When Henry Cole sought to find a singular style of music that would appeal to the diverse tastes of his local Old St. Juan music scene, his search was over when he discovered the pioneering Afrobeat sounds of Fela Kuti. You May Also Like: Paula Cole – ‘Revolution’ (2019)
The use of modern rhythms, imaginative arrangements, strong material and just plain, old fashioned butt-kicking virtuosity powers Vijay Iyer’s ‘Accelerando’ to greatness.
Dismissed late in life as a sell-out entertainer, Wes Montgomery — you’re reminded all over again, with this group of previously unreleased sides — could play with both an uncanny smoothness and a sharp improvisational wit. You May Also Like: Wes Montgomery – ‘The Complete Full House Recordings’ (2023) WesRead More
Los Angeles/Hollywood, California, in the late 1940s through the early 1960s was a happening place for jazz and jazz musicians. There was always a place to play a jam session, or more correctly session(s) You May Also Like: Ornette Coleman – ‘Genesis of Genius: The Contemporary Albums’ (1958-59; 2022 reissue)
Atlanta guitarist Jacob Deaton began the year with a new album—his first one, in fact—and makes a good initial impression. These six songs, all Deaton’s, vary in tempo in mood but the common thread throughout them all is that they are crisp post-bop with simple melodies and advanced harmonies. ThisRead More
Music reviewing is famously described as “dancing about architecture” but dissecting Merbow’s noise music is more comparable to slicing water. For starters, the Japanese king of noise challenges and stretches the whole notion of what we call music. You May Also Like: Richard Pinhas, Tatsuya Yoshida & Merzbow – ProcessRead More
What struck me first about the Nick Moran Trio’s second album No Time Like Now were the instantly likable melodies and the righteous grooves. But listening to it closer reveals other reasons to like this record: the subtle tempo shifts (“Wishful Thinking”), a soul-jazz take on the blues that retainsRead More
Stanley Clarke joins us to discuss how he became the first bassist to headline tours and craft gold-selling solo projects.
Floratone to Bill Frisell is a lot like what the Fireman is to Paul McCartney: a way to break outside of usual comfort areas.
With the death of Hank Jones a couple of years ago, Ahmad Jamal might now be considered the dean of jazz pianists, but in all likelihood, he’s long been more influential You May Also Like: Nick Millevoi – ‘Moon Pulses’ (2024) Denny Zeitlin – Wishing On The Moon (2018)
