Jazz Articles

Master Musicians of Jajouka: Master Musicians of Jajouka Featuring Bachir Attar

by AAJ Staff
October 1, 2001

Talvin Singh doesn't dwell on his talents as a tabla player, though he's up at the master range on that particular instrument (and he also plays the electric tabla). He doesn't dwell much on his role as a producer either, though he did just invest in an Indian studio for his personal use. Take his work alone, and it's good. But when he collaborates (with Bjork, for example), things get very interesting.

Consider his partners on this disc, from the ...

Nils Wogram & Konrad Bauer: Serious Fun

by Derek Taylor
September 1, 2000

Though the instrumentation on this disc may initially seem striking, the antecedent for tandem trombone improvisation was actually set way back in the Bop era by J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding. Admittedly those two doyens of the jazz trombone never operated out of reach of a rhythm section and their material was of a far less free-form nature, but the spirit remains the same across the styles and the years. The free improvisatory possibilities of the instrument have since been ...

Uakti: Trilobyte

by Dave Hughes
October 1, 1997

Uakti (pronounced “wah-ke-chee") is a four-person ensemble from Brazil, three percussionists and a flutist. Many of their instruments are created by the musicians themselves, including the trilobyte (the album's namesake), which is a set of tuned PVC pipes covered with drum skins and played with the fingers.

This is a very engaging, interesting album. Many of the handmade instruments are both melodic and percussive, and their various timbres and resonances are totally unique and pleasant to listen to. The compositions ...