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Heirloom: Familiar Beginnings
by Kyle Simpler
New music often serves a dual purpose. While it usually introduces fresh sounds, the music's structure generally contains a degree of familiarity, combining recognition with discovery. This idea of exploring new musical territory without abandoning its roots seems to be the guiding concept for the Milwaukee-based quartet Heirloom. With their debut album, Familiar Beginnings, they introduce ...
Hillai Govreen: Every Other Now
by Kyle Simpler
Many musicians are content to write and perform songs, while others continuously explore deeper territory. Clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer Hillai Govreen belongs firmly to the latter camp. At heart, she is a storyteller, and with Every Other Now, her debut solo release, she creates music that invites not only listening but also imagination. Govreen ...
Transcendence: The Music of Pat Metheny
by Kyle Simpler
Although Pat Metheny is known primarily as a guitarist, he has also established himself as one of the most influential composers in modern jazz. His music emphasizes storytelling and emotion over virtuosity. His compositions incorporate various elements from rock, Americana, and world music, adding nuances that appeal to listeners both within and outside the jazz world. ...
50 Years Later: 10 Jazz Albums from 1975 That Deserve Another Spin
by Kyle Simpler
1975 was a landmark year for music, marked by several outstanding album releases. Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks (Columbia), Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti (Swan Song), Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here (Harvest), Frank Zappa's One Size Fits All (DiscReet) and Jeff Beck's Blow by Blow (Epic) were just a few of the titles that have ...
Alex Otey: Darwin AI: Surivior Choice
by Kyle Simpler
Concept albums are uncommon in jazz, but pianist, trumpeter, and composer Alex Otey embraces the challenge with Darwin AI: Survivor Choice. This project blends intellect and groove, presenting Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory in a new light by discussing the implications of artificial intelligence through a hybrid of jazz, rock and beyond. Otey's background shapes ...
James Robert Murphy: Sunday Morning
by Kyle Simpler
Some musicians stick to one style and consistently remain true to it, while others continually explore new sounds and musical styles. Guitarist James Robert Murphy, aka Austin Jimmy Murphy, falls into this second category. He has worked in various genres, but he is clearly a jazz player at heart. With Sunday Morning, he offers a satisfying ...
Anat Fort: The Dreamworld of Paul Motian
by Kyle Simpler
Other performers inspire every musician to some extent, but for Anat Fort, the influence of drummer Paul Motian altered her approach to performing and thinking about music. Although Motian passed away in 2011, his presence remains a motivating force in Fort's work. With The Dreamworld of Paul Motian, she pays homage not just to the man ...
Meet Kyle Simpler
by Kyle Simpler
I currently live in: Fort Worth, Texas I joined All About Jazz in: 2002 Why did you decide to contribute to All About Jazz? That's an interesting story. I discovered All About Jazz mostly by accident. During the early 2000s, I worked for a company that published newsletters, and one of my ...
Emma Hedrick: Newcomer
by Kyle Simpler
As long as there are songs, there will be singers to sing them, but there is a slight difference between a singer and a vocalist. Singers, no matter how talented, tend to remain in the foreground with the band in support. A vocalist, however, uses the voice as an instrument, becoming an integral part of the ...
Ben Basile: Benergy
by Kyle Simpler
Musical performances often showcase more than just an artist's talent. Whenever musicians play, the audience gets hints at their influences as well, because it is not often easy to conceal the impact of musicians who have helped shape the sound. In many cases, the influences are specific players the artist studied while earning the craft. However, ...
