Drummer Anthony Fung puts together here an impressive collection of originals that have one foot in the tradition with the other foot marching into the future. He brings together a band of Edmar Colon/sax-perc, Mao Sone/tp-fh, Jonny Chapman/b and Kyumin…
Month: December 2014
David Neves: Progress Report
Trumpeter David Neves displays an impressive sound here as he puts together nine originals along wit Michael Thomas/as-bcl, Greg Duncan/g, Barclay Moffitt/ts, Naomi Gillies/voc, Edward Perez/b, Lee Fish/dr and Julian Shore-Matthew Sheens/p. His horn is warm and fluffy on “Evelynn’s…
NO PIANOS REQUIRED: The Louis Romanos Quartet: Take Me There, Ken Thomson and Slow/Fast: Settle
All the chords that are needed on these two releases are provided by six stringers. Help preserve ivory! Drummer Louis Romanos has put together a simpatico quartet that delivers communicative post bop sounds. The unorthodox team of Dan Summer/g, Alex…
Jazz Bakery’s “Moveable Feast” Presents: Kenny Barron & Dave Holland “The Art of Conversation” @Nate Holden Center 12.07.14
The Cambridge Dictionary defines “conversation” as “an informal, usually private, talk in which two or more peoples exchange thoughts, feelings, or ideas…in which news or information is given or discussed.” Bassist Dave Holland and pianist Kenny Barron gave a sumptuous…
Brad Mehldau & The Bad Plus at Valley Performing Arts CSUN 12.06.14
Same format, two completely different approaches. That’s what was demonstrated by arguably the two most important jazz trios around these days. Brad Mehldau’s trio with Jeff Ballard/dr and Larry Grenadier/b teamed up with The Bad Plus of Reid Anderson/b, Ethan…
Jaki Byard: The Late Show
Jaki Byard was one of those pianists who had history in their hands. Was he “the best”? No, but like Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Gene Harris, George Cables and Mal Waldron, when he plays, you can feel the authority coming…
JAZZ THEATRE…Fred Hersch-Herschel Garfein: My Coma Dreams
Inspired by his own battle and recovery from being HIV positive, pianist/composer Fred Hersch teams up with Herschel Garfein to create a musically intriguing and theatrically satisfying “jazz theatre” based on a mixture of music and spoken word. Fred Hersch’s…
Albare: Two Decades of Jazz
Guitarist Albare (“Albert Dadon”) is featured in a wide variety of moods and styles on this two disc set that covers the past score year of the artist/philanthropists music. The wide variety here is quite impressive, ranging from clean and…
Tony Allen: A Film of Life
Tony Allen has been around for quite some time, and has built a career in the Afro-Beat sounds. This latest disc, his 10th, is a varied collection that still delivers the incessant and irresistible grooves of Africa, but there are…
FACING LIFE’S CHALLENGES…Jimmy Greene: Beautiful Life
When Peace Life A River Attendeth My Way When Sorrow Like Sea Billows Roll Whatever My Lot, Thou Hast Taught Me To Say “It Is Well, It Is Well, With My Soul” Horatio Spafford How do you respond when…