“Write for larger ensembles,” advised Anthony Braxton to one of his brightest protégés. You May Also Like: Mary Halvorson Octet – Away With You (2016) Mary Halvorson – ‘Cloudward’ (2024)

The follow-up to 2010s’ Betweenwhile by Bacteria To Boys involved a transition from Darius Jones to Jon Irabagon in the sax role, but also a transition for its chief, Mike Pride, too. You May Also Like: Jon Irabagon – ‘I Don’t Hear Nothin’ But the Blues Vol. 3: Anatomical Snuffbox’Read More

Dave Douglas, the much-feted trumpeter who’s known to make such forward-looking albums such as The Tiny Bell Trio, Freak In, Strange Liberation and Moonshine, has lately made a tactical retreat to the basics. You May Also Like: Dave Douglas, Uri Caine + Andrew Cyrille – ‘Devotion’ (2019) Dave Douglas withRead More

Paul Motian’s death in late 2011 was a big loss, to be certain, but the still-vibrant 70-year-old Barry Altschul has for four decades demonstrated mastery over the finer points of jazz drumming, using its full range not just as a time keeping device but as a richly tonal instrument. YouRead More

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuxpYZDQLnk&w=420&h=315] I like Mostly Other People Do The Killing (heretofore referred to as MOPDTK) because they’re merry musical marksmen, top drawer jazz musicians who shoot down every style they suggest. But I don’t know how many other people can dig this. You May Also Like: Mostly Other People DoRead More

<<< Part Two, Mainstream and Modern Jazz ||| Part 4, Fusion Jazz >>> In continuing with a long-held tradition, I’ve parsed out the jazz that goes avant-garde from the more conventional stuff. You May Also Like: Jimmy Haslip, jazz bassist: The Albums That Shaped My Career

It was only four years ago when saxophonist Jon Irabagon made his first splash as a solo artist with Outright!. Since then, he’s gone from obscure to being one of the most prolific tenor saxophonists working in NYC today You May Also Like: Jon Irabagon – ‘I Don’t Hear Nothin’Read More

Jon Irabagon is jazz’s merry subversive, often turning long-held jazz precepts inside out while paying respects to many of tradition’s icons. You May Also Like: Jon Irabagon – ‘I Don’t Hear Nothin’ But the Blues Vol. 3: Anatomical Snuffbox’ (2020) Andrew Barker + Jon Irabagon Duo – ‘Anemone’ (2020)

The daring guitarist/composer Jon Lundbom is back at it again, meting out intense, unpredictable guerrilla jazz with his Big Five Chord quintet. No New Tunes follows up on last year’s Quavers! Quavers! Quavers! Quavers! You May Also Like: Jon Lundbom and Big Five Chord – ‘Harder On the Outside’ (2019)

Jon Irabagon adds a series of new twists, turns and new ideas to the fourth album from Hot Club of Detroit. His arrival, however, signals a period significant change for the Django-inspired gypsy jazz group. You May Also Like: The Hot Club of Philadelphia – ‘Gypsy-Americana’ (2020) Andrew Barker +Read More