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Greg Osby: Symbols Of Light (A Solution)
by Jim Santella
By dedicating pieces to specific jazz masters, Greg Osby honors the tradition without repeating it. High on individuality since he joined Blue Note in 1990, the saxophonist has dared--on past albums--to introduce jazz to funk, hip-hop, street poetry and more. His creative freshness is what drives him. It's that uniqueness of spirit that moves each of ...
Miles Davis: The Complete In A Silent Way Sessions
by Jim Santella
Three previously unissued performances and six months of Miles Davis' recording activity mark this 3-CD set as something special. This was a transitional time for the bandleader. It marked the beginning of a fusion. The package documents this period very well. Davis wanted a new sound. With several keyboards and significant changes in personnel, he got ...
Aaron Goldberg: Unfolding
by Jim Santella
Impressionism drives the jazz piano trio. Aren't we all storytellers? Listeners' interpretations can vary, and that's what makes art special. Just let yourself go. On his second recording as leader, Aaron Goldberg unfolds seven original stories and two classic pieces. His trio works in close proximity, with an intuitive feel. There's a fair amount of freedom ...
Don Stiernberg: Unseasonably Cool
by Jim Santella
Three acoustic string players with percussion make a fine jazz quartet: mandolin, guitar, bass and drums. A rarity in jazz circles, the mandolin has a voice higher than guitar. It's played in the same manner, except for the tremolos that are required to sustain notes. Don Stiernberg caresses a melody with light, fluid movements. The instrument ...
Drew Gress: Spin & Drift
by Jim Santella
Representing jazz's modern mainstream, Drew Gress' quartet album swings, while offering--at the same time--unexpected changes of direction. Saxophones, piano, bass and drums interact with a spirit that implies reserves of energy. That motion is sitting there, rocking, and waiting for a chance to explode. Fortunately, this veteran quartet knows how to harness the energy. Uri Caine ...
Tim Ries Septet: Alternate Side
by Jim Santella
Dramatic modern mainstream jazz contains curious harmonic concepts and rhythmic variety. Leading with tenor and soprano saxophones, Tim Ries provides six original pieces and two standards, from which his ensemble extracts the essential elements. A leading section member with the bands of Maynard Ferguson and Maria Schneider, Ries holds a master's degree in performance and composition ...
Thelonious Monk: Live At The Jazz Workshop
by Jim Santella
In the same year that Thelonious Monk appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, he recorded several live sessions for Columbia. This 2-CD set features two and a half hours at San Francisco’s Jazz Workshop, recorded November 3rd and 4th, 1964 with his working quartet. Nearly half the reissue consists of previously unreleased material. The rest, ...
Thelonious Monk: Monk In Tokyo
by Jim Santella
Recorded May 21, 1963, this two-disc reissue represents classic Monk. Adventurous in his creative interplay with Charlie Rouse, Thelonious Monk wove lines that turned unexpectedly time and again. On his way to worldwide acclaim, Monk was already there musically. The 24-bit digitally remastered sound on this collection brings every nuance to the listener: clear as a ...
Blue Wisp Big Band: 20th Anniversary
by Jim Santella
The program opens with a Matt Harris tune that resembles “All Blues." Big band arrangements by Harris, Al Kiger, Larry Dickson, and Steve Allee provide a format that allows plenty of room for swinging. This ensemble gets together every Wednesday night at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club: the band's weekly gig in Cincinnati. They released five ...
Various Artists: Calle 54
by Jim Santella
This soundtrack comes from a full-length film dedicated to Latin jazz. Solo piano, jazz trios, and larger ensembles carry the tradition to an audience thirsty for knowledge. As the world gets smaller, the audience for this music grows in size. Jazz, with direct ties to Cuba, Brazil, The Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Argentina, Africa and Europe, makes ...
