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Morpheus Trance - Christy Doran: In Trance We Trust
by Glenn Astarita
Renowned Switzerland-based guitarist Christy Doran's In Trance We Trust is a musical dreamscape you cannot quite pin down but may never want to escape. The album unfolds like a sonic labyrinth, twisting and turning through genres and moods with the cool confidence of a seasoned psychonaut. Doran, wielding his six-stringed wand, conjures textures that oscillate between ...
Jonathan Salvi Arugula Sextet: Arugula
by Glenn Astarita
Swiss artist Jonathan Salvi's Arugula, released on Challenge Records, offers a blend of rhythmic complexity and thoughtful jazz arrangements. As the 103rd release in the “Jazz Thing Next Generation" series, it presents Salvi's work on the vibraphone in a way that fits well within the contemporary jazz scene. Salvi's vibraphone technique--using four mallets --is ...
Under The Surface: Joost Lijbaart, Sanne Rambags, Bram Stadhouders
by Ian Patterson
Under The Surface Joost Lijbaart, Sanne Rambags, Bram Stadhouders 100 Pages Self Published 2024 Why wait for your 10th anniversary to release a handsome, hardbound coffee-table book replete with stunning photos and illustrations charting your band's trajectory, when you can do so on your 9th? Then again, Under The Surface, ...
Vinsent Planjer: Warm to the Touch
by Glenn Astarita
Warm To The Touch is a triumph for Dutch percussionist Vinsent Planjer, displaying his talents as both a drummer and a composer. The album is a testament to his ability to blend intricate rhythms with evocative melodies, creating a listening experience that is both captivating and comforting. Each track offers a unique perspective on the themes ...
Chantal Acda: Silently Held
by Neil Duggan
Somewhere near the point where jazz, Americana and alt-folk meet, Belgian singer-songwriter Chantal Acda can be found. She has carved out a distinctive sound using a restricted and intimate sonic landscape crafted to enhance her vocal delivery. Her voice is soft and breathy with a fragile edge, and she delivers her lyrics with an intense focus. ...
Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet: Heaven On My Mind
by Ian Patterson
So called spiritual-jazz seemed to come out of nowhere with John Coltrane in the mid-1960s. If one jazz musician was the catalyst for the emergence this sub-genre of jazz it was he. Coltrane acolytes Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane and Charles Lloyd, among others, subsequently took up the mantle. No easier to define than jazz itself, spiritual ...
Stephane Galland & The Rhythm Hunters: Stephane Galland & The Rhythm Hunters
by Glenn Astarita
In the dense jungle of contemporary jazz, where rhythm is both compass and sustenance, Belgian drummer Stéphane Galland emerges as our audacious guide. His European ensemble, The Rhythm Hunters, embarks on a musical safari that transcends borders, time zones and conventional beats. From the initial moments of the album's opener, “Morpheus," listeners are transported ...
Catharsis
Album: Catharsis
By Michiel Stekelenburg
Label: Challenge Records
Released: 2024
Duration: 06:05
Michiel Stekelenburg: Catharsis
by Glenn Astarita
Dutch guitarist Michiel Stekelenburg is also a composer and educator known for his contributions to the jazz genre, though his origins in rock music significantly influence both his playing and compositions. His versatility as a session guitarist has seen him being a member of several pop and soul bands, alongside leading his own jazz and improvisational ...
Stefano Maurizi, Coşkun Karademir, Emre Sinanmiş: Migration Routes
by Neri Pollastri
È sufficiente ascoltare l'introduzione del brano di apertura, “Nare Nare," condotta in solitudine dal duduk di Emre Sinanmiş, per rendersi conto fin da subito della suggestione e della bellezza di quest'album, che esplora la ricca tradizione musicale dell'Anatolia, con l'accompagnamento del pianista fiorentino Stefano Maurizi. Abituale frequentatore delle tradizioni artistiche mediorientali, anche grazie alle ...
