Results for "Bill MacKay"

Bill MacKay

Rami Atassi: Dancing Together

by Gareth Thompson
September 25, 2023

The Chicago-based guitarist Rami Atassi went on a south American journey with his wife to explore Mexico and Colombia. Amid the daily background music, he heard different styles and rhythmic foundations than those he was used to and took percussion lessons locally. All this later began seeping into his solo work. A Syrian-American, Atassi ...

Jack Cooper & Jeff Tobias: Tributaries

by Gareth Thompson
November 26, 2021

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus claimed that “No one ever steps in the same river twice," as everything is in flux and constantly changing. By the same logic we might say that no jazz musician ever plays the same piece twice. Now consider the album Tributaries, a river-inspired work created by Jack Cooper (guitar) and Jeff Tobias ...

Charles Rumback: Singing Structures of Rhythm

by Jakob Baekgaard
April 2, 2020

Versatility, personality and musical empathy are qualities that a modern drummer needs, and Charles Rumback has them in abundance. Based in Chicago, Rumback has accompanied adventurous singer/songwriters like Caleb Willitz, Steve Dawson and Ryley Walker, played jazzy electronica with Colorlist and explored the classic format of the piano trio with bassist John Tate and pianist Jim ...

American Beauty: Musical Treasures on Tompkins Square

by Jakob Baekgaard
February 21, 2020

Back in 1952, Folkways Records released its groundbreaking Anthology of American Folk Music. It was a collection that gathered some of the best slices of American music, including gospel, blues and old-time music. It has since been followed by countless other compilations, but the ambition and the scope of the collection is still relevant. Tradition should ...

Astral Spirits: Lifting the Spirit of Jazz

by Jakob Baekgaard
November 4, 2019

While pop often follows predictable musical patterns, one of the greatest qualities about jazz is its sense of adventurousness and the ability to take the listener on a journey where the destination is unknown. The Astral Spirits label, based in jny: Austin, Texas, and run by musician Nate Cross, truly embraces this quality of jazz.

Skydive Trio: Sun Sparkle

by Gareth Thompson
May 29, 2018

There are parts of Norway where the sun hardly sets for months on end. It stays bright all night and dawn is never dark. The essence of this strange polar light finds its way into Sun Sparkle, the second album from Norwegian act Skydive Trio. Its predecessor, Sun Moee, also referenced our great burning star, which ...

The Eclectic Sounds of ears&eyes

by Jakob Baekgaard
March 27, 2018

Whereas some record labels try to limit their aesthetic to a certain sound, others take pride in challenging the conventions of genre. Matthew Golombisky, the founder of ears&eyes Records, belongs to the latter category. His philosophy is very clear, as he points out in the label profile that can be read on this site: “My motto ...

Quin Kirchner: The Other Side of Time

by Kevin Press
January 31, 2018

Albums that clock in at anything near 90 minutes are not automatically major works. On the other hand, this new effort from Quin Kirchner and Co. is hard to describe in any other terms. Kirchner's six-piece band has delivered a wide-ranging, powerful disc. Things get rolling with the appropriately titled “Ritual." From the start, ...

Quin Kirchner: The Other Side of Time

by Gareth Thompson
January 30, 2018

Quin Kirchner was forging a musical career in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina. Despite his house being ruined, he held off from leaving until the last moment due to gig commitments. With a support system of family and friends back in Chicago, Kirchner returned home where his percussive skills became key in the ...