Jazz Articles
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Bryn Roberts: Fables
by Glenn Astarita
Born in Canada, pianist Bryn Roberts has enjoyed a prolific career as a session artist since moving to New York City in 2001. Snuggled within a modern mainstream vibe, his persuasive compositions pay homage to melodic content, often complemented by saxophonist Seamus Blake's burly delivery and fluid lines. Nonetheless, many of these works contain quite a bit of bounce and pop, as Roberts is a shrewd technician who knows when to balance power and restraint, alongside a light touch amid ...
read moreKermit Driscoll: Reveille
by Glenn Astarita
Reveille marks bassist and educator Kermit Driscoll's freshman solo outing, and features his longtime associate, guitarist Bill Frisell. As a member of Frisell's dynamic trio with drummer Joey Baron, the term cutting-edge took on notorious implications. Similar forward-reaching concepts are explored throughout this multidimensional program. Mildly surprising is the inclusion of Vinnie Colaiuta, though the all-universe pop, jazz and rock session drummer is quite adroit at handling the freer sojourns, where his polyrhythmic assaults and propelling beats distribute a broad ...
read moreWill Vinson: The World (Through My Shoes)
by David Lighton
Recorded at Freddy's Back Room in Brooklyn, The World (Through My Shoes) marks alto saxophonist Will Vinson's first live release. The music, documented over two nights, offers a genuine portrait of a working band creating distinctive contemporary music. The core of the program is comprised of Vinson originals. His writing and arranging display a keen respect for the jazz tradition, as well as an obvious fluency in the current jazz languages. Most important, however, his tuneful arrangements ...
read moreOrlando le Fleming: From Brooklyn with Love
by Raul d'Gama Rose
From the very first hearing it becomes clear that From Brooklyn with Love--Orlando Fleming's hard-swinging debut as a leader--is likely to be the start of a long upwardly mobile career for this young, Birmingham, England-born bassist, demonstrating all the makings of a pilot project that heralds the unfolding of a major talent with the keenest of ears, deeply expressive technique and penchant for challenge, all couched in a somewhat self-effacing personality, as Le Fleming plays with a quietness that belies ...
read moreGreg Ward's Fitted Shards: South Side Story
by Mark F. Turner
Like many musicians, Chicago saxophonist/composer Greg Ward (now based in New York) is juggling multiple gigs: working with names from Al Jarreau to Von Freeman; recording diverse projects with Mike Reed's People, Places, and Things or electronica artist Guillermo Scott Herren aka Prefuse 73; and even conducting an orchestra for hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco. In this ever-changing environment, it would be easy to lose identity, but his brilliantly conceived and exceptionally executed debut, South Side Story, proves otherwise, revealing ...
read moreOrlando le Fleming: From Brooklyn With Love
by Bruce Lindsay
British-born bassist Orlando le Fleming moved to New York in 2003 and has established himself as a sideman to a host of top-flight musicians including Billy Cobham, Jimmy Cobb and David Sanchez. From Brooklyn With Love is le Fleming's debut as leader--a live album of his original compositions, recorded at Freddy's Backroom in Brooklyn in late-November 2009. The album opens with the crystal clear guitar chords of Lage Lund on “False Dilemma." Lund's playing throughout the album ...
read moreOrlando le Fleming: From Brooklyn With Love
by Dan Bilawsky
Orlando le Fleming, a British-born bassist residing in New York since 2003, has become a fully integrated part of the jazz scene in the Big Apple. While he has spent much of his time in a supportive role, working with the likes of vocalist Jane Monheit, fusion drumming legend Billy Cobham, saxophonist Seamus Blake and a long list of other high profile artists, he now stands poised and ready to establish himself as a leader with From Brooklyn With Love: ...
read moreWill Vinson: Promises
by John Kelman
It's been five years since British expat Will Vinson released his debut as a leader, It's For You (Sirocco, 2004), but the alto and soprano saxophonist has been anything but dormant. Working hard in the New York area with everyone from Mike Stern and Chris Potter to Geoffrey Keezer and Seamus Blake, Vinson's follow-up, Promises, may have been a long time in coming, but it demonstrates Vinson's palpable growth as a player but also, and perhaps more importantly, as a ...
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