Jazz Articles about James Hurt

About James Hurt

Instrument: Piano

Album Review

For a recording that combines, jazz, rock, gospel soul and r&b with Slovakian folk melodies, look no farther. Hanka G, who has artists as different as Abbey Lincoln and McCoy Tyner as her models, was raised in Mongolia, coming to the United States in 2018. This is her first stateside recording, and it is an innovative album for people fond of crossing cultures, mindscapes, ethnic and racial boundaries. She kicks things off with a grittier, rougher version of ...

Album Review

James Hurt: Dark Grooves-Mystical Rhythms

by John Sharpe
December 1, 1999

First of all, ignore the spacey, futuristic cover photo and zodiac-theme song titles. They are nothing more than marketing mumbo-jumbo and bear little relation to the musical content. What we have here is a pianist who has done some nice work as a sideman with Antonio Hart (Here I Stand) and Sherman Irby (Full Circle), but sounds out of his depth on this CD — his debut as a leader. Throughout Dark Grooves-Mystical Rhythms, Hurt’s piano lines are often smothered ...

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Album Review

James Hurt: Dark Grooves - Mystical Rhythms

by Jim Santella
September 1, 1999

For his first recording session as a leader, pianist James Hurt creates quite a rhythmic stir. Performing his own compositions, Hurt steers his piano trio and guests in a modern mainstream program that features drummers. Polyrhythms and frequent changes in meter or tempo keep the listener on the edge of his seat, while familiar structures, such as a New Orleans shuffle or calypso, duck in and out of the formula. Hurt’s bassists employ the acoustic stand-up bass, helping to capture ...