As much as I wanted to argue with the smaller ambitions of Ramsey Lewis’ Taking Another Look,’ in the end, it was simply too ingratiating.

I like a good guitar solo as much as the next guy, but given a choice between a display of fretboard pyrotechnics vs. something with a little more soul, I’ll always gravitate to the latter. You May Also Like: Pat Metheny, “You Are” from ‘From This Place’ (2019): One TrackRead More

by Tom Johnson Jazz has been in a kind of holding pattern since the mid-1970s, when even Miles Davis declared the genre dead. You May Also Like: Matthew Shipp Trio – Piano Song (2017) Matthew Shipp – Zero (2018) Matthew Shipp – Symbol Systems (1996, 2018 reissue)

by Tom Johnson Drummer Joey Baron’s Barondown, featuring Steve Swell on trombone and Ellery Eskelin on tenor sax comes across like the mischievous little brother to John Zorn’s Masada. You May Also Like: Trombone Shorty Raced Beyond Genres on Transcendent ‘Backatown’

by Mark Saleski Reviewers sometimes get too caught up playing the label game: jazz, pop, world (ah, the ambiguous catch-all label), rock, ambient. Whenever a writer struggles with material that lacks a definite musical anchor, I am reminded of the transformation seen through Miles Davis’ electric years. You May AlsoRead More

Electronic and eclectic, Exegesis represents one of the latest attempts to marry technology to the spirit of jazz. You May Also Like: Evil Genius – Experiments On Human Subjects (2018)

Saxophonist and composer Jeff Coffin, a three-time Grammy winner, traverses a fine line on Live!, a record that feels both timeless and fresh. The beauty is that he and his Mu’Tet don’t stumble into the pitfalls of either concept. You May Also Like: Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp + Jeff CosgroveRead More

Bassist Matt Geraghty found the perfect name for his new contemporary jazz release, since Departure moves so very far outside of the expectations for labels like “contemporary jazz.” You May Also Like: Pre-Fame Bob Dylan Struck a Rebel’s Pose, But Not Woody Guthrie’s Avishai Cohen’s Melodic, Masterful Gently Disturbed WasRead More

Find out how a late-night movie in an Oslo hotel room sparked one of Bill Frisell’s more interesting cover tunes.

Bill Frisell discusses his John Lennon tribute project, notable career moments – and how to craft a signature sound out of what you can’t do.