere offshoot of the Grateful Dead. Initially born in the folk surge of the late Sixties as the latter band's titular leader, Jerry Garcia, initially worked and learned with future NRPS chief songwriter John “Marmaduke" Dawson--"Friend of the Devil" is their most notable collaboration—the fledgling group was further nurtured in the most optimal circumstances possible, the prolific creative output ...
read moreTake Five with LuisGa Núñez
Meet LuisGa Núñez Formed in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2014 by bassist and composer LuisGa Núñez, The Núñez Project blends autochthonous Puerto Rican rhythms of bomba and plena, fused with elements from hip hop, jazz, salsa and songo. Composed of six musicians, The Núñez Project bridges the gap between trending jazz sounds and Puerto Rico's vibrant musical culture. Shortly after its foundation, the ensemble has had support within the cultural community of Puerto Rico, performing at the ...
read moreArian Bagheri Pour Fallah's Best Releases Of 2019
As years continue to be shelved and stacked and tallied and turned and re'turned, the circular contours of CDs, LPs, tapes and file-types involved find too effigies in testimonial lines and accolades that no matter how exorbitant and sought-after serve as ropes above else given to the artist in proportion to his plight, albeit never enough to ensure a death. Denied this primordial need, the audience and the critic alike stargaze at the artist's quandary—onlookers of the scandal.
read moreJim Robitaille Group: A View From Within
Jim Robitaille Group's A View From Within is a statement of extension and growth, building on the magic of the unit's debut—To Music (Whaling City Sound, 2004). For that earlier release, the guitarist fronted a flexible quintet elevated by his own harmonic savvy and the presence of saxophonist Dave Liebman. Here, speaking both to continuity and contrast, he reunites with the storied saxophonist, removes piano from the profile of his eponymous group, and fills things out with a different rhythm ...
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