Jazz Articles

Maleem Mahmoud Ghania & Pharoah Sanders: The Trance Of Seven Colors

by Chris May
August 11, 2019

Producer Bill Laswell gets a bad rap in some quarters, and sometimes he deserves it. During his mid 1980s through mid 1990s purple period, Laswell tended to apply, some would say impose, a one-size-fits-all, avant-rock-and-funk formula across the board to the projects he took on. It was novel and radical and compelling and Laswell assembled a pool of first-class session musicians to deliver it. With some bands, such as his own Material, the formula worked like a dream. But in ...

Tabla Beat Science: Live in San Francisco at Stern Grove

by AAJ Staff
August 4, 2002

Two years ago this thing called Tabla Beat Science came our way from the Bill Laswell crew, and Tala Matrix was a sure sign that Laswell had not lost it after a few severe disasters. It brought together four formidable tabla masters (and more) for a hypnotic wash of sound.

Bringing computer production together with Indian music was a great idea. But Laswell's long been a fan of mice, buttons, and knobs... so a live record from a ...