Jazz Articles

Various Artists: Cincinnati Jazz Collection, Volume III: The Blues

by Jim Santella
January 1, 2001

Like most other metropolitan areas around the world, Cincinnati has a fruitful jazz and blues scene. Where would we be without this kind of tradition? The songs tell stories. Long, detailed stories with just enough innuendo to make it interesting. And when that organist, pianist, guitarist, or saxophonist stretches out... it’s time for passion. This is music that you feel.

Like volumes one and two of the Cincinnati Jazz Collection, volume three features local artists representative of the city’s jazz ...

Various Artists: J-Curve Cincinnati Jazz Collection Volume II

by Jim Santella
February 1, 2000

Recorded one year after volume one, J-Curve’s second Cincinnati jazz sampler matches the high quality of musicianship and free, swinging attitude of the earlier adventure. Its Midwestern United States location makes Cincinnati an unusual candidate for one who has provided a century of hot jazz. However, three features stand out to allow fair competition between New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, Kansas City, Cincinnati and a few others: (1) the city lies geographically at a point where travelling bands would ...

William Menefield: Big Will Leaps In

by Jack Bowers
September 1, 1999

Remember the name William Menefield. On second thought, don’t bother; you’ll probably be hearing it often enough in the years ahead. Menefield’s debut album, Big Will Leaps In, has “blossoming superstar” written all over it. As a pianist Menefield unearths a range of maturity, depth and insight that would be remarkable at any age, and is especially eye–opening when embodied in a 19–year–old wunderkind who’s only a year removed from high school. One can’t help but wonder how he was ...

William Menefield: Big Will Leaps In

by Jim Santella
August 1, 1999

Acoustic piano trios are the backbone of mainstream jazz, allowing for a proper balance of both expository and extemporaneous material. The three artists have distinct roles that require cohesion and “big ears." Cincinnati veteran Art Gore and bassist Tyrone Wheeler make fine partners for the teenaged William Menefield. Born to a musical family, the talented pianist seems a natural for small ensemble leadership. Menefield wrote four pieces for this debut album, exhibiting a grasp of the essentials and revealing an ...

Phil DeGreg: The Green Gate

by Jim Santella
March 1, 1999

From the mainstream, pianist Phil DeGreg leads his trio and quartet through a varied program of material, both familiar and fresh. The pianist, whose experience includes work with Slide Hampton, Stanley Turrentine, Eddie Harris, and Woody Herman’s orchestra, is an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Real Audio clips from four of the album’s tracks may be found at http://www.jcurverecords.com/releases.html .

“Bouncin’ With Bud" opens the session and offers a good look ...

Phil DeGreg: The Green Gate

by Jack Bowers
March 1, 1999

While I’ve always found it difficult (if not impossible) to identify pianists in a blindfold test (okay, I think I could name Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner and a few others), I do know enough to separate the sheep from the goats — in other words, I think I can tell who the players are, who swings and who doesn’t. Phil DeGreg is definitely a player, abundant evidence of which can be found on his enormously pleasurable J Seven debut, The ...