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Stories that Sizzle – “Jazz Dialogues” from Jon Gordon
The text reads like a conversation between best buddies and the jazz jumps off the page in Jon Gordon’s new book “Jazz Dialogues.” A sax player and composer based in Winnipeg, Jon got access early in his career to some of the greats and has compiled their interviews and musical stories here. A lively and... Continue Reading →
French Beginnings Inform the Lovely “Fifty-Fifty New York Sessions” from Pierrick Pédron
Turning 50 is as good a milestone as any to decide to create something new and very personal. Sax player Pierrick Pédron has recently released “Fifty-Fifty New York Sessions,” nine powerful tracks that sail along with style and grace. The wispy, quick “Mr. Takagi” is lightly packed with tasty bites of piano riffs and steady... Continue Reading →
Incendiary Intensity from Derek Brown in “All Figured Out”
A sax is a playground to Derek Brown, who has perfected a “slap-tongue” technique that explores the instrument percussively while being extremely lyrical. He has drawn inspiration, he says, from disparate musicians as Bobby McFerrin, Sonny Rollins, Green Day, Rachmaninoff and Justin Bieber. In his newest CD “All Figured Out,” Brown uses funk and bounce... Continue Reading →
Strong, Lush Debut by Daniele Germani with “A Congregation of Folks”
Releasing this month on the Italian label GleAM Records, the new CD “A Congregation of Folks” by front man/sax player Daniele Germani presents some top-notch material. On the track “The Capitalist Creed,” his sax strolls and peeks into the corners, braced by morphing chord blocks on piano and the soft swell of cymbal crashes and... Continue Reading →
What to Choose to Chill You Out – New CD by Julian Hartwell
The new CD that drops 3/12/21 from pianist/composer Julian Hartwell called “LYVELIFE” is an invite to enter a world where music makes you feel sublime. The song “Rough Sketch” has a big band vibe with some stellar breakouts from sax and trumpet and vocals that skillfully skirt the edges of scat, as Hartwell bounces and... Continue Reading →
Hetty and the Jazzato Band Leaps Out with “Back in the Swing of Things”
The band that reveres the Italian classics and plays them with gusto and amore has a new CD called “Back in the Swing of Things.” Originally slated for release on Valentine’s Day, the delay is now timed with the re-opening of Pizza Express Soho. The album is comprised of eleven colorful and dynamic tracks like... Continue Reading →
A Broad Boulevard of Music from Mehdi Nabti with “Grooves à Mystères”
The latest album by Quebec-based composer and saxophonist Mehdi Nabti pulls from a keen interest in and detailed knowledge of music from the African continent, Europe and Asia. What he has come up with is informed by his understanding of established and novel modes, but the result is natural, easy to get and vibeful. The... Continue Reading →
SHOWING SOME TLC: Taking Care of Your Sax, Clarinet, Trumpet etc.!
A fascinating primer on taking care of your woodwind or horn from Mike Jacobsen, the owner of Grey Door Music in Australia. He began his career in 1992, and while being a great technician and artisan, he continues to learn from his industry peers and instrument manufacturers. Advice, tips and how to keep loving on... Continue Reading →
The Message Burns Bright in “Song for Our People” by Mustapha Khan and Company
Originally created to honor the memory of his deceased father, a just-released film “Song for Our People” from writer/director Mustapha Kahn is an emotional and stunningly produced documentary that is like conversations with friends over a cup of coffee. A studio-full of talented musicians discuss their experiences as Black Americans, and is interspersed with a... Continue Reading →
