Results for "Ralph Towner"

Women of Jazz, New Releases, and a look back at Azimuth

by Bob Osborne
November 21, 2019

This programme is all about female vocalists with some of the years best new releases plus there's a look back at the music of Azimuth featuring the great Norma Winstone. Featured new albums are from Sonia Johnson, Heather Bambrick and Brenda Earle Stokes. Playlist Sonia Johnson “Storm" from Chrysalis (Self Released) 00:00 Brenda ...

Norwegian Road Trip, Part 4: Oslo and an Interview with Jan Erik Kongshaug

by John Kelman
November 6, 2019

Author's Note: Jan Erik Kongshaug, owner and recording engineer at Rainbow Studios, Oslo, passed away on November 5, 2019. Beyond his best-known work on hundreds of recordings for the lauded ECM Records label in collaboration with label head/producer Manfred Eicher, Kongshaug's studio and engineering, mixing and mastering work has garnered significant international acclaim. Still, Rainbow continues ...

Marc Copland: And I Love Her

by John Kelman
October 17, 2019

There was a time when Marc Copland was releasing multiple albums every year, sometimes as many as three or four, like in 2009, when the veteran pianist (who began his musical life as a saxophonist) released his second solo piano album, Alone (Pirouet); an intimate duo date with veteran bassist Gary Peacock, Insight (Sketch); and the ...

Woodstock—Back to the Garden: 50th Anniversary Experience

by John Kelman
August 10, 2019

First things first. For all but the most committed of fans, knowledge of what transpired, how it transpired and when it transpired at the now-legendary 1969 Woodstock Music & Arts Fair has, despite a variety of initial, 25th and 40th Anniversary audio and video releases, been severely limited. As engaging, entertaining and well-constructed as these various ...

Ronny Wiesauer: Monologues

by Geno Thackara
August 5, 2019

If you are willing to learn, learn from the best. Guitarist Ronny Wiesauer has clearly taken the right lessons from the likes of Egberto Gismonti and Ralph Towner--he is a happily understated player, at home in the worlds of studious classical and informal jazz alike. He has played in different contexts and featured his own pieces ...

Bill Bruford's Earthworks: Earthworks Complete

by John Kelman
July 3, 2019

Since retiring as a professional musician in 2009, progressive/art rock turned jazz drummer Bill Bruford has successfully managed to maintained a place in the public eye. Beyond his engaging, informative and successful Bill Bruford: The Autobiography (Jawbone Press, 2009), the drummer/percussionist has more recently released a second, equally captivating book, Uncharted: Creativity and the Expert Drummer ...

Maria Pia De Vito at Bergamo Jazz

by Roberto Cifarelli
June 24, 2019

Lisa Rich

The release of Lisa Rich’s Long As You’re Living can be thought of as the comeback of the year. The singer’s first new recording since ill health forced her to stop performing in 1991, this rather remarkable album finds Lisa Rich not only in prime form but enthusiastically singing with adventure, daring, swing, and a deep understanding of the lyrics that she interprets.

Mark Walker: You Get What You Give

by Ljubinko Zivkovic
June 16, 2019

Often, there is a tendency among jazz fans to simply pass by albums with drummers as the leaders of a CD release, as if they--the drummer/leaders--know less about jazz or music in general. As if examples of Elvin Jones, Art Blakey, Max Roach or those excellent vocal albums by Grady Tate are not good enough examples. ...

Bruford-Borstlap: Sheer Reckless Abandon

by John Kelman
May 19, 2019

One of the great joys of music can be that of distance: coming back to a piece of music, a musician/group or a discography, even, years later to rediscover it anew. While returning to music after a break of months, years...even decades...is not always a revelation, it's likely true that, if the music was appealing the ...