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Various Artists: We Out Here
by Chris May
This vivid snapshot of young London's jazz scene, featuring nine bands and a collective pool of 35 musicians, contains close to an hour of daring and uplifting music--from rebooted spiritual-jazz through abstract experimentation to Afrobeat-flavoured dancefloor urgency, a rich mix further enlivened by shots of grime, hip hop and funk. It was recorded over three days ...
John McCowen: Solo Contra
by Daniel Barbiero
John McCowen's Solo Contra presents an EP-length, finely-sketched portrait of a rarely heard instrument: the contrabass clarinet. It also marks the most recent stage in an eclectic path through music that's taken him from the extremes of raw energy to the subtleties of timbral micro soundworlds. After having been involved with hardcore punk as ...
Stefano Travaglini: Ellipse
by Dan McClenaghan
Set up some studio time. Step into the studio. Sit down at the piano. Let your muse take you where she will. That's how pianist Stefano Travaglini rolled for the recording of Ellipse. Solo jazz piano, free improvisation especially, has proven itself over the years a difficult artist endeavor. Consider the modern masters: Keith ...
While We Still Have Bodies: While We Still Have Bodies
by Tyran Grillo
While We Still Have Bodies names the collaboration of trombonist Ben Gerstein, bassist Sean Ali, saxophonist Michael Foster, and percussionist Flin van Hemmen. The more one listens to their spontaneous creations, however, the less important such roster division becomes, receding in deference to forces without proper name. To achieve such effect is no small task, for ...
Ghost Town Blues Band: Backstage Pass
by C. Michael Bailey
One of the perks to living in Little Rock is its close proximity to the center of the rock music universe. No, not Cleveland, Alan Freed or not. Memphis, Tennessee! Did Chuck Berry write a song about Cleveland? No. Being close to Memphis means being close enough to go a see local bands the likes of ...
Bob Wagner: Toot Suite
by Nicholas F. Mondello
There have been many composers on both sides of the classical-jazz continuum who have attempted to blend those genres. Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Darius Milhaud, Duke Ellington, Lalo Schifrin, Jorge Calandrelli, and others have explored the parallels and differences. In 1980, French jazz pianist/composer, Claude Bolling composed “Toot Suite" for the great French ...
Mark McGrain: Love + Time + Divination
by Dan Bilawsky
When Crescent City trombonist Mark McGrain first conceived of this album, it was a way to honor his parents by visiting some of their favorite songs from the '30s and '40s. In the end, he remained faithful to his core mission while broadening the repertoire to include far more than familiar glimpses of the past.
Gleb Kolyadin: Gleb Kolyadin
by Geno Thackara
One sometimes doesn't know where to start in describing things under the progressive-rock umbrella, considering that the term comes with such a pile of baggage it's practically impossible to see around. The modern-day genre (to the extent that's even a recognizable thing) arguably has even more issues than the 1970s version: there are more bands out ...
Gordon Hyland: NEVER DIE! by \\livingfossil//
by Friedrich Kunzmann
\\livingfossil// is the most recent brainchild of Canadian saxophonist Gordon Hyland. The Toronto-based musician and composer continues to release his versatile compositions in a multitude of formations of various different names, such as the acoustic saxophone trio Simple Shapes or the progressive-electronic project Ninja Funk Orchestra. Members of the latter are reunited with Hyland on his ...
The DIVA Jazz Orchestra: 25th Anniversary Project
by Geannine Reid
A 25th Anniversary is a rare event in today's music world, and Sherrie Maricle the leader and driving force behind the DIVA Jazz Orchestra has achieved just that. A vehicle for some of today's most recognized names in jazz, this Orchestra goes beyond the label of an all-female ensemble, it is more about the achievements and ...
