When I sat down to think of all the standout mainstream and modern jazz records released in 2011 I could recommend without any hesitation whatsoever, I came up with 20 selections. Holy crap, 20! You May Also Like: Marcin Wasilewski Trio feat. Joe Lovano – ‘Arctic Riff’ (2020)
2011 brought its share of comebacks (Gregg Allman, the Meters’ Zigaboo Modeliste, the Time) Stax-related joys (both Booker T. Jones and Steve Cropper issued solo sides) and out-of-nowhere delights (Big Head Todd does the blues?). But how did they rank on my list? Read on, as I count down myRead More
The music of Raoul Bjorkenheim, Bill Laswell and Morgan Agren is just as interesting for what it does as what it doesn’t do
Nominees have been announced for the 33rd Blues Music Awards, to be held on May 10, 2012 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Click through the links for our thoughts on the new nominees! You May Also Like: Johnny Winter Refined His Hell-Raising Brand of Texas BluesRead More
“Fusion jazz” has been harder and harder to classify lately, and that’s a positive development. It means that there’s more artists trying out unique new approaches, mashing together all kinds of music that having been done much or not at all You May Also Like: Brian Landrus – ‘For Now’Read More
Jai “Jaimoe” Johanson, a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, has constructed an interesting side project when his main group is on hiatus: A jazz-rock collective called Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band. You May Also Like: Dickey Betts’ Star Rose as the Allman Brothers Band Grieved
It’s mid December and you might still be wondering what the hell you’re going to get that special music lover someone for Christmas. Steering you toward the good records and away from the crummy ones is a service we at SER provide year round. You May Also Like: Left LaneRead More
John Baumgardner’s Fruitcake with Nuts, which joins a teetering stack of Christmas-themed recordings, nevertheless finds a way to stand out in the crowd. Some of that is due to the pianist’s choice of material, which doesn’t always hew to conventions. You May Also Like: John Surman – Invisible Threads (2018)
Tony Bennett’s warm, inviting delivery would seem perfectly suited to seasonal music — and it is. You May Also Like: Jazz Reedist Daniel Bennett on How Musicians Can Thrive In (and After) the Pandemic Age [Part 1 of 2] Daniel Bennett Group – ‘New York Nerve’ (2020)
This was a near-total crapshoot. I’ve never heard of guitarist Pierre Dorge, but the names Billy Hart (drums) and John Tchicai (soprano and alto sax) were familiar. What I ended up with was something that is mostly straight-ahead jazz, with a fair bit of angularity. Dorge’s playing goes from theRead More
