Straight-Ahead / Classic - CD Reviews (1959)
Dr. Gordon Vernick, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Jazz Studies at Georgia State University, takes a break from the teaching role, steps into the studio and deli…
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It took Todd Coolman over a year to complete this project, and an unusual project it is. Through his ArtistShare web site, he solicited compositions from the public, all…
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Many excellent jazz musicians go relatively unnoticed in their careers. Well known and respected among fellow players, they often settle down to playing gigs locally, away …
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Guitarist Gian Wiegner and organist Gary Brunotte met at Berklee, played gigs in Boston, and then went their own ways, still friends, but separated by geography. Recently, …
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The Mark Masters Ensemble celebrates the music of jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman in the group’s latest release Farewell Walter Dewey Redman. Reminiscent of the big…
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Azerbaijan-born, Rotterdam-based composer/pianist/bandleader Amina Figarova revitalizes post-bop idioms and classic jazz arias on her latest release Above The Clouds
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Crossroads, the new album from saxophonist Peter Sommer, is a sumptuous array of post-bop jazz that listeners will enjoy hearing in their car, favorite restaura…
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No doubt you’re aware of the remarkable and growing DVD collections of, yes, iconic jazz artists playing in Europe during their prime years. Two sets of Jazz Icons D…
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Hailing from Azerbaijan and now residing in Holland, pianist Amina Figarova’s 2008 release is partly about musical muscle, wondrously blended with eloquence and finesse. He…
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Just as jazz enthusiasts think that they have been afforded numerous listening opportunities for legendary jazz artists including by reissues, newly found studio recordings…
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Looking for something special in the way of a good sounding CD, check out the latest release from trumpeter Roy Hargrove and his quintet. As a protégé of Wynton Mars…
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Drummer Peter Buck presents his debut straight-ahead album, Buck’s Vibe, with a quiet confidence. There is nothing ostentatious or too heady here, just g…
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This is a story of two jazz institutions and their 50 years of association. Dave Brubeck, approaching his 88th birthday, still performs and composes. (He enters the Califor…
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Percussionist and harmonica player Donald Bailey is best known for his work from 1956 to 1964 with Hammond B-3 organ monster Jimmy Smith. Originally from Philadelphia, B…
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There are probably many practical reasons why vibraphone is still in the minority out of all the instruments usually associated with jazz. The difficulty of just spontan…
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The subdued and warm opening notes of Court Mast’s trumpet impressed me immediately with its unpresumptuous approach, allowing me to casually drink in the essence of the…
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Nothing in jazz compares with Sonny Rollins in a concert setting. Gary Giddins' thoughtful liner notes describe his concerts as "achieving a secular spirituality that ... s…
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Chicago based saxophonist and composer Geof Bradfield was originally born in Houston, Texas. Following high school, he moved to Chicago to attend DePaul University’s fam…
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When jazz veterans get together, one of two things will happen: 1) either the session will be hot and smoking, even if the session focuses on ballads, because the artist…
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Maryland born, Juilliard and Interlochen trained, 30 year-old trombonist Marshall Gilkes has studied with some of the biggest name trombonists in the country including J…
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