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Chris Potter: Gratitude
by C. Andrew Hovan
Part of a triumvirate of heavy hitting young saxophonists that includes Joshua Redman and Eric Alexander, Chris Potter finally makes his major label debut on Verve with Gratitude. And while his track record via small label efforts for Criss Cross and Concord is without question, one always has to approach an artist’s first major label release ...
Eddie Costa: Guys and Dolls Love Jazz
by Craig Jolley
In retrospect it's hard to see how or why this record was made in the days before CD's as calling cards. Eddie Costa had little name recognition, and what fame he enjoyed was on piano, his primary instrument. The material--cute boy-meets-girl tunes written in subservience to 1950's-clever lyrics--does not lend itself to jazz interpretation. [A couple ...
George Russell: George Russell Sextet at the Five Spot
by David Adler
George Russell, like Lennie Tristano, is one of the unsung prophets of modern jazz. The theoretical innovations for which he has become known are suffused throughout this early small group session, released in 1960 by Decca and now reissued by Verve. Although it’s billed as a live record, the reissue essay by Kirk Silsbee lets the ...
Chris Potter: Gratitude
by David Adler
Chris Potter is probably the second most famous young tenor player working today, Joshua Redman being the clear numero uno. After releasing over a half-dozen albums for Criss Cross and Concord, Potter now makes the leap to a major label, Verve, with the excellent Gratitude. Jazz is a lethargic sales category, so major labels ...
Nat Adderley: Introducing Nat Adderley
by David Rickert
The Adderley brothers were key players in the birth of hard bop, a style which grew out of the advancements of Bud Powell and other pioneers who formed a sound that many artists took to the bank for years. At this point in time Cannonball had formed his first quintet with Nat as a sideman; facing ...
Bud Powell: Jazz Giant
by David Rickert
If Oscar Peterson's piano style is like a painter creating a landscape out of swirls and dabs of colorful paint, Bud Powell's approach is more like a sculptor working with a slab of black marble. Powell too is influenced by Tatum, but only as filtered through Monk; whereas Peterson always seemed driven to create perfect renditions ...
Oscar Peterson: On the Town
by David Rickert
Oscar Peterson is one of the musicians responsible for bringing jazz to a wider audience, and it's easy to understand why from listening to any of his instantly appealing records. He took the knuckle-busting runs of Art Tatum and wedded them to the delicate approach of Nat King Cole in a series of accomplished trio recordings, ...
Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross: Sing A Song of Basie
by David Rickert
Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross are pioneers of a unique singing style called vocalese, which involves replacing instrumental jazz with sung lines and invented lyrics. The method was first used by artists such as King Pleasure, who with a rhythm section backing him added lyrics to a Charlie Parker solo in a version that Parker hated. Lambert, ...
Louis Armstrong: Louis Armstrong: The Ultimate Collection
by David Adler
The flood of Armstrong collections and boxed sets has only grown in the aftermath of Ken Burns’ Jazz documentary. If you’re in the market for one, Verve’s latest triple-disc release would have to rank as an exceptionally good value. With 21 tracks on the first two discs and 17 on the third, there’s no skimping at ...
Oscar Peterson: On the Town
by David Rickert
Oscar Peterson is one of the musicians responsible for bringing jazz to a wider audience, and it's easy to understand why from listening to any of his instantly appealing records. He took the knuckle-busting runs of Art Tatum and wedded them to the delicate approach of Nat King Cole in a series of accomplished trio recordings, ...
