Home » Search Center » Results: David A. Orthmann
Results for "David A. Orthmann"
One Night Only: Vinnie Sperrazza with Alex Laurenzi and Solomon Gottfried
by David A. Orthmann
Alex Laurenzi Trio Wayne Public Library Wayne, NJ March 12, 2026 I have long admired drummer Vinnie Sperrazza's musicianship on recordings to the exclusion of experiencing him in live performance. It was a pleasure to review Juxtaposition (2017), his Posi-Tone Records release as a leader, as well as Swing & Soul ...
Joe Magnarelli: Decidedly so
by David A. Orthmann
The front-line alliance of trumpeter Joe Magnarelli and trombonist Steve Davis is one of the distinguishing features of Decidedly So, Magnarelli's 2026 release in an impressive string of releases as a leader. Magnarelli and Davis interact in ways that reflect decades of experience in playing modern, straight-ahead jazz. The two brass instruments work together and respond ...
Philly Joe Jones Biography: The Life and Legacy of a Drummer Who Transformed Modern Jazz
by David A. Orthmann
Philly Joe Jones Biography: The Life and Legacy of a Drummer Who Transformed Modern JazzMichael C. Davis140 pagesISBN: #9798269455297Self Published2025 Anyone who is seeking out anecdotes about Philly Joe Jones's relationships with a veritable who's who of jazz greats, or particulars of his life off the bandstand, might want to steer clear of Michael ...
Joe Magnarelli: Concord
by David A. Orthmann
Throughout a career spanning over four decades, much of it spent in the trenches of New York City's notoriously competitive jazz scene, trumpeter/flugelhornist Joe Magnarelli has established a distinct identity within the broad parameters of the bop and hard bop idioms. Concord, Magnarelli's third release for the venerable SteepleChase Productions imprint, arguably his finest work in ...
Josh Lawrence: Still We Dream
by David A. Orthmann
"Long As You're Living," the opening track of Still We Dream, trumpeter Josh Lawrence 's seventh release for Posi-Tone Records, is an ideal candidate for extensive airplay on jazz radio. Coming in at under four minutes, it is all substance, no fluff, no excess. A blues in 5/4 time, generating middling tempo swing courtesy of bassist ...
Steve Millhouse: Looking Back to Today
by David A. Orthmann
In an era when athleticism, blatant egotism, and cacophony are all too common elements of jazz performance, it is refreshing to hear a record populated by players who exhibit give-and-take, musicality, and a willingness to listen and share sonic space. Six-string electric bassist Steve Millhouse's Looking Back to Today is a sterling example of a bass, ...
Behn Gillece: Pivot Point
by David A. Orthmann
Anyone who has listened to at least some of the Posi-Tone releases from the past several years will recognize the personnel on Pivot Point: vibraphonist Behn Gillece 's eighth date as a leader. Tenor/soprano saxophonist Willie Morris,, pianist Jon Davis, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummers Rudy Royston and Jason Tiemann have made substantial contributions to many ...
Diego Rivera: West Circle
by David A. Orthmann
Let it not be said that Posi-Tone Records fails to put its weight and resources behind the artists it believes in. A case in point is the volume of releases that entail the combinations of tenor/soprano saxophonist Diego Rivera, pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummer Rudy Royston. In the last five years, discs in ...
Steve Johns: Mythology
by David A. Orthmann
Over the past twenty years, drummer Steve Johns has appeared dozens of times in various venues and configurations throughout Northern New Jersey and the Hudson Valley, New York area. To name but a few examples, Johns with guitarist Bob DeVos's trio at Trumpets Jazz Club, in sessions led by bassist Mark Hagan at the Old 76 ...
Willie Morris: Unbound Inner
by David A. Orthmann
Willie Morris's third release as a leader for Posi-Tone opens with the haunting Flyover Country," which only includes the leader's tenor saxophone and pianist Jon Davis. Combining improvisation and Morris's earnest, subdued theme, the two-minute 25-second gem doesn't declare any particular stylistic allegiance, nor does it clamor for attention. Instead, Morris's and Davis's partnership evokes a ...


