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Darius Jones Trio: Big Gurl (Smell My Dream)
by Nic Jones
As of right now, alto sax man Darius Jones is one of the more distinctive voices; his vocabulary informed as much by the street as it is the academy, but his reach ensuring that this amounts to more than a fine balance between heart and head. He takes risks, too, considering that the trio lineup of ...
Wadada Leo Smith's Organic: Heart’s Reflections
by Nic Jones
Wadada Leo Smith is currently making some of the most distinctive music on the planet; its expressive depth, as exemplified by Heart's Reflections, seemingly born not merely of one lifetime, but of several. The trumpeter's means of expression, which has never been the stuff of mere virtuosity, is now purged of all excess, resulting in something ...
Duh: In Just
by Nic Jones
Free improvisation guarantees the sound of surprise in a way that few other musical strains do. While the primacy of the moment and the players' responses in it and to it are the prime motivations for the music, this will always be the case. This makes the idea of trying to define just what governs the ...
Peter James Trio: Soul Story
by Nic Jones
The piano trio is currently one of the staples in what might be called marketed jazz, but that doesn't mean that every example of the lineup lacks musical substance. British pianist Peter James' trio is a case in point, because it's clear that its stylistic range is wide, even while retaining its own identity.
Ingrid Laubrock / Sleepthief: The Madness of Crowds
by Nic Jones
As of The Madness of Crowds, saxophonist Laubrock, pianist Liam Noble and drummer Tom Rainey are one of the most rewarding bands out there. They were before, but now the clarity and depth of interaction in their music is enough to deepen that assertion, and when a signature sound also comes as part of the deal ...
Rob Mazurek's Starlicker: Double Demon
by Nic Jones
Starlicker is a trio which crosses the genres with ease and a healthy disregard for categorization. Cornetist Rob Mazurek is one of those musicians more preoccupied with the future of improvised music than with its glorious past. Much the same can be said for vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, who once again proves himself to be one of ...
Eric Hofbauer and The Infrared Band: Level
by Nic Jones
Back in 2008 this band--the only change here being bassist Sean Farias in for Michael Montgomery--produced one of the best albums of that year. In 2011, they've gone and done it again. Like Thelonious Monk, Herbie Nichols and Andrew Hill, guitarist Eric Hofbauer's music benefits enormously from having the right musicians to bring ...
David S. Ware / Cooper-Moore / William Parker / Muhammad Ali: Planetary Unknown
by Nic Jones
Planetary Unknown marks the first time this quartet played together, though that isn't apparent, given the music's deep roots and connections. Drummer Muhammad Ali is brother to Rashied, who worked with John Coltrane's post-Elvin Jones group. This is his first appearance on record since the early 1980s, and he brings a wealth of ...
Farmers By Nature: Out Of This World’s Distortions
by Nic Jones
Sometimes it feels like there's a glut of piano trios out there, so it could be argued that it takes something special for one to stand out. Whatever that special something might be, these guys have got it. Pianist Craig Taborn, bassist William Parker and drummer Gerald Cleaver have the ability to produce work that's never ...
Heiner Stadler: Tribute to Bird & Monk
by Nic Jones
Tribute to Bird & Monk is a scintillating blast recorded in 1978, when the battle lines between innovation and the tradition were clearly drawn. In tackling compositions by Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker, and casting them in a fresh light, arranger Heiner Stadler obviously wasn't shy about playing the provocative agent. Initially it sounds as if ...
