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Freedom Art Quintet: Spirits Awake
by Matt Merewitz
A relative newcomer to the New York avant scene, the Freedom Art Quintet seems to fit in historically somewhere in between the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the funky Cannonball Adderley Quintet.The opener, “In the Thick of It,” suggests the avant-garde while keeping things in time and relatively harmonically tame. The writing is interesting ...
Byron Morris and Unity
by Matt Merewitz
Though there is nothing particularly spectacular about Byron Morris the saxophonist, the energy and joy that he brings to his group Unity, is truly a unifying force. His willingness to engage the audience in the music as it is happening is quite refreshing in a music often dominated by lofty-headed “artistes" who feel they are above ...
Royce Campbell feat. Gene Bertoncini: A Tribute to Charlie Byrd
by Matt Merewitz
Sharing a rare commitment to the mastery of their instrument, jazz guitarists have a strong bond to an axe which – despite huge popularity in other genres – has by and large, seemed to elude jazz throughout the music’s history. When thinking of true non-crossover jazz guitarists, only a handful come to mind: Django Reinhardt, Charlie ...
Graham Breedlove Sextet: Coming Home
by Matt Merewitz
It is refreshing to know that our Armed Forces provide a safe haven in today’s hectic music world for talented musicians to perform and write music. Ample evidence of the dedication to jazz these men and women have is present on Graham Breedlove’s first CD for Summit Records, Coming Home. A trumpet player ...
Eric Suseoff and Salsamba: The Traveler
by Matt Merewitz
Salsamba is the best Latin jazz group you’ve never heard. Don’t expect to immediately find them on tour all of a sudden, though. In today’s economy and in the music biz in general, it is awfully difficult to find good gigs – and without a major record-label backing them, Salsamba has kept relatively local. I intend ...
Rick McLaughlin: Study of Light
by Matt Merewitz
Study of Light has truly accomplished its goal in exposing these three players in the most natural shades of light that could be imagined. The freeness of "Ink" and "Colors of Chloe" evoke a feeling of light slowly falling onto the musicians like a waterfall onto lilypads. You can imagine them in all black playing in ...
Laurent Coq Quartet: Like a Tree In the City
by Matt Merewitz
A celestial and surprisingly fresh sound emanates from the first moments of Like a Tree in the City, Laurent Coq's first release on the Sunnyside label. This side of the Atlantic, Coq plays with tenor saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh, bassist Brandon Owens, drummer Damion Reid. Their ability to gel and groove and drift all with a unified ...
Maynard Ferguson: Chameleon / Conquistador
by Matt Merewitz
It‘s not your everyday big band that has three simultaneous scream trumpet players on every song. Nevertheless, it is what has come to be expected from the master trumpeter-band leader Maynard Ferguson. The newly re-released and re-mastered Maynard Ferguson Big Band tapes, Chameleon and Conquistador, fully embody the modern big band. It has all the elements ...
Nate Najar: The Cool Sounds of Nate Najar
by Matt Merewitz
Despite a chic album cover reminiscent of 1950s west coast jazz, and a well groomed young guitarist to boot, there is less substance on the Floridian’s latest effort than there could be. Cool is definitely the word to describe Nate Najar’s second album as a leader on his own independent Blue Line jazz label. “Cool” can ...
Michael Coppola: New Impressions
by Matt Merewitz
Guitarist Michael Coppola’s newest release, New Impressions, is a gem. With a crew of talented sidemen, Coppola has showcased his rare skills on 9-string guitar while also showcasing his compositional skills. On acoustic bass Coppola has Jim Andrews, on alto sax Tim Moran, and on drums Arti Dixson. A varied stylistic program provides the listener a ...
