Jazz Articles

Tom Beckham: Rebound

by Woodrow Wilkins
August 26, 2009

In the simplest terms, to rebound is to bounce back. Many people associate it with a statistic in basketball, or the recovery from heartbreak. Musically, it describes what happens when a mallet strikes a vibraphone, or the bouncing off of ideas during improvisation. Tom Beckham does both with Rebound. Beckham is a Maryland native and a graduate of the Berklee College of Music. A sideman for 20 years, he's performed with musicians such as Seamus Blake, Donny McCaslin, ...

Tom Beckham: Rebound

by Hrayr Attarian
August 13, 2009

Catchy tunes and intelligent soloing do not a masterpiece make, but they do create a memorable and enjoyable listening experience. Tom Beckham's third album as a leader finds him in sympathetic, although slightly overbearing, company of saxophonist Chris Cheek and a rhythm section led by pianist Henry Hey. Beckham has a unique approach to the vibraphone and does not sound like anyone else. He also composed all the pieces here--smartly crafted, varied and complex enough to be ...

Tom Beckham: Rebound

by Jerry D'Souza
October 24, 2008

Tom Beckham has a refreshing approach to the vibraphone. He plays it with a gentle ear for harmony and development, with ideas that are wrapped in crystalline notes. Beckham resides in New York where he teaches and plays. The latter has seen him as part of bands led by Michael Musillami and Sam Bardfield as well as in collaborations with artists including Ben Monder, Kurt Rosenwinkel and Michael Blake. Rebound is his third release as a leader.

The ...

Native Soul: Rough Jazz

by Ivana Ng
August 16, 2006

Native Soul's debut album, Rough Jazz, can be viewed as an evolution from prudent bebop to hard bop with more soulful, daring rhythms. On the first half of the record, Peter Brainin's tenor's blithe timbre provides melodies that are often overpowering; pianist (and Fender Rhodes player) Noah Haidu subtly pulls him back with low-register notes. During the CD celebration at Sweet Rhythm on July 6, Haidu's soulful riffs on the keyboard had an intense gravity that might ...

Woody Witt Quintet with Randy Brecker: Square Peg, Round Hole

by Woodrow Wilkins
January 22, 2006

At a time when a lot of new music sounds prefabricated, particularly pop and R&B, it's easy to understand why some people believe that artists are just going through the motions and not putting any feeling into them. However, anyone who feels that way about jazz hasn't heard the Woody Witt Quintet. The no-frills approach of Square Peg, Round Hole is most engaging. A composer, performer and educator, Witt is a native of Omaha, Nebraska. He discovered ...

Various Artists: Sax In The City

by Stephen Latessa
August 28, 2005

A collection of New York's best women jazz instrumentalists would be an enticing compilation in and of itself, but throw in the fact that proceeds from the CD will benefit breast cancer charities and the project is very hard to pass up. Organized by alto saxophonist Laura Dreyer, Sax In The City features eleven tracks led by an intriguing group of female artists. Pianist Sarah Jane Cion contributes the lovely, sparkling “Gabrielle with Phil Palombi on bass and ...

Patrizia Scascitelli: Close Up

by Stephen Latessa
August 27, 2005

Close Up, the latest disc from Italian pianist and composer Patrizia Scascitelli, features eleven strong tunes from her pen that reveal the mellow strengths of her band as they move from reflective ballads to strutting blues. Echoes of the past are never far from the surface, revealing an affectionate knowledge of jazz history.

Artie's Place was written as an offshoot of jam sessions held in Artie Simmons' Harlem apartment. First Mark Gross gets the chance to lay down ...

Veronica Martell: The Art of Intimacy

by Woodrow Wilkins
August 4, 2005

The cover of Veronica Martell's The Art of Intimacy says it all. A lovely woman indeed, her portrait exudes an air of mystery and seduction. When her voice comes over the speaker, the process is complete. The aptly named CD title is a collection of elegant ballads that exhibit different sides of this brilliant singer.A fixture on the New York nightclub scene, Martell names among her inspirations Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Etta James, and Sarah Vaughan, as well ...

Ada Rovatti: Airbop

by Woodrow Wilkins
August 3, 2005

Jazz may be indigenous to America, but it's a worldwide experience. Artists from Europe, Africa, and Asia have adopted this art form and created music that's so pure and gimmick-free, it's as if they were born with it. One of these is Ada Rovatti, originally from Pavia, Italy. A pianist in her youth, Rovatti took a liking to jazz, blues, and funk and later chose the saxophone as her instrument of expression. Over the years, she's performed or recorded with ...

Bill Moring: Way Out East

by Rob Mariani
August 3, 2005

I wish this CD had more detailed liner notes on each of these players and a little history of the group. They're a really interesting band and frankly, I'd never heard of them before. Bill Moring and his cohorts seem completely at home in this “cordless" context and his rich, driving acoustic bass playing more than makes up for the lack of piano or guitar comping.

Drummer Steve Johns fleshes out the rhythm section with a time feeling that's very ...