Here’s a look back at the Top 10 stories from last month on SomethingElseReviews.com, based on page views from our readers. No. 10 — THE MEKONS – ANCIENT AND MODERN: Only a band like the Mekons could make something like Ancient and Modern, this whipsawing triumph of country contemplation andRead More

After a desultory, red-light district blast of horns, the Wynton Marsalis-led Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra settles into this funereal rhythm, swaying from side to side as Eric Clapton rips off a few blues-simmered, heartfelt asides. If you hadn’t checked the liner notes, the song itself — a signature momentRead More

The story continues. Yesterday saxophonist Marcus Strickland’s new, double-disc record Triumph Of The Heavy, Volumes 1 & 2 went on sale, and the narrative of this record begins where the story of his prior one, Idiosyncrasies (2009), left off. You May Also Like: Marcus Randolph and My Peeples Peeple –Read More

In a way, Christian McBride has been working on this big-band project all along. The talented jazz bassist’s interest in this format began almost 20 years ago You May Also Like: Christian Marien Quartett – ‘How Long Is Now’ (2024)

by Mark Saleski Never heard of pianist Marilyn Crispell? I was first exposed to her work via Anthony Braxton’s momumental Willisau quartet recordings. Crispell has a unique style of play, which I put on the shelf next to Cecil Taylor and Keith Jarrett. This was her first solo record onRead More

by Mark Saleski Anybody out there who has been paying attention to my writings may have noticed that the name Marc Ribot has appeared almost as many times as Pat Metheny. Though the two guitar players are nothing alike, they do take up a considerable amount of my shelf space.Read More

by Tom Johnson In many ways, I am still no closer to being able to put words to my feelings for this album. Instead, I find myself forcing words upon it, all of which are rendered meaningless because they really don’t describe this album, only things that have come beforeRead More

by Tom Johnson I think there’s an annual requirement that Keith Jarrett must issue some kind of musical good. Going into this release, there had only been a handful of years in his career that have not resulted in some kind of album under his name — 1969, 1970, 1978,Read More

A sharper direction on this new release, not to mention an all-star backing cast, helps Stanley Jordon overcome many of the stereotypes that have dogged him since rising to fame in the early 1980s. Back then, Jordan was riding a wave of attention over his use of a eye-poppingly fastRead More

Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra has worked well as a creative outlet for its slide trumpet-playing leader, who seems to come up with some off-the-wall ideas for a jazz orchestra. You May Also Like: Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra feat. Catherine Russell, “Yes We Can” (2022): One Track Mind StevenRead More