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Ada Bird Wolfe / Jamieson Trotter | He & Me
November 13, 2020 / No Comments / Tags: Ada Bird Wolfe, Jamieson TrotterHe & Me by vocalist Ada Bird Wolfe and pianist Jamieson Trotter is a fantastic recording. Pairing a mix of standards and original works, the production is a wonderful showcase of the duo’s musical chemistry. The two talents handle their respective crafts very deftly, as they move ...
Nicholas Brust | Frozen In Time
November 10, 2020 / No Comments / Tags: Ben Eunson, Jay Sawyer, Josh Allen, Nicholas Brust, Tuomo UusitaloSaxophonist Nicholas Brust’s Frozen in Time proves himself as formidable a composer as a musician, and he’s a plenty substantive on the horn. Brust composed all of the excellent tunes on this fantastic production, which range from serious swing to contemplative ballads. The NYC ...
Jazz Clubs Are in Crisis
October 20, 2020 / No CommentsFor many jazz venues, shuttered because of the pandemic, live streaming is the only option they have to keep the music playing. But streaming as a revenue source doesn’t make the venues’ owners feel much better; it pales in comparison to the cash earned from ticket sales, food, and drinks. Most ...
The Michael O’Neill Quartet | And Then It Rained
October 16, 2020 / No Comments / Tags: Dan Feiszli, Jason Lewis, Michael Bluestein, Michael O'NeillSaxophonist Michael O’Neill’s And Then It Rained is a fantastic work. It’s O’Neill long-planned collection of his own original compositions and it is worth the wait. It’s a truly eclectic set of swing and ballads, with every track providing the canvas for some ...
Kurt Elling Returns To Chicago
October 16, 2020 / No Comments / Tags: kurt ellingTwelve years ago, jazz singer Kurt Elling left Chicago for New York. Three months ago, he returned.The move, says Elling, was prompted not by the pandemic, which has devastated New York, but by a longstanding desire to move back to the city where he launched his career. Read the full story.
Maggie Herron | Your Refrain
October 15, 2020 / No Comments / Tags: Bill Cunliffe, Bob Sheppard, Brandon Winbush, David Enos, Dean Taba, Geoffrey Keezer, Gillian Margot, John Ferraro, Larry Goldings, Maggie Herron, Rick BraunYour Refrain is Maggie Herron’s lovely homage to her daughter and lyrical collaborator, Dawn Herron, who was killed in April of this year in a tragic accident. The mother and daughter were in the midst of creating tunes at the time of the accident, some of which are the basis of this ...
Cécile McLorin Salvant Awarded 2020 MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant
October 6, 2020 / No Comments / Tags: Cécile McLorin SalvantJazz singer and composer Cécile McLorin Salvant has been awarded a fellowship with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. She is the only musician in this year’s group of “genius grant” recipients. She joins several other scientists, writers, and scholars among the 2020 honorees, ...
Jacám Manricks | Samadhi
October 2, 2020 / No Comments / Tags: Clarence Penn, Jacám Manricks, Joe Gilman, Matt PenmanSaxophonist Jacám Manricks’ Samadhi provides a calming presence to these heady times. This is not to say that the music is sedate, in fact, the performances of the tunes, all compositions by Manrick, brim with an engaging energy that draws the listener in quite well. In addition to ...
Ashley Locheed & Chris Rottmayer | So In Love
September 25, 2020 / No Comments / Tags: Ashley Locheed, Chris Rottmeyer, Chuck Archard, Keith WilsonSo In Love is the thoroughly enjoyable release from pianist Chris Rottmeyer and vocalist Ashley Locheed. The production features a wonderfully diverse array of tunes, each featuring new arrangements that add new flavors to compositions by Cole Porter, Thelonious Monk, Antonio Carlos Jobim, ...
David Sills | Natural Lines
September 15, 2020 / No Comments / Tags: Blake White, David Sills, Larry Koonse, Mike Scott, Tim PleasantNatural Lines, saxophonist David Sills’ 17th recording as a leader, is a truly fantastic work. The production features outstanding performances from a stellar lineup of top players. In addition to Sills on tenor saxophone and alto flute, the band is comprised of two guitarists, Larry ...
