27 May
The Struggle Continues by Dewey Redman Quartet
Sunday, 27 May 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Like many, I sold most of my old LPs shortly after the digital age rocketed into full steam. Not sure if that was such a good thing, and perhaps I jumped the gun. These …
30 Apr
1000 Kilometers by Oregon
Monday, 30 April 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
The renowned band’s second release for this record label is a tribute to its European booking agent Thomas Stowsand, who passed away on October 5, 2006. In fact, he was con…
30 Apr
Audio Caviar by Ralph Johnson Morris Pleasure Steen Kyed
Monday, 30 April 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
The wait is finally over for those who have already heard "Dominique" aired across the nation. The album, Transoceanic is finally released to the excitement of milli…
28 Apr
A Tale of Gods Will' by Terence Blanchard
Saturday, 28 April 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Terrence Blanchard has charisma and the power to make sounds that are strong and entrapping, sound that roots itself in the soul. "Ghost of Congo Square" speaks to chari…
24 Apr
PASODOBLE by Lars Danielsson & Leszek Mozdzer
Tuesday, 24 April 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Veteran Swedish bassist/composer Lars Danielsson aligns with blossoming young Polish pianist Leszek Mozdzer for an affair that pronounces a sense of intimacy as an addit…
23 Apr
Sweet Drive by Les Sabler
Monday, 23 April 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Mega talented guitarist Les Sabler mixes sounds, tempos and emotions on his fourth album, Sweet Drive, using gentle acoustic and nylon-string guitar, as well as el…
21 Apr
New Dreams by Jean-Michel Pilc
Saturday, 21 April 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Jean-Michel Pilc has done it again. That is, Pilc has recorded yet another superlative album merely by letting the intricacies of his imagination and the condensation of hi…
10 Apr
One Night by Marsha Heydt
Tuesday, 10 April 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
I had not heard of jazz saxophonist / flautist Marsha Heydt before her debut CD One Night landed on my desk recently, but I was blown away by her emotive playing,…
05 Apr
A World Within A World by Raul Midon
Thursday, 05 April 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
An exciting new release from soul master Raul Midon was spinning on my CD player all week in advance of the official release date scheduled for September 25, 2007, A Wor…
04 Apr
Notes To And From My Friends by Bobby Floyd
Wednesday, 04 April 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
When Bobby Floyd plays B-3 organ, he obviously feels the music. It inhabits him. It takes over his appearance even. A Bobby Floyd performance is one in which the aud…
02 Apr
GLP Jazz by Various Artists
Monday, 02 April 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
As our interconnected world continues to shrink, so does the concept of "regionalized" styles of jazz. This sampler from the British label GLP stands as proof, as the so…
31 Mar
A Tale Of Gods Will (A Requiem For Katrina) by Terence Blanchard
Saturday, 31 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
There are few jazz artists working today who have earned consistent critical praise for not only performing and writing music at a high level for an extended period of time…
30 Mar
I Ain't Looking At You by Alvin Queen
Friday, 30 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Drummer Alvin Queen has never received the praise his ample abilities warrant, but that is perhaps because he permanently moved to Geneva, Switzerland in 1979. Since the…
29 Mar
After Hours by Jamie WilliamS
Thursday, 29 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
A native of Richardson, Texas, saxophonist and composer Jamie WilliamS (sic), began his musical career by earning a full scholarship to the University Of Miami School Of…
27 Mar
Chip Shelton Live -- Stop 2 by Chip Shelton
Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
The Cape May Jazz Festival was most fortunate to have one so capable and competent as Chip Shelton on its lineup, one who not only is a gifted flutist in his own right, …
24 Mar
After Hours by Jamie WilliamS
Saturday, 24 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
What a way to realize a lifelong dream: bumping heads with producer Veit Renn known for work with *Nsync and Backstreet Boys, who then introduced saxophonist Jamie WilliamS…
22 Mar
Sojourn by Bill Cornish
Thursday, 22 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Bill Cornish shines here with strong synth and piano work on selections that make Sojourn a truly diverse and illustrative project. It proves worthy of its boas…
19 Mar
A World Within A World by Raul Midon
Monday, 19 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
This album is, in a word, rejuvenating, like a breath of fresh spring air. It takes interesting turns and twists throughout and truly strikes a defiant pose when confron…
18 Mar
Jazzthing II by Randy Bachman and New Guitar Summit
Sunday, 18 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
The year was 1973 and teenagers all across North America were singing their rock anthem "Taking Care Of Business," as the radio stations blasted the hit Bachman-Turner O…
17 Mar
Evolution/Revolution by Martin Bejerano
Saturday, 17 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Will the abundance of super-talented young piano players never cease? Not that I want it to or that such a cornucopia of youthful energy or overflowing imagination should e…
16 Mar
Back to My Roots by Lil Greenwood and David Amram
Friday, 16 March 2007
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Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Realizing a life-long dream, Lil Greenwood created a living legacy with her album Back to My Roots, as she and David Amram work together, bringing joy to audiences a…
I got off on the wrong foot with Anat Cohen. I have been very concerned recently about the hyperbole that surrounds some performers; when the hype gets out too far ahead of…
06 Mar
Good To Go-Go by Spyro Spyro Gyra
Tuesday, 06 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
A perennial fan favorite, Spyro Gyra comprised of Jay Beckenstien (saxophone), Tom Schuman (keyboards), Julio Fernandez (guitars), Scott Ambush (bass) and Bonny B (drums…
02 Mar
Resurgence by Mark Isaacs
Friday, 02 March 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Mark Isaacs is recognized as a force in the Australian jazz scene, where he busily records his own albums, composes for various groups, both jazz- based and classical, perf…
24 Feb
Just Play by Craig Pilo
Saturday, 24 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Just Play, produced and performed by drummer Craig Pilo with an accompaniment that includes keyboardists Michael Forman and Ed Czach, bongo player Bryan Brock, an…
23 Feb
Little Tokyo by Hiroshima
Friday, 23 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Staying on top as one of contemporary jazz’s premier innovators is not always easy, especially in an environment that is constantly evolving and very eclectic. One group…
17 Feb
Manteca-Licious! by Manteca Beat
Saturday, 17 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
The first minute of this album begs you to dance a little two-step with your honey and shout "Aw, shake it, now!" This project, a good-time oldies blues/soul/jazz packag…
15 Feb
As If by Reverse Trust
Thursday, 15 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Niall O’Neill tells on his band’s myspace site (www.myspace.com/reversetrust) that his self-released debut album As If has been on the backburner for the last 20 …
13 Feb
The Best Of Bheki Mseleku by Bheki Mseleku
Tuesday, 13 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Bheki Mseleku’s illustrious career as a pianist, composer, and arranger is paraphrased in his latest release The Best Of Bheki Mseleku. His repertoire of post-bop…
13 Feb
Transmigration by Kahil El'zabar
Tuesday, 13 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Percussionist, composer and Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) member Kahil El’zabar, has found a way to incorporate real African music and ins…
12 Feb
re-imagination by Eldar
Monday, 12 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Eldar has progressed from the status of "teenage phenomenon" to "twenty-something phenomenon," now that he has passed the age of twenty. After all, some revered jazz musici…
10 Feb
Marsalis Music Honors Alvin Batiste by Alvin Batiste
Saturday, 10 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Eerily, the press release that accompanied this album for review concludes with this statement: ".... Alvin Batiste and his band.... will be featured in the Jazz Tent at th…
09 Feb
Oceanos by David Binney and Edward Simon
Friday, 09 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
The seventeen-year relationship between alto saxophonist David Binney and pianist Edward Simon has been an open one. They’ve partnered with other musicians and have come ba…
06 Feb
The Source by Kendrick Scott
Tuesday, 06 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
The Source doesn’t sound like a drummer’s album. And that’s by design. Like other younger musicians, Kendrick Scott is more interested in the totality of effect, col…
04 Feb
Little Tokyo by Hiroshima
Sunday, 04 February 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Hiroshima has been around since 1980 and has successfully brought a new sense of jazz to contemporary jazz with its mixture of jazz styles and world music. Hiroshima has…
31 Jan
I Ain't Looking At You by Alvin Queen
Wednesday, 31 January 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Drummer Alvin Queen is not only a first call session ace, but a leader who is noticeably comfortable and acute within both progressive and mainstream jazz stylizations. …
30 Jan
Breathe The Relaxing Jazz Guitar by Various Artists
Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Breathe The Relaxing Jazz Guitar is an aptly named CD from Telarc featuring some of the finest guitarists on the jazz scene. The album opens with the gorgeous "Ah…
22 Jan
Earthling by Wet Cookies
Monday, 22 January 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Inspired by Miles Davis’ jazz-fusion/funk "On The Corner," LP this Viennese unit started out in late ‘90s with an improvisation-heavy demeanor, dappled with psychedelic …
20 Jan
Graffiti Suite by Norbert Stein Pata Music played by NDR Bigband
Saturday, 20 January 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
German saxophonist Norbert Stein is an important progressive-jazz artiste, largely within European circles and has not yet become a well-known name on these North Americ…
14 Jan
Walk the Walk by Tito Pascoal
Sunday, 14 January 2007
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
O.k., I opened the CD case, plopped in the CD and proceeded to listen with measured interest to some really exquisitely diverse jazz. I didn’t bother to read the bio or …
23 Aug
In Your Own Time by Eric Frazier
Wednesday, 23 August 2006
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
In Your Own Time is all about the groove. You can hear it in every track, in how everyone just settles down and plays in the pocket. There’s not a lot of showy, t…
23 Aug
Composition and Arranging 2005 by Maki Watanabe
Wednesday, 23 August 2006
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Maki Watanabe is a bassist who also has outstanding skills of composition and arranging. The first song is Maki's original composition "Three colors". This piece demonst…
21 Aug
Cup O Joe by Joe Friedman
Monday, 21 August 2006
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Happy jazz is what came to mind when I first listened to Joe Friedman’s debut offering, Cup O’ Joe, and that’s despite his blues under- and overtones. His …
Ro is truly, as the promo material shouts, a great eclectic mix of straight-ahead, Indian, and modern jazz that ranges from hard-swinging post-bop to free jazz …
16 Aug
Resilience by The Catz In The Hatz
Wednesday, 16 August 2006
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
The catz of Big Bear Lake, California are not those of the untamed variety, though wild they may be at times. Rather, these catz, who happened to wear fedoraz, are trained …
10 Aug
Jazz Piano at UArts by Various Artists
Thursday, 10 August 2006
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Jazz Piano at UArts is a showcase for five exceptionally talented piano students from the renowned Philadelphia music school. With the exception of one freely imp…
06 Aug
Milestone Profiles: Sonny Rollins by Sonny Rollins
Sunday, 06 August 2006
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
The epithets for Sonny Rollins defy improvement, e.g. "saxophone colossus" and "the greatest living musical improviser." He is an icon of the tenor saxophone, having pla…
05 Aug
Unfailing Kindness by Chie Imaizumi
Saturday, 05 August 2006
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
This is a fantastic CD from Chie Imaizumi (pronunciation help: Chee-ay Ee-my-zoo-me), a bright rising star in the jazz composer heavens. A native of Japan, Imaizumi is a…
31 Jul
Intuition by The Brubeck Brothers Quartet
Monday, 31 July 2006
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Intuition is a varied, inventive and energetic album whose sound seems larger than that of a quartet and whose accessibility belies the complexity of some of the met…
29 Jul
Wings of the Mind by Johnny Katchoolik
Saturday, 29 July 2006
Published in
Various Jazz Styles - CD Reviews
Johnny Katchoolik describes himself as an independent recording musician and composer. He began playing the guitar but eventually learned the bass, keyboard, percussion …