After releasing an ambitious double album that included electronic experimentation, pianist Sullivan Fortner returns to the comfort food of a trio with Marcus Gilmore/dr and Peter Washington/b. The arrangements here of some standards as well as his own material are…
Month: March 2025
Mathias Eick-Kristjan Randalu-Ole Morten Vagan-Hans Hulbaekmo: Lullaby
Playing trumpet and keyboard as well as bringing in occasional vocals, Mathias Eick teams with Kristjan Randalu/p, Ole Morten Vagan/b and Hans Hulbaekmo/dr for soft wafts of impressionistic colors. With an open horn , Eick is longing around Hulbaekmo’s cymbals…
THE BILLIE HOLIDAY OF COUNTRY VOCALS…Patsy Cline: The Complete Studio Recordings
Without a scintilla of doubt, the most viscerally emotional country singer has to be Patsy Cline (1932-63) who’s brief career still had her become the most influential of vocalists of not only country music, but of pop and jazz as…
Bob James and Dave Koz@Grammy Museum 03.16.25
“You’re going to hear our instruments with elegance, in purity with warts and all;” Such was David Koz’s apt description of not only his stellar recent debut album with legendary pianist/composer Bob James (Just Us), but his comment from his…
THE RESURGENCE OF A LABEL: Strata-East: The Legacy Begins
During an era when jazz artists were plugging in and getting into rock formations, the label Strata-East (founded by trumpeter Charles Tolliver)fought the current by releasing albums by artists who were dedicated to acoustic yet adventurous mainstream/post bop jazz. They…
Andrea Brachfeld: Walking The Bar
In what portends to be a swinging album, flutist Andrea Brachfeld releases a snappy single as she strolls through a bluesy gem here with Harvie S/b, Bill O’Connell/p and Jason Tiemann/dr. O’Connell is tapping into his inner Wynton Kelly on…
Charles Lloyd Delta Trio @ The Lobero Theatre 03.14.25
There is a reason that although one day short of being 87 years old, jazz artist Charles Lloyd is still able to fill the Lobero Theatre and keep the attendees rapt and attentive with music that never got above a…
RON CARTER: REFLECTING ON MONK, DUKE AND BACH
IN THE WORLD OF THE JAZZ GREATS, RARE IS THE ARTIST THAT EVER LOOKS BACK ON HIS PREVIOUS WORK. THERE IS SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT THE CREATIVE MIND THAT ALWAYS KEEP LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT MUSICAL WORLD TO CONQUER, SO…
Posit-Tone Swingtet: In Jazz We Trust
Like Blue Note during its halcyon days, CA based Posi-Tone Records has its own cadre of “home” musicians. This album has them all getting together for some comfort food hard bopping, as opposed to the advertised “swing” factor, but it’s…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Nnenna Freelon: Beneath The Skin
Vocalist Nnenna Freelon has had a career that could easily be divided into two eras. Her early career had her create albums that mixed soul, R&B and smooth jazz in an irresistible fashion. Around 2012, she seemed to have taken…