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Kerry Politzer: Diagonal
by Dan McClenaghan
Portland, Oregon-based pianist Kerry Politzer has a thing for bossa nova. Her immersion into sounds from Brazil comes into full blossom with her sixth album, Diagonal. Brazil's bossa nova sound came to world wide attention initially via the music from saxophonist Stan Getz on Jazz Samba (Verve, 1962), followed by early 1960s recordings from ...
Eliane Elias: Love Stories
by Jim Worsley
A Grammy-winning Brazilian pianist and songstress with a sultry voice, impeccable phrasing, and romantic flair chooses to take on the many feelings and emotions of love for her next record. That would seem like a natural fit. To say that this is in the wheelhouse of Eliane Elias is to be the master of the obvious. ...
Pokaz Trio: Kintsugi
by Friedrich Kunzmann
A melancholic wistfulness seems to wrap itself around every bar and each note of this trio date by the Ukrainian talents pianist Andrew Pokaz, bassist Vitaliy Fesenko and drummer Yakov Taruntsov. The three virtuosi forming the Pokaz Trio dig deep into the repertoire of Eastern European melodies and rhythms to create seven original pieces that make ...
Tomeka Reid - Filippo Monico: The Mouser
by John Sharpe
Cellist Tomeka Reid reveals another aspect of her artistry on The Mouser, on five unfettered excursions in the company of Italian percussionist Filippo Monico. Rather than the supple propulsion and poised angularity of her eponymous quartet (Thirsty Ear, 2015) or the AACM repertoire of Artifacts (482 Music, 2015), Reid concentrates on exploring the full resources of ...
Soren Bebe: Echoes
by Mike Jurkovic
A yearning reticence lies at the heart of Echoes, Norwegian pianist Soren Bebe's sixth trio disc. Stark yet beautiful at all times, Echoes follows in the spacious, introverted soundscapes of fellow Danish pianistsTord Gustavsen and the late Esbjorn Svensson. Neo-classical in structure yet open to the tides, the Bebe written title track leads off ...
Dan Pugach: Plus One
by Angelo Leonardi
Ci giunge con un po' di ritardo questo debutto del batterista e arrangiatore israeliano Dan Pugach ma va segnalato per testimoniare l'ottimo momento del jazz orchestrale. Trasferitosi negli Stati Uniti per frequentare il Berklee College of Music, Pugach è appassionato della scuola orchestrale mainstream e s'è perfezionato al City College di New York studiando con Hal ...
Mark Dresser Seven: Ain’t Nothing But A Cyber Coup & You
by Alberto Bazzurro
Brani ampi (sei) intercalati da fugaci “tavole preparatorie" (non più di un minuto), minimali anche in quanto a dispiegamento di forze in campo, con una dedica iniziale e una finale, fissano l'istantanea, la radiografia, di questo nuovo lavoro del notevole settetto riunito da Mark Dresser già tre anni or sono (una sola variante di organico: il ...
Nat Birchall: The Storyteller: A Musical Tribute To Yusef Lateef
by Chris May
The deification of Yusef Lateef, which began only after his passing in 2013, rests on the first decade of his long recording career, from 1957—1967, when he extended the language of jazz to include elements of Asian and Middle Eastern musics while recording for Savoy, Prestige and Impulse. After a second decade with Atlantic, where he ...
Bill O'Connell and The Afro Caribbean Ensemble: Wind Off The Hudson
by Dan Bilawsky
Bill O'Connell has had plenty to say with his piano in recent times, basically knocking out a session a year for the Savant imprint. And with an exploration within the solo format, a trip with an augmented trio, and ventures promoting a medium-sized conglomerate of heavy-hitters, he's certainly traversed quite an expanse there. But, as Wind ...
Mu: Free Energy!
by Geno Thackara
The Greek letter mu is used in physics notation to represent the coefficient of friction--and accordingly, this wacky and brainy crew could have hardly chosen a more relatable handle. The name seems to conflict with inventor Nikola Tesla's famous concept of free (i.e. all-natural) energy, but the clash is pretty apt for Free Energy!, which revels ...
