Nashville-based saxophonist Chris West continues an intriguing exploration of his own composition “Surprise,” this time alongside Jeff Coffin of the Dave Matthews Band. Appearing as the closing track on the new Disc 2 of his on-going Surprise Trilogy, “Surprise 3” finds West and Coffin intertwining through a series of conversationalRead More

A couple of years back while covering a record by the whack jazz-funk-rock big band Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber I picked out Living Colour’s Vernon Reid’s contributions to the collective, but he wasn’t the only guitarist on there. You May Also Like: Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber – ‘AngelsRead More

Quintus McCormick doesn’t quibble with genre on this new project from Delmark Records. Instead, he sings with a remarkable facility, at once bright and sweet then hard and accusatory, sounding at times like some after-midnight deep bluesman and then like a spit-shined mainstream soulster You May Also Like: No relatedRead More

Percussionist Chris Jones leads a relentlessly groovy ensemble through a series of songs as rhythmic as they are spiritual on Mardi Gras Indian Funk, issued recently by Mardi Gras Records. For the uninitiated, “Old Black Johnny” details the history and passion of the Mardi Gras Indian tradition, in the personRead More

Teddy Presberg is the kind of jazz guitarist whose greatest appeal likely to come from those music fans where the closest they come to jazz might be Booker T. And the MG’s, early Meters or Harvey Mandel: bluesy and soulful funk instrumentals. And to be sure, Presberg’s songs on OutcriesRead More

So, what’s it like renting instead of owning? A friend of mine asked me this question, knowing that I’d been piggishly consuming a bunch of new (and old) music since signing up for Spotify. You May Also Like: For the Love of Vinyl: An Appreciation The Night When David CrosbyRead More

by Fred Phillips Ah, the tribute album. It started out as a good idea — current artists getting together to salute a classic artist that had a major influence on them. But, then, it spiraled out of control. You May Also Like: Shooter Jennings – ‘Shooter’ (2018) Various Artists –Read More

Pianist Augusto Pirodda, on his fifth long player, plays with the melodic, insinuating sensitivity that belies his brief recording career. You May Also Like: Paul Bley, Gary Peacock + Paul Motian – ‘When Will The Blues Leave’ (1999, rel. 2019) Michel Petrucciani, with Gary Peacock + Roy Haynes – ‘OneRead More

Warren Wolf, “427 Mass Ave.” by SomethingElse! Reviews Vibraphonist Warren Wolf is very, very talented, something he might have been aware of when he titled a past release Incredible Jazz Vibes, with a cover which looks conspicuously like Wes Montgomery’s for The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery. You MayRead More

Easy comparisons arrive quickly as the new self-titled Abstract Logix debut release by Human Element spins, since the group has connections to the original pioneers who fused jazz and world music. You May Also Like: The Chick Corea + Steve Gadd Band – Chinese Butterfly (2018) Miles Davis’ ‘Bitches Brew’Read More