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Ghost Rhythms: Live at Yoshiwara
by Mark Sullivan
French ensemble Ghost Rhythms present their first live album, recorded in front of a small audience in their rehearsal space. While there is no real venue named Yoshiwara, there is an infamous Yoshiwara district in Japan, which in turn lent its name to the depraved red-light district and club in Metropolis, Fritz Lang's 1927 silent sci-fi ...
Scheen Jazzorkester & Thomas Johansson: As We See It...
by Glenn Astarita
Given the breadth of the Clean Feed label's extensive Scandinavian improvisation and free jazz discography, this large-scale orchestra, featuring venerable trumpeter Thomas Johansson, is not strictly framed on avant-garde persuasions. In fact, the predominate x-factor that deals the KO punch is how hummable melodic hooks alluringly coexist with emotive soloing without an endless range of cacophonic ...
Bria Skonberg: Nothing Never Happens
by Jerome Wilson
Canadian trumpeter Bria Skonberg has made a name for herself as a player who is adept in traditional jazz styles but can also dabble in modern forms of rock and pop music. Her previous CD, With A Twist (Okeh, 2017), was a fun mixture of hot jazz and bubbly 1950s and 1960s pop tunes sparked with ...
Lisa Hilton: Chalkboard Destiny
by Mike Jurkovic
By finely feathering-in her Pacific cool to a gritty, more urban sense of persistent chaos, Chalkboard Destiny may very well be the ten-song set which places pianist Lisa Hilton well beyond the borders of West Coast fandom and East Coast fetishism and gathers her the wider audience she richly deserves. And here's hoping, because ...
Jason Yeager- Randal Despommier: All At Onceness
by Neri Pollastri
Lavoro fondamentalmente cameristico che fa incontrare il jazz con la classica, aggiungendovi alcuni originali, All At Onceness è cofirmato da due artisti dell'area newyorchese, il pianista Jason Yeager e il sassofonista contralto Randal Despommier, ai quali in metà dei brani si aggiungono altri musicisti per formare organici diversi. Il programma prevede un brano a ...
Pat LaBarbera Kirk MacDonald Quintet: Trane of Thought, Live at the Rex
by Jack Bowers
Sometimes the name of an album can be a dead giveaway. Clearly, tenors Pat La Barbera and Kirk MacDonald, the co-leaders of this admirable quintet from north of the border, are enthusiastic admirers and champions of the late great saxophonist John Coltrane. Disciples, yes, but leagues away from slavish imitators. LaBarbera and MacDonald have strong and ...
Tor Einar Bekken: Help Us In The Hour of Need
by Jim Worsley
Every once in a while, an artist throws a curveball. Blues and jazz pianist Tor E Bekken, renowned for his historical knowledge and authenticity, also has nothing short of a monster left hand. The talented Norwegian has released over a dozen records, including his dynamic upright piano assault Live at Bar Moskus (Blue Mood Records/Grappa, 2017) ...
Big Lazy: Dear Trouble
by Jerome Wilson
The trio Big Lazy plays a frisky type of instrumental music which draws on jazz, surf rock, country and other genres. In the tradition of versatile guitarists like Danny Gatton and Duane Eddy, Stephen Ulrich's lean, twanging sound creates a sonic landscape full of dusty highways and shadowy streets. He billows, trembles and chugs through leisurely ...
Ahmad Jamal: Ballades
by Mike Jurkovic
None other than Miles Davis cited Ahmad Jamal (born 1930) as a stylistic influence. So, as he was approaching his ninetieth birthday, what did this vibrant upstart do to further shake things up? He released his first ever solo album which isn't really a solo album because on three of the exemplarily graceful tracks on Ballades, ...
FORQ: Four
by Mike Jacobs
Forq has come a long way. Since Keyboardist Henry Hey and (Snarky Puppy) bassist Michael League started the quartet with drummer Jason JT Thomas and guitarist Adam Rogers, Forq has gone through some crucial personnel changes. Rogers left after the first album and was replaced by Snarky Puppy guitarist Chris McQueen. Recording two more ...
