Live to two-track recordings are always a challenge. There are no opportunities to "fix" things; what you hear is pretty much what you get. While pianist Fred Simon profess…

Guitarist Lorne Lofsky is unquestionably one of Canada’s hidden treasures. He records infrequently, tours rarely and prefers to stay close to his home in Toronto, teaching …

Mike Stern plays the guitar! (Space) . This is a simple understatement, and if you don’t know anything about Mike Stern, and his amazing ability to take the electric guitar and turn a tune on its ear then saying "Mike Stern plays the guitar" will be lost on you. This fantastic conduit to creativity we call Mike Stern, stands straddling several musical genres with feet firmly planted in blues and swing. All the while he remains a member of the vanguard of jazz music and electric guitar. Stern del …

There are but a handful of well-known improvisers who call the cello their main instrument: Hank Roberts, Vincent Courtois, David Darling, Fred Katz and Erik Friedlander. Erik Friedlander has been steadily building an impressive body of work over the past ten years that has seen him emerge as the cellist on call for the New York downtown scene. Through recordings with artists that include Dave Douglas, Joe Lovano and John Zorn, and now with his own groups, Friedlander is helping to redefi …