Jazz Articles

Diane Monroe and Tony Miceli: Alone Together

by Victor L. Schermer
August 13, 2014

Duets allow two musicians to work together intimately without the complications of a rhythm section. Such recordings are often done on the spot at the suggestion of one of the musicians or an agent. Historically, two iconic collaborations of this type were a studio gig with Jerry Mulligan and Thelonious Monk (Mulligan Meets Monk, Riverside, 1957 ), and Oscar Peterson et Joe Pass a la Salle Pleyel(Pablo, 1975). When musicians such as these are creative and can think quickly on ...

Diane Monroe/Tony Miceli: Alone Together

by Dan Bilawsky
August 11, 2014

Violinist Diane Monroe and vibraphonist Tony Miceli have been working together in various contexts for about three decades, but that doesn't mean they had instant comfort with the idea of working as a duo. When they first visited the idea in 2009, both Monroe and Miceli were a bit apprehensive. Regardless, they decided to move past their fears and move forward with the partnership. They spent time honing their sound together, finally presenting that sound to the public via live ...

Jordan Berger: First

by Victor L. Schermer
May 15, 2011

Jordan Berger is a young bassist who, on this debut album as a leader, manifests a mature conception of the post-bop jazz idiom with his assembled group of mostly Philadelphia-based musicians, collectively producing a sophisticated, intelligent, and lively groove. The tracks are mostly originals which, by virtue of their resonances with the jazz legacy, sound delightfully familiar and provide an excellent foil for rich improvisations and collective musical conversation. First opens with Berger's own “Qualm," featuring his extended ...

Monkadelphia: Crepuscule

by Mark Corroto
September 1, 2010

At first glance, Monkadelphia might be confused with the Belgian religious monks who brew dark beers. However, these postulants are, instead, a cover band for the jazz high priest of bebop, Thelonious Monk. WithCrepuscule, Monkadelphia releases the follow-up to its self-titled debut.As Monk cover sessions tend to go, bands generally opt for the far ends of the spectrum, either replicating Monk's style with exacting technique or reconfiguring his music into something unaccustomed. Monkadelphia opts for a satisfying middle- ...

Larry McKenna: Profile

by Judson Aaron
July 24, 2010

Philadelphia-based tenor saxophonist Larry McKenna is known for his gorgeous sound, the unparalleled beauty of his balladry, and his fluid, bebop-inspired improvisations. Profile showcases McKenna at the height of his interpretive and improvisational powers.Profile consists of a well-chosen set of familiar and lesser-known standards, and originals. It's a blowing session anchored by a heavyweight rhythm section: pianist Tom Lawton never ceases to amaze with his abundant technique and endless stream of ideas; bassist Kevin MacConnell underpins the session ...

Denis DiBlasio: View from Pikes

by Victor L. Schermer
July 18, 2010

Originally released in 2006, this “sleeper" of an album may not contain breathtaking breakthroughs, but it's so good for what it does that it deserves attention. View from Pikes provides consistent listening pleasure from start to finish. The absence of drums actually facilitates the sweet, laidback playing of the Denis DiBlasio/Steve Varner/Jim Ridl trio, which maintains the pulse quite well. DiBlasio did five years as Music Director with Maynard Ferguson, was a prime mover at the late, great Ortliebs Jazzhaus ...

Chuck Anderson: Freefall

by Victor L. Schermer
March 12, 2010

Jazz guitarist Chuck Anderson might not be known to a wide audience despite his obvious skills to fascinate. The reason may be that the 62-year old artist's career was extensively disrupted by the theft of his Gibson L5 guitar and a severe case of obstructive sleep apnea that left him feeling like a zombie. When craftsman Eric Schulte offered to reconstruct the L5 and Anderson also found effective treatment for his sleep apnea, he was able to resume his performing ...

Larry McKenna: Profile

by Victor L. Schermer
January 4, 2010

Tenor saxophonist Larry McKenna could well deserve a place among giants like Lester Young, Stan Getz, and Zoot Sims as a lyrical player whose artistry, precision, and interpretive capacities almost always exceed expectation. As Philadelphia DJ Bob Perkins states, in his liner notes to McKenna's Profile, “With Larry, the quality goes in before the McKenna name goes on."

A highly sought after and experienced musician--touring with Woody Herman and accompanying vocalists including Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé, and Frank ...

Mark Kramer: Jazz Greetings

by Victor L. Schermer
November 18, 2009

It's easy to be jaded by the endless production of Christmas and New Year holiday recordings by jazz artists attempting to cash in on the shopping impulses of this time of year. It's also unfortunate that much of what is produced is simply spruced-up, dispensable noise.

Pianist Mark Kramer's “Jazz Greetings" is a rare exception. While Kramer does have a predilection towards popular themes, he is a fine jazz musician, and this album is a tasteful collection of ...

Skip Wilkins Quintet: The Paint-Peeler

by Matthew Warnock
May 3, 2009

The Paint-Peeler melds together elements of traditional, modern, and free jazz in a mélange of creative energy and expression. Wilkins' compositions and arrangements are full of emotion and intellectual fervor, while his improvisations are first-rate and are constantly being enhanced by the rest of the ensemble. The quintet, consisting of Paul Kendall on saxophones, Tom Kozic on guitar, Tony Marino on bass, and Gary Rissmiller on drums, moves between '60s avant-garde free-improvisation and '50s style swing in a manner that ...