Jazz Articles

Anna Kolchina: Wild Is The Wind

by C. Michael Bailey
April 21, 2018

Anna Kolchina's debut Wild is the Wind is a masterclass in ensemble performance. Backed by pianist John Di Martino, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Willie Jones, Kolchina is more an equal quartet member than a singer backed by a trio. This is experienced immediately on the title piece, where Kolchina's delicately-played voice peeks out from behind Washington's gentle bass playing as it directs the remainder of the arrangement. It is a stunningly organic musical effect that increases the intimacy of ...

Alexis Cole with One For All: You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

by Dan Bilawsky
February 24, 2018

Vocalist Alexis Cole hasn't found a setting or theme that doesn't suit her. Since arriving on the scene near the turn of the century she's covered a tremendous amount of ground and delivered a good number of well-conceived and beautifully executed albums. Cole teamed up with dozens of A-listers for a charitably-driven Christmas outing, explored the sultry side of the jazz canon, gave voice to the music of baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, put her own spin on Paul Simon's work, ...

Sharel Cassity: Manhattan Romance

by Tom Pierce
December 10, 2014

Since she relocated to New York City in 1999, the steadily building career of this Oklahoma native includes a Bachelor's from the New School and a Master's at Juilliard. Sharel Cassity studied under a number of renowned saxophonists and recorded two CDs. The second, Relentless (Jazz Legacy, 2009), received a 4-star review in Downbeat, whose Critics Poll has consistently cited her as a Rising Star on alto sax. Her career includes performances as a leader at well-known venues, as well ...

Alexis Cole: Someday My Prince Will Come

by Ernest Barteldes
April 9, 2010

Music from Disney films and cartoons has often drifted into jazz thanks to its rich harmonies and evergreen quality, but it is not every day that a vocalist makes an entire CD with personal renditions of these popular tunes.

Such is the case of Alexis Cole's Someday My Prince Will Come, which features a collection of Disney tunes reread into a jazz format. Cole cleverly did not choose songs that might be too obvious, focusing mostly on more ...

Eric Alexander: Eric Alexander Quartet: Chim Chim Cheree

by Sean Coughlin
February 14, 2010

Chim Chim Cheree has been dubbed “a tribute to John Coltrane." Returning with usual sidemen Harold Mabern at the piano, Joe Farnsworth on drums, and bassist John Webber, this album represents a thorough examination of Coltrane's music made up of Coltrane originals and tunes Coltrane ostensibly owned throughout his career. While George Coleman, Dexter Gordon, and Sonny Stitt are most often cited as the foremost influences on Alexander, Coltrane is clearly among them. Alexander's take on “You ...

Champian Fulton: Sometimes I'm Happy

by Ken Dryden
December 3, 2009

The daughter of jazz trumpeter Stephen Fulton, Champian Fulton had plenty of early exposure to the music through her father. She began piano lessons at the age of five and as she grew interested in singing as well, she began accompanying herself. Fulton is a refreshing change from many of the singing jazz pianists of the past two decades, as she excels in both areas while never resorting simply to doing the minimum to get by in ...

Tessa Souter: Nights of Key Largo

by Suzanne Lorge
June 4, 2009

Tessa Souter excels at creating mood and on her new CD, Nights of Key Largo, that mood is one of a relaxed intimacy: She never strains to emote, never pushes a note, never rushes a phrase. Her material--13 songs about moonlight, sand and romance--lends itself to this kind of laid-back treatment, reminding the listener that there is more to life than hurrying to be somewhere, with the stressful soundtrack that accompanies such a feverish lifestyle playing in one's head.

Dan Nimmer Trio: Yours Is My Heart Alone

by Marcia Hillman
January 21, 2009

Pianist Dan Nimmer needs to change his name to Dan Nimble--for agile are his fingers as he navigates through a selection of pop and jazz standards as well as a couple of originals on this trio album with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash along for the ride. And what a ride it is. Nimmer's choice of material encompasses a wide range of composers including Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery, Johnny Hodges, Gil Evans and Paul Chambers as well as ...

Ken Peplowski Gypsy Jazz Band: Gypsy Lamento

by Martin Longley
December 14, 2008

This is a gypsy combo of the Django Reinhardt persuasion, rather than being fully-crazed wedding party cacophony. In fact, reedman Ken Peplowski makes matters even more specialized by concentrating on a preponderance of slow plodders rather than the frenetic hurtling that many gypsy jazz guitar outfits now prefer. The album's cover is slightly strange. Two pseudo-brides in billowing white silk cavort with a pair of goats. Is this what gypsy life entails? Half of the compositions are ...

Kenny Werner: With a Song in My Heart

by Ken Dryden
December 13, 2008

Kenny Werner has long been active as a jazz pianist/bandleader, composer and jazz educator, having recorded around two dozen albums as a leader and many more as a sideman. He has performed with quite a few jazz greats, including Charles Mingus, Bob Brookmeyer, Lee Konitz and Toots Thielemans. He's also a sought after pianist by vocalists, having long worked with Broadway star Betty Buckley and jointly leading the Delirium Blue Project with Roseanna Vitro. This trio date ...