‘Smoke Sessions’ is one of Nicholas Payton’s standouts because in paying homage to some of his idols, Payton does so in an offhand manner that reveals his own inimitable musical personality.

feature photo: Anna Webber, courtesy of Mack Avenue Records You could call this a ‘Tale of Two Cities,’ but also a ‘Tale of Two Bands’ and a ‘Tale of Originals Vs. Covers.’ Jazz guitar extraordinaire Kevin Eubanks decided to present the dualities in his You May Also Like: Robin EubanksRead More

S. Victor Aaron picks the best of 2014’s fusion jazz, including Nels Cline Singers, Jaco Pastorius, Elizabeth Shepherd and others.

With ‘All Purpose Music,’ the Virginia-based soul-funk-jazz quartet Butcher Brown shows why Nicholas Payton is so fired up about this band.

He never stops experimenting, never stops surprising, and never stops entertaining.

‘Numbers’ coolly delivers Payton’s message of natural flow. It’s funky-good, angular vibe jazz.

This song, a new live interpolation of a Miles Davis cut from 1961’s Someday My Prince Will Come, might be the best argument Nicholas Payton has ever made for the use of the term Black American Music (or #BAM) instead of jazz. You May Also Like: Nicholas Payton – ‘SmokeRead More

Ellis Marsalis would have had a sweeping impact as a musical innovator and longtime educator even if he hadn’t parented a series of famous jazz-playing sons.