Abbey Lincoln's career has always been one marked by constant growth and self-discovery. Over the course of her first five albums, beginning with 1956's Abbey Lincoln's Affair: A Story of a Girl in Love and ending with 1961's Straight Ahead, she transformed herself from a conventional pop singer into an intensely dramatic jazz singer. However, Ms. ...

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Article: Album Review

Satoko Fujii: Toward, "To West"

Read "Toward, "To West"" reviewed by AAJ Staff

by AAJ Staff
November 1, 2000

Pianist Satoko Fujii refuses to be categorized. (And let me tell you, most jazz reviewers hate that.) Her playing spans the range from tight swing to avant thunder, from experiments inside the piano to tinkering with the blues. For her trio work, she has found worthy companions in exploration. TO West, her second record with bassist ...

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Article: Album Review

Satoko Fujii: Toward,

Read "Toward, " reviewed by Jim Santella

by Jim Santella
November 1, 2000

Jazz can be free, improvised, swinging, fiery, and impressionistic. A highly original artist, Satoko Fujii creates music that swings comfortably while pumping up the adrenalin at the same time. On her 32-minute title track, the pianist persuades her trio to tear down the barriers that separate jazz into pigeonholed categories. Along with the groove, you get ...

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Article: Album Review

Satoko Fujii: Toward, "To West"

Read "Toward, "To West"" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
November 1, 2000

Coming on the heels of the impressive big band record Double Take, Satoko Fujii’s trio record lofts her onto a creative pinnacle in modern music. The young female Japanese pianist was a former student of Paul Bley and also a former classical piano prodigy. Her rejection of the classical doctrine was not a rejection of a ...

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Article: Album Review

Abbey Lincoln: Over the Years

by Dave Nathan
November 1, 2000

During the 1960's Abbey Lincoln successfully combined political activism with a busy, successful career. After divorcing husband drummer Max Roach, the 1970's and 1980's found her relegated to the back burner of the entertainment world although she was still recording, mostly for Indie labels. Then came Stan Getz who recommended her to Verve Records and who ...

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Article: Album Review

Maria Schneider: Allegresse

Read "Allegresse" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
October 1, 2000

Few would debate composer/arranger and big band leader, Maria Schneider's significance to the world of jazz. A true stylist who possesses a gifted ear, an equally impressive pen and a penchant for extracting the very best out of her band mates, Schneider has three recordings to her credit which includes this highly anticipated new release, titled ...

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Article: Album Review

Kevin Mahogany: Pussy Cat Dues

Read "Pussy Cat Dues" reviewed by Dave Nathan

by Dave Nathan
August 1, 2000

Not since the 1979 effort of Joni Mitchell has a top vocalist taken on the daunting task of recording the music of Charles Mingus. In 1995, Kevin Mahogany was invited by the Cologne-based Bill Dobbins-directed WDR big band (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) to participate in live concert of Mingus music. For this important musical event, Mahogany is joined ...