Konstantin Klashtornis name did not make a sudden appearance in the music world. Years of study preceded the current release "Downtown": not only a...
The musical career of international recording artist, composer and guitarist Sergio Caputo, now living and working in San Francisco, California, sp...
Sometimes, when life takes an unexpected turn, you"re lucky enough to find what is important to you. Steve Greenbaum did just that when his life to...
Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, Lino graduated college with two degrees (History and Pre-Med.) from Miami University of Ohio. But Linos calling has...
Born in a small town in the western part of Ukraine on January 3rd, Vlad began his musical career at age 7 playing drums. "I was fascinated with rh...
While working as a luthier’s apprentice during his teens, Andreas Kapsalis, already an accomplished guitarist, seriously injured his left "fretting...
23 Jun
The Music of Steely Dan by Justin Morell Quintet
Saturday, 23 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
The music of Steely Dan is not unfamiliar to most mainstream and contemporary jazz listeners. Albums like "Pretzel Logic" attracted jazz fans with its nods to Ellington ("E…
Detroit-area pianist Ellen Rowe is in fine form on "Syvan Way", her new CD for Bopo records. The music selection consists of a well-balanced mixture of jazz s…
22 Jun
Walk the Walk by Mystery Feet
Friday, 22 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
A "jam" band or a funky jazz band? That is the question for listeners to decide as Mystery Feet serves up an appetizer on the eight-tract album, "Walk the Walk."A…
22 Jun
Forgotten Voices by Brian Whistler and Pablo Rodriguez
Friday, 22 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Brian Whistler and Pablo Rodriguez define the elements of jazz and pop with world flavors in the 11-track album, "Forgotten Voices," a result of a 15-year collaborat…
21 Jun
Symbols Of Light (A Solution) by Greg Osby
Thursday, 21 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Saxophonist Greg Osby has been at the cutting edge of jazz since he hit the scene in the mid-’80s. As a founding member of the M-BASE (Macro-Basic Array of Structured Extem…
20 Jun
Bill Frisell with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones by Bill Frisell
Wednesday, 20 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Guitarist Bill Frisell begins his new self-entitled CD with a chord. It starts like something out of a Joni Mitchell song, but over the course of a single second it disinte…
20 Jun
Not For Nothin by Dave Holland Quintet
Wednesday, 20 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Success has its pitfalls. When you’re arguably the hottest working band in jazz, for instance, expectations run high.In 1997 and ’99, the Dave Holland Quintet made two d…
16 Jun
Piercing the Heart by Jon Mutchler
Saturday, 16 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
The CD Piercing The Heart is mixture of standard ballads and popular Broadway show tunes. Mutchler chose these songs as a result of requests from the audiences that …
NAMASTE is a nice debut CD collection by drummer/percussionist Jerry A Peraza, and showcases his varied styles as a multi-instrumentalist. The CD contains 11 selections.
12 Jun
Painting Pictures by E. Shawn Qaissaunee
Tuesday, 12 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
The unfortunate thing is that many recordings, especially guitar-based ones, have not broken new ground in recent years. While we can often count on the masters (old and ne…
11 Jun
Zone Indigène by Yves Léveillé
Monday, 11 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Pianist/composer Yves Léveillé is an in demand artist on the Montreal jazz scene. This CD shows why. He features an all acoustic quintet with the unusual front line of clar…
11 Jun
Little Zab 2 by Yannick Rieu
Monday, 11 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
For those not in the know, Montreal is a hot bed of jazz talent, and Effendi Records has some of the city’s most distinctive new artists. Yannick Rieu is a saxophonist who …
10 Jun
The Rest of My Life by Benjie Porecki
Sunday, 10 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
It is hit or miss with Benjie Porecki’s latest CD, "The Rest of My Life." Porecki clearly is a talented keyboardist who leaps between organ and piano on this outing. While …
If you enjoy first-rate drum music creations with style and verve, you will fall in love with the drum sounds of six drummers on the new CD release, SIMMER. These six men c…
08 Jun
Chasing Tales by Mark Kleinhaut Trio (with Tiger Okoshi)
Friday, 08 June 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
"Chasing Tales" is the third release by Maine-based guitarist Mark Kleinhaut. Kleinhaut’s regular trio consisting of bassist Jim Lyden and drummer Mark Mackso…
In the liner notes to this, his sixth recording as a leader, pianist Ted Rosenthal refers to his trio’s versions of the standards they include ("A Sleepin’ Bee," "Let’s Coo…
Boney's done it again! He's hit another home run with his new CD, Ride, which is as silkiest and most soulful yet. Saxophonist Boney James has always considered himself as …
29 May
Wild World by Michael Bluestein
Tuesday, 29 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Bay Area keyboard player Michael Bluestein is a Berklee graduate who has cut his teeth playing with everyone from Steve Smith and kitty Margolis to pop singer Shelby Lynne.…
27 May
Integration I & II by Greg Chako
Sunday, 27 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Its true what is said about people that face adversity head on and overcome all obstacles put in front them; they come out of the other side stronger and with more convicti…
26 May
Folk Songs by Vasilic Nenad Balkan Band
Saturday, 26 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
This CD is quite an education. There’s power in music of one’s homeland. Somehow, it transcends all opinions, criticisms, language and cultural limitations. Vasilic Nena…
23 May
Return of the Hydra by Michael Coppola Trio
Wednesday, 23 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
RETURN OF THE HYDRA features 9-string guitar master Michael Coppola with his trio in an entertaining collection of 9 songs. Total playing time is 62:36 minutes. Songs i…
There aren't many musicians with the technical, inventive and emotional resources needed to hold the listeners' attention through extended solos. One is the old master, Son…
Any time I am feeling a little down and life becomes overwhelming all I have to do is throw on some jazz music and everything seems to melt away. This is the kind of music …
SPIRIT GANG is a collection of 9 contemporary jazz songs with a touch of fusion and funk added. The group is Bob Sabin on bass, Robert Di Pietro on drums, with leader Mark …
Paul VornHagen gives the listening audience a nice outing in musical expression in this spirited collection of 13 selections. HEART is a CD with plenty of heart and soul, a…
I have been a fan of Alex Bugnon's, since his debut album "Love Season," released in 1989; so I was very excited to get his seventh CD "Soul Purpose". I could listen to" Ye…
17 May
Chasing Tales by Mark Kleinhaut Trio
Thursday, 17 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
We all have our "artistic prejudices" - some folks turn their noses up at the slightest hint of "compromise" (i.e., fusion, or making music that more than 5,000 people on t…
17 May
Spiritual Awakenings by Louis Guarino Jr.
Thursday, 17 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
SPIRITUAL AWAKENINGS is an invigorating collection of trumpet & Steinerphone solos by composer/performer Louis Guarino Jr. It is a journey through contemporary jazz via way…
16 May
Sonic Temples by Ran Blake Trio
Wednesday, 16 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
This Ran Blake fellow is quite the piano player, but he hasn’t exactly put out a ton of records over the past couple of decades and doesn’t tour much If at all), so don’t f…
14 May
Ebb by The Derek Bronston Group
Monday, 14 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
As a guitar player, I admit that I listen closely to records fronted by guitar players. It's simply habit, and not as much to analyze and assess the technical arsenal of th…
14 May
BUMP & just add water by Bobby Previte
Monday, 14 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Composer-drummer Bobby Previte had put together an engaging collection of songs in BUMP & just add water, his latest release. 9 selections, each different and enjoya…
14 May
Raw Blue Energy by Jason Peri
Monday, 14 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Jason Peri returns with another intriguing collection of original compositions which blends contemporary jazz with a touch of blues and rock. This is a nice, workable colle…
09 May
Just Add Water by Bobby Previte & Bump
Wednesday, 09 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Drummer/composer Bobby Previte is, like many of his associates in NYC’s cutting-edge jazz/improv scene, not limited to one stylistic bag. His Latin For Travelers band has a…
06 May
Past, Present & Futures by The Chick Corea New Trio
Sunday, 06 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
PAST, PRESENT & FUTURES can be summed up in four words: Brilliant, masterpiece, classic, eclectic. This is Chick Corea's finest hour, a CD collection with 11 selections.…
Born at Brooklyn in 1959, Marcus Miller is considered one of the leading bass guitar players in the world today, voted by Bass Player magazine as one of the ten most influe…
03 May
Baby Plays Around by Curtis Stigers
Thursday, 03 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
BABY PLAYS AROUND, featuring Curtis Stigers, is a nice entry into the jazz arena; very well-crafted, very enjoyable. Pianist Larry Goldings brings his innovative touch to t…
01 May
In Modern Times by Spyro Gyra
Tuesday, 01 May 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Celebrating 25 years of recording excellent jazz, Spyro Gyra releases IN MODERN TIMES, a collection of original, finger-clicking, good times jazz songs such as "After Hours…
30 Apr
Sometimes The Magic by Jane Ira Bloom
Monday, 30 April 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Sometimes the Magic is soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom's tenth album as a leader. The album features nine original compositions and two standards. Bassist Mark Dresser a…
29 Apr
Goin Yard by Monty Alexander
Sunday, 29 April 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
I have to admit that when I first received this album to review that I was completely unfamiliar with the music of Monty Alexander. That's one of the most humbling things a…
29 Apr
It's Nice In Paradise by Michael Drake
Sunday, 29 April 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
IT'S NICE IN PARADISE is a lovely collection of contemporary jazz trumpet sounds with a Latin tinge, filled to the brim with bright and lively performances, and good solo w…
27 Apr
Before My Life by Tim O'Dell
Friday, 27 April 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
A sense of open space is one of the hardest things to create in music. Especially in Western music, which is by and large based on the concept of counterpoint. Listen to th…
26 Apr
Space and Time Ensemble by Eric Schultz
Thursday, 26 April 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Out of France comes a recording by Eric Schultz and his full-bodied quintet that is pleasing, solid, educated. The Space and Time Ensemble has configured a traditionally or…
26 Apr
Between Drinks by Honolulu Playboys featuring Lutz Krajenski
Thursday, 26 April 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
BETWEEN DRINKS is something everybody should encounter, for it is a cross between the sounds of contemporary jazz and cool jazz and funk, served in a large shaker of joy an…
26 Apr
Going Home by Stu Goldberg
Thursday, 26 April 2001
Published in
Contemporary Jazz - CD Reviews
Upon listening to Stu Goldberg’s latest release, Going Home on the Rhombus Records label, it certainly doesn’t take a rocket scientist (or a university music professor, for…