Articles

Sons d'Hiver 2020

by Luciano Rossetti
May 4, 2020

Winter 2020

by Doug Collette
February 4, 2020

Jazz Journal is a regular column consisting of pithy takes on recent jazz releases of note as well as spotlights on those titles in the genre that might otherwise go unnoticed under the cultural radar. Michael Blicher, Dan Hemmer, Steve Gadd Get That Motor Runnin' Proper Music 2019 Aficionados of the Hammond B3 may long for more of it during this record, but this is, after all, a cooperative effort. The saxophone ...

We Jazz artists, Eric Hofbauer & The Pen Club

by Maurice Hogue
July 17, 2019

Finnish jazz artists are front-and-center this episode. You'll hear music from the ambitious and busy We Jazz record label which is based in Helsinki, and you'll also hear music from one of that country's top trios, Hot Heros. They've got a new recording out on Eclipse Music, another important label in Finland. There's other new music too from Jamie Saft, The Pen Club from Australia, Toronto bassist Alex Fournier, the Portuguese-Italian band Tetterapadequ, and an extremely notable release for 2019, ...

The Jamie Saft Quartet: Hidden Corners

by Dan McClenaghan
June 18, 2019

Saxophonist John Coltrane's spiritual side came to prominence with 1965's A Love Supreme (Impulse! Records), and that's how he rolled—with ever- increasing fervor—until the end, soaring out of the solar system with Stellar Regions (Impulse, 1967), and extending his reach deep into the galaxy with Interstellar Space (Impulse, 1967) in his search for his version of God. And now, pianist/keyboardist Jamie Saft—inspired by Jewish mysticism—gets his spiritual groove on with Hidden Corners.Bolstering a growing and superb Rare Noise ...

Jamie Saft: You Don't Know The Life

by Doug Collette
February 4, 2019

We should all be as comfortable in our own skin as Jamie Saft. Zen-like tranquility emanates from his music no matter the form of his projects: the ambient ensemble Plymouth, solo piano, vocals by Iggy Pop on Loneliness Road (RareNoise, 2017), or a small combo like his quartet. This multi- instrumentalist/composer is so secure in his identity that he can participate to the fullest, perfectly confident that his personality will permeate his contributions. You Don't Know The Life ...

Jamie Saft, Steve Swallow, Bobby Previte: You Don't Know The Life

by Dan McClenaghan
January 2, 2019

Since his 1997 recording debut, keyboardist Jamie Saft has carved out a dynamic profile, first (mostly) with John Zorn's Tzadik label and, since 2011, with RareNoise Records. A string of four releases on the label set the stage, beginning with 2014's trio outing The New Standard, through Loneliness Road (2017) (another trio set, with Iggy Pop sitting in on a few tunes), Solo A Genova (2018), and the quartet recording, Blue Dream, featuring saxophonist Bill Henry. It was a busy ...

Doug Collette's Best Releases of 2018

by Doug Collette
December 13, 2018

It wasn't hard in the least to compile a 'Best of...' list for 2018. The titles were self-evident as they rolled out, with almost clockwork regularity, over the course of the twelve months, ultimately comprising what I kept going back to most often during the year, enjoying each one more (and in a slightly different way) with each successive hearing. Jamie Saft Solo A Genova Rare Noise Records Jamie Saft Quartet