Let's face it. The only time most people notice the bass player is when there is none or when he's taking a solo. In the first case they sense something's missing, even …
19 Jul
Postcards by TRI FI TRI FI
Thursday, 19 July 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Sophisticated,breezy and down right in the groove describe the band Tri Fi, with their new CD entitled Postcards. This band has wonderful melodies, but they even g…
Canadian saxophonist and composer Joel Miller, a jazz graduate of McGill University, has studied with Dewey Redman, Kenny Wheeler and Pat LaBarbera, among others. In 199…
So many of us end up in careers we never intended to pursue. I think we can all say that it’s a good thing Russ Spiegel decided to break off his graduate studies in phil…
16 Jul
East of the Sun, West of the Moon by The LaVerne Christie Trio
Monday, 16 July 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
East of the Sun, West of the Moon by The LaVerne Christie Trio, another guitar trio, and led by a women. How many serious female jazz guitarists are there? I can onl…
15 Jul
Thoughts Past and Present by Harry Whitaker
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Thoughts Past and Present by Harry Whitaker is a classic jazz trio recording from a master pianist, composer and arranger. On this recording of nine original composi…
14 Jul
One Night by Marhsa Heydt Marsha Heydt
Saturday, 14 July 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
A variety of styles of music makes the CD definitely worth listening to. This is very true with Marsha Heydt’s CD entitled One Night. The CD starts out with Heydt’s …
14 Jul
And So I Lived In Old New York by Ari Roland
Saturday, 14 July 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Ari Roland, stand up bassist, composer and leader on this his most recent recording And So I Lived In Old New York carries on in the bebop tradition. His quartet of …
Jazz pianist Jacky Terrasson shows a free-style stride to his playing with his latest album Mirror, which has him taking the piano keys into forms you could never…
If you enjoy contemporary straight-ahead jazz, this record is sure to please. Penman is a bassist from New Zealand who relocated to New York in 1995, and this is his sec…
Joel Miller and his band Mandala have a new album, Tantramar an inspirational, genre defying musical landscape that explores a wide range of beautiful melodies and h…
01 Jul
Deserted Island by Naoki Iwane
Sunday, 01 July 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Composer and alto saxophonist Naoki Iwane’s Deserted Island is as irregular a debut disc as you will find. While most initial jazz offerings tend to be filled wit…
30 Jun
Song To A Rose by The Jamie Breiwick Quintet
Saturday, 30 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
The debut recording Song to a Rose by trumpeter Jamie Breiwick is included in my top ten favorites of this past year. Song to a Rose is a contemporary jazz ap…
30 Jun
(DVD) Bill Brufords Earthworks Video Anthologies Volumes 1 & 2 by Bill Bruford's Earthworks
Published in
Jazz Spotlights
Having already spent twenty years on the cutting edge of modern rock percussion, Bill Bruford formed Earthworks in 1986, as a deliberate return to ...
One of the most diverse, in demand sax players in all of contemporary jazz, Jeff Kashiwa finds pure joy at the heart of his increasingly fast paced...
Music Legend Maynard Ferguson’s Final CD to Debut Friday, May 4th "The One and Only Maynard Ferguson" to go on sale on what would have been his 79t...
Innovator and multi-instrumentalist, Bernie Kenerson says it’s time to bring the Akai EWI 4000s out to the forefront and give it some r-e-s-p-e-c-t...
It is obvious from the first notes he plays on "Twentieth Century Bebop," the opening selection on his debut CD Deserted Island, that altoist Naoki...
With his long awaited album, Danny Lerman definitely has a winner on his hands with his latest release entitled Meow Baby. Lerman is blowing up a storm on this …
Greg Ruggiero’s quintet makes a mixture of lounge jazz, soft-pop, and post-bop for their latest release Balance. Produced by Greg Ruggiero, the album is archetypa…
21 Jun
Keeping Time, Vol. 2 by Nelson Boschman Trio
Thursday, 21 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
On Keeping Time Vol. 02, Canadian pianist Nelson Boschman explores the Christian liturgical calendar through a diverse offering of inventive instrumental jazz. Th…
21 Jun
Outside Voices by Chris Mosley
Thursday, 21 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Since completing studies at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, guitarist Chris Mosley has established himself as a unique and original voice on the Portland, Oregon jazz…
21 Jun
Outside Voices by Chris Mosley
Thursday, 21 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Since completing studies at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, guitarist Chris Mosley has established himself as a unique and original voice on the Portland, Oregon jazz…
20 Jun
Meow Baby by Danny Lerman
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Meow Baby is Danny Lerman’s third release as a leader and follows on the footsteps of Danny’s Island, a CD that reached the top 20 on the Contemporary Jazz…
20 Jun
On Second Thought by Adam Shulman Quartet
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
On Second Thought is a strong debut from an emerging voice in the fertile jazz region of San Francisco. Pianist Adam Shulman composes strong melodies with lingeri…
19 Jun
L.A. Instrumentals by Simon Hoirup
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Danish guitarist-composer Simon Hoirup recorded his first rock album in 1977. In the 1980s he joined Sidewalk, a pop-rock band that spent some time backing Dr. John. Aft…
19 Jun
Tone Imagination by Matt Keegan
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Tenor saxophonist Matt Keegan’s third CD as a leader, Tone Imagination, features his trio - bass and drums, in pared and stripped-down jazz that at times seems to…
17 Jun
Trombone Heaven, Vancouver 1978 by Frank Rosolino & Carl Fontana
Sunday, 17 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Take the animated technique of trombonist Frank Rosolino and adventurous temper of talent that is Carl Fontana and you have classic jazz brass.... On a night back in 197…
14 Jun
Sticks and Strings by Joe Locke
Thursday, 14 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
If Joe Locke had already dealt with different combos - the very celebrated duo with pianist Geoffrey Keezer, the quartet without rhythm instrument, like piano or guitar,…
10 Jun
When I Get Home by Jamie Fox
Sunday, 10 June 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Prior to receiving "When I Get Home", I had heard guitarist Jamie Fox on only one other recording - Stephan Crump’s "Rosetta", one of 2007’s best releases in jazz or any…
Already a successful businessman in the financial industry after a few unsuccessful attempts at music, I had to wonder how much dedication and conviction trumpet/flugelh…
The debut album Let It Go by Josh Nelson is impressive, beautifully crafted arrangements, a wonderful assortment of tunes and a superb performance by an excellent ca…
26 May
Truth and Beauty by Sam Yahel Trio
Saturday, 26 May 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Those left a little let down when Sam Yahel’s organ wasn’t anywhere on Joshua Redman’s 2007 Back East, Truth and Beauty is your redemption. Fans should apprec…
22 May
Mahoneys Way by Dave Mullen and Butta
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Mahoney’s Way is a refreshing album of fluid, racing sax solos and tight rhythms. Originally released in May 2006, it reappears as a "special re-release" (not s…
All compositions in this enjoyable CD are by Maria Schneider. It is her orchestra and music, and together they make for a winning jazz sound. The songs are long, lovingl…
21 May
Nordic By Nature by Lars Winther
Monday, 21 May 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
European pianist/composer Lars Winther’s piano trio has been selected by the Danish Jazzfoundation for their "Young Jazz Comets" competition several times. The group has…
This talented contemporary jazz group features keyboardist-composer Mark Minchello and multi-instrumentalist Bob Magnuson. Minchello has been the musical director for R&…
16 May
Chantal Ranger by Chantal Ranger
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Canadian singer Chantal Ranger is well known in the jazz and theatre scene of Montreal yet this jazz release marks a debut with her own label Makin Waves. Anchored in a…
Stevie Holland has mesmerized audiences and critics in the cabaret and theater worlds with her dynamic performances and beautiful voice. Her repert...
In an age when recording artists often sell out their true artistic vision to the ever homogenized demands of the commercial marketplace, it’s refr...
Soon after his January 2006 release "Back to the Funk" hit the charts, the soulful jazz and pop flutist was back in the studio this time traveling ...
The music of Decker Creeks latest release Brookline Summer spans a wide spectrum of jazz from the earlier days of bebop with Jeff Galindo's Tickle ...
Take 5 top gun percussionists with a love for jazz and a talent for writing music. Arm them with an assortment of vibraphones, marimbas, drums, and...
For generations, music has been a very important part of Sharkey Family history. Father Michaels career began at age four in the form of a performa...
When the combustible five-man force of musical nature known as Turning Point took over the Phoenix club scene in the mid-90s, the desert city’s nig...
Eric van Aro was born into an Italian/German Artist family with a highly cosmopolitan background: In fact he is the son of the internationally know...
Shawn Maxwell of Aurora, Illinois is an accomplished woodwinds multi-instrumentalist (saxophones, clarinet and flute) and a professional jazz perfo...
"The Journey starts inside first" Purpose Of Soul is more than just another jazz group, they are a collective mind set. A mind set thats governed ...
Turn the lights down low and the music up. THE LOVE PROJECT sets a seductive mood with brand new recordings of popular love songs covered by contem...
At the age of twelve, Paul Ferguson picked up his guitar and taught himself to play by attentively listening and adroitly emulating the musical mas...