Results for "World Saxophone Quartet"

World Saxophone Quartet

World Saxophone Quartet - band/ensemble Originally consisting of saxophonists David Murray, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake and Hamiet Bluiett, the World Saxophone Quartet is one of the finest and most unusual small combos in jazz today. The Quartet began performing as a unit in 1976, inspired by Ed Jordan, head of Music at New Orleans Southern University. Jordan had heard the saxophonists in their individual groups, and hired them to do a show together. "We liked it, and started doing gigs at other colleges," remembers David Murray. Although three of the original members, Hemphill, Lake and Bluiett, knew each other from St.Louis, it was not until this event that they decided to create a group consisting only of four saxophones

Julius Hemphill: Marty Ehrlich and Tim Berne Remember a Musical Visionary

by Dave Kaufman
September 20, 2026

Julius Hemphill, a brilliant alto saxophonist and extraordinary composer, was a towering figure in avant-garde jazz and creative music. Yet his body of work remains surprisingly little known, even among aficionados of this sort of adventurous music. Hemphill's music demonstrated a deep feeling for the blues and other African American traditions. His creative vision extended well ...

Joe Morris, Barry Guy/Roberto Ottaviano & Bill Connors

by Maurice Hogue
July 27, 2026

Bassist/guitarist Joe Morris was recently honored at the annual Vision Festival for his lifetime contributions, and if anyone has any doubts about that, just listen to his new album Counter Spectacle out on the FSR label. With reed players Rob Brown & Anna Webber & drummer Matthew Rousseau, Morris lets freedom reign. This is a true ...

Eric Person: Extra Pressure

by Mike Jurkovic
June 7, 2026

Curating the elders while clearing his own path, there is an urgent, blue ease to alto and soprano sax man Eric Person's resonance. As a matter of fact, there is a blue urgency to all of Person's compositions: His wiry lines have stories to tell and tell them he does, with a soulful urban sovereignty. Witness “Fallout," ...

Anthony Braxton Saxophone Quartet: Sax QT (Lorraine) 2022

by Alberto Bazzurro
December 2, 2024

A mezzo secolo esatto dal suo primo esperimento in materia, la “Composition 23A" (rombo-30-EGN-KBM-78, secondo la connotazione grafica tipica delle pagine braxtoniane dell'epoca, che qui non possiamo per ovvi motivi riprodurre nella sua completezza) datata fra il 27 settembre e il 16 ottobre 1974 e riunita poi con altre cinque di diversa natura in New York, ...

Jimi Hendrix - A Jazz Experience, Part 3

by Ludovico Granvassu
November 29, 2024

Yes, Jimi Hendrix was a rock guitar god, but he inspired scores of jazz players, and fans. After all, he is the first non-jazz musician to enter the DownBeat Hall of Fame, back in 1970 (the year of his passing). Enjoy our third and final segment of this week's tribute to Jimi Hendrix, and yet more ...

Gretchen Parlato, Oliver Lake, JAUBI and more

by David Brown
September 20, 2024

This week on the Jazz Continuum we have two featured artists. First, a set showcasing the liquid phrasing of acclaimed vocalist Gretchen Parlato. From there, a deep dive into works featuring master saxophonist, composer, painter, and poet Oliver Lake--known to many as the co-founder of the World Saxophone Quartet. We'll also take a look at Duke ...

Radam Schwartz: Saxophone Quartet Music

by Richard J Salvucci
August 25, 2024

A listener who remembers when saxophone quartets were a novelty--and a controversial one at that--is probably wondering how much the Cost-of-Living Adjustment will be for Social Security in 2025. Yes, the esteemed World Saxophone Quartet kicked up as much a critical fuss in the late 1970s as Ornette Coleman did in the 1950s. Not as “In ...

Eric Person: Rhythm Edge

by Mike Jurkovic
July 29, 2024

Remixed, remastered, re-upped and re-amped from its original 2007 release, Rhythm Edge (CD Baby) immediately grabs you with its free-ranged, deep- rooted soulfulness and classic vigor. A gifted, Hudson Valley gentleman, multi-reedist Eric Person's serpentine and soaring tenor, alto, soprano, and flutes are veterans of many years with Chico Hamilton, Dave Holland, the World ...

From Bach to Calloway to the Woods at Night

by Patrick Burnette
June 27, 2024

The boys warned you things were going to get eclectic, but they may have outdone themselves this time, as the selections run the gamut from a jazz trio reimagining Bach preludes to a cutting edge big band arranger/composer tipping the cap to Cab Calloway to a night in the Georgia woods and is what we're hearing ...