Subtitled “The Music of Andrew Rathburn”, this album brings together a collection of musical journeys by composer, reed man and band member Andrew Rathbun, played alongside Scott Cowan/tp, Greg Jasperse/voc, Matt Landon/g, Matthew Fries/p, John Hebert/b, Keith Hall/dr and guest…
Author: George W. Harris
Weather Report: 1983
There is a disconnect on this recent release of previously unissued material of Weather Report in concert. The album claims to be recorded during a (series of?) concert of the famed band in 1983, but the picture on the inside…
Anat Cohen Quartetinho: Bloom
One of the truly freshest voice on the clarinet, Anat Cohen stretches her worldview on this latest album. In the past, she has explored Brazilian folk music as well as jazz both modern and traditional. This time around, with her…
Wayne Alpern: Gotham
If you think you know your standards, take some time to check out this album of them arranged by Wayne Alpern, as he’s got some fresh wine for the old wineskins. It’s hard to beat the team involved, as John…
Sol Jan Trio: 19-29
Pianist and composer Sol Jang trios with Jort Terwijn/ ban and Max Hering/dr for some panoramic soundscapes. Her touch can range from a hard bopping and kinetic “Philadelphia” to a probing “Dissolution” where she and Terwijn delve deep. Soft brushes…
Brandon Seabrook: Object of Unknown Function
Playing a 1920 guitar banjo, 1925 tenor banjo, a 1989 Fender Telecaster guitar, 1998 Neptune 12 stringer and using a 1991 Tascam Cassette Recorder, Brandon Seabrook mixes strings, strums tapes and loops to create a kaleidoscopic album of ambitious sounds…
Calgareal: Vanishing Points
The collective team of Aurelien Tomasi/reeds, Mathieu Langlois/sax/flg, Jeremy Gignoux/vi-vn/key, Jiajia Li/fl-pic, Sebastien LeBlanc/g, Hugo Blouin/b and Robin Tufts/dr-perc mix and match ideas that focus on a mix of medieval tones and Irish folk but with a dash of free…
Ric Harris and The Heat Merchants: Along The Avenue
Rocking blues are served home style by singer/guitarist Ric Harris and his Heat Merchants of Steve Kostakes/key, Dany Gomez/b, Marty Binder/dr, Stan Karcz/acc and Andrea Miologos-Bree Gordon/voc. His voice has a dash of the Talking Heads’ David Byrne, with a…
Sahara von Hattenberger: 1Q84
Cellist Sahara von Hattenberger forms a jazzy chamber group with Joanne Kang/p, Adrian Vedady/b and Jim Doxas/dr, bringing ideas on this double disc set from both the Murakami fantasy novel 1Q84, but also from a classic 80s album from Claude…
****RINGER OF THE WEEK****Vanguard Jazz Orchestra: Centennial-The Music of Thad Jones
Directed by Dick Oatts, the venerable Vanguard Jazz Orchestra gives tribute to the jazz orchestra that essentially set the standard for all followers, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. Essentially created in order to give a bit of complexity and modernity…