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Andrew Gould: First Things First
by Mike Jurkovic
Free-wheeling and forward-thinking, young, native-New Yorker and one-time performer at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, Andrew Gould makes his living on alto and soprano sax, but he blows wild like many a tenor-man before him, including his inspirations Joe Henderson and John Coltrane. On First Things First, his broad and confident debut, high-wattage rules ...
Nik Bärtsch's Ronin: Awase
by Mike Jurkovic
After “Modul 60," the reflective and tranquil opener to Awase, from pianist Nik Bärtsch's groove-metric quartet Ronin, “Modul 58" comes at you with such an insistence and power that it leaves you, after its persistent eighteen minutes, catching your breath, marveling at how you went from zero to mach 10 in the blink of an eye. ...
Kristjan Randalu: Absence
by Mike Jurkovic
With a gathering, rubato flurry, Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu, a Chick Corea-inspired student of the late, virtuosic and highly lyrical British pianist John Taylor and his mischievous compatriot Django Bates, begins “Forecast" in whirling descent, before the quiet storm of guitarist Ben Monder and drummer Marku Ounaskari take the weather out to sea, where Randalu threatens ...
Jeff Williams: Lifelike
by Mike Jurkovic
Sounding as real as real gets, Lifelike's forward thinking drummer/composer Jeff Williams' heady sextet sure sound like they're all sitting in on a late night, cramped back room cutting session, with each player challenging, coaxing the other to new heights and horizons. Williams, an alumni of such name drops as Stan Getz, Dave Liebman, ...
Terence Blanchard: Live
by Mike Jurkovic
As trumpeter Terence Blanchard is wont to do, he blends spoken word, rock, funk, the electrified, the experimental, the second line, the bop, blues, and hip hop on the swaggering, often staggering, Live, his latest Blue Note release. Bidding us to ..."find our voices..." Marcus Miller's “Hannibal" evolves from a floating piano intro (courtesy ...
Carl Michel: Music in Motian
by Mike Jurkovic
Late drummer, texturalist, bandleader, and composer Paul Motian holds a revered space in the post-bop of the last half century. From early stints with Lennie Tristano and Coleman Hawkins to his seared-into-legend work with Bill Evans on Sunday at the Village Vanguard (Riverside Records, 1961), and Waltz for Debby (Riverside Records, 1962)); through his fiery live ...
Nels Cline: Currents, Constellations
by Mike Jurkovic
Reigning Wilco guitarist and avant sound sculptor Nels Cline begins his second Blue Note release Currents, Constellations with a loud, vibrant crash of guitar crunch that echoes his many alt/rock road trips. But very quickly the responsive and elastic rhythm section of bassist Scott Colley and drummer Tom Rainey charges forth while Cline and soul-mate guitarist ...
Kayo Hiraki: Manhattan Sunset
by Mike Jurkovic
Like a fine lemon sorbet, Manhattan Sunset, the sixth album from pianist and veteran NY presence Kayo Hiraki, is that refreshing, necessary pause between courses that enables you to fully enjoy the vast jazz menu. With an airy, elegant touch, tangible zeal and seasoned respect for her art, Hiraki leads her tried-and-true sidemen, bassist ...
Wild Card: Life Stories
by Mike Jurkovic
Two things I'll readily admit about Clement Regert's Wild Card and its new offering, Life Stories are: 1--wild isn't the right adjective. A more fitting descriptor is fearless, because this feverish ensemble isn't afraid to bring on the funk, the bop, the pop, the swing or Afro-Blue when they want to; and 2--the spoken word “Intro," ...
Peter Madsen: Never Bet The Devil Your Head
by Mike Jurkovic
Based on pianist/composer/bandleader Peter Madsen's extensive CV: Stan Getz, Stanley Turrentine, Dewey Redman, Benny Golson, Don Cherry, Kenny Garrett, Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Ravi Coltrane, Maceo Parker, Bill Frisell, John Abercombie and the Mingus Big Band, it's not surprising and often brilliant that on his eighth release for Playscape, Madsen exhibits a nearly prog-rock, anything goes ...
