Category: Reviews

Eric Scott Reed: Out Late

The first epiphany about this album is that veteran pianist Eric Reed has a middle name, which (to my knowledge) has not been on one of his albums before. Besides that, all else is what’s expected of this underappreciated pianist…

Reggie Watkins: Rivers

Trombonist Reggie Watkins brings back ideas from late 60s Blue N ote, with this post bopping and modal album  that swings with the cerebellum. He’s teamed with the flexible Michael Bernabe/p, Eli Naragon/b and Jason Washington Jr.dr, and his rich…

Madre Vaca: Yukon

Comprised of Jarrett Carter/g, Jonah Pierre/p-key, Thomas Milovac/b and Benjamin Shorstein/dr, the collective Madre Vaca keep a foot in the tradition while jogging forward. Carter’s guitar gives a rich African feel to his “Dormant” while his strings are sterling and…

JazzFunkSoul: Simpatico

There’s no fusion like old fusion, as three vets of plugged in jazz, Everette Harp/ts, Jeff Lorber/key and Paul Jackson Jr/g bring their 100+ years of collective experience to form a band and  produce an album that bears the title…

Adam O’Farrill: For These Streets

Playing trumpet and flugelhorn, Adam O’Farrill leads a semi-large ensemble conducted by Eli Greenhoe on this latest release. The band of Mary Halvorson/g,  Patricia Brennan/vib, David Leon/as-fl, Kevin Sun/ts-fl, Kalun Leung/tb-euph, Tyrone Allen II/b and Tomas Fujiwara/dr veers between loose…