Articles by: S. Victor Aaron

Vinyl

Jonathan Finlayson & Sicilian Defense – Moment and the Message (2013)

Amazon.com Widgets Very soon, Jonathan Finlayson will lose his distinction as jazz’s best trumpet player on the scene today without a record under his name. You May Also Like: Liberty Ellman – ‘Last Desert’ (2020) Miles Okazaki Quartet – ‘Thisness’ (2022) Miles Okazaki – ‘The Sky Below’ (2019)

WTF?! Wednesdays: Splatter Trio with Stan Grabowski, "Wives and Lovers" (1998)

WTF?! Wednesdays: Splatter Trio with Stan Grabowski, “Wives and Lovers” (1998)

The Bay Area guerrilla thrash-jazzers the Splatter Trio were only together for five or six years during the first half of the 90s, but they managed to leave a path of destruction in their wake. You May Also Like: Peter Brotzmann, Majid Bekkas + Hamid Drake – ‘Catching Ghosts’ (2023)

Vinyl

Something Else! sneak peek: Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette, “Deep Space/Solar” (2013)

For most musicians and singers alike, mining those great American standards can only get you so far before it begins to sound tired and rote. For thirty years running, the greatest living jazz trio is still mining that gold vein while keeping it fresh and vital. You May Also Like:Read More

Vinyl

Richard Pinhas – Desolation Row (2013)

Forty years after first bursting into the avant-rock scene with his band Heldon, the music of guitarist/composer/philosopher Richard Pinhas remains as intriguing, mysterious and ahead of it time as it did then. And naturally, music that’s so far ahead can sound like something else altogether for the uninitiated. You MayRead More

Vinyl

David Ake – Bridges (2013)

It’s clear from his latest recorded offering Bridges that the pianist and composer David Ake has a lot to say musically, but this being only his third record over a period of fifteen years, he hasn’t had much time to say it. You May Also Like: David Ake – HumanitiesRead More

Vinyl

Mercury Falls – Truth Over Lines (2013)

Patrick Cress’ brainchild Mercury Falls is back again three years after they debuted with a project I previously opined that in their alchemy of jazz and alt-rock, “these guys figured it out right from the start.” You May Also Like: Ivo Perelman, Mark Helias + Tom Rainey – ‘Truth Seeker’Read More

Steely Dan Sunday, "Reelin' In The Years [Live]" (1995)

Steely Dan Sunday, “Reelin’ In The Years [Live]” (1995)

<<< BACKWARD (“Bodhisattva [Live]”) ||| ONWARD (“Josie [Live]”) >>> *** STEELY DAN SUNDAY INDEX *** Going back to Skunk Baxter-era material with “Bodhisattva” was cool to hear from the 90s Steely Dan band, but the first real surprise on Alive In America came on the following track. You May AlsoRead More

Vinyl

Allan Holdsworth – FLATTire (2001; 2013 reissue)

The turn of the millennium was a time of artistic resurgence for UK guitar lord Allan Holdsworth; with its stripped down arrangements and group improvisational freedom, Holdsworth got more from less out of Sixteen Men of Tain (2000). You May Also Like: Allan Holdsworth – Tales From The Vault (2016)Read More

Vinyl

The Brand New Heavies – Forward (2013)

Last month we got a taste of UK acid jazzers The Brand New Heavies’ first release since 2006’s Get Used To It, and the advance single “Sunlight” signaled a pretty decent return. You May Also Like: Biscay – Burnt Mementos EP (2017) Mark Anthony K on Projekt Gemineye’s ‘A BrandRead More

Vinyl

The Leif Arntzen Band – Continuous Break (2013)

I’m not saying that trumpet player Leif Arntzen has been around a while, but he has a son, drummer Miles, who’s making a name for himself in the afrobeat arena. Nowadays, though, ol’ Dad’s been making his own mark in jazz. You May Also Like: Ryan Blotnick – Kush (2016)Read More