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New Music from Claudio Piselli: Nothing Else to Say but How Hip This Is
The energy is like sunlight and presses on with a jazzy insistence. On vibes, the masterful mallets of Claudio Piselli dance and spin through eight flaming tracks. His band’s new CD called Love the Sunshine has hit the airwaves with style. The song “But the Beat Goes On” spotlights the amazing vocals of Oumy N’Diaye ... Continue Reading →
Jewish Women Songwriters Get a Love Letter: Hadar Orshalimy in “Witchcraft”
Where do the classics come from; the words and music from very early in the 20th century that so many take today and make their own…riffing (not ripping) off the Great American Songbook, each with their unique interpretations and melodic bent? It struck vocalist and songwriter Hadar Orshalimy that so many of the unheralded powerhouses... Continue Reading →
Solo Piano: New CD Released Track by Track from Pianist Nick Bhalla is Elegantly Satisfying
Nick Bhalla took his time with this new album, Solo Piano, parceling out tracks individually like one would share a box of rich Swiss chocolates, allowing anticipation for the next tasty surprise. A multi-instrumentalist (add in guitar and trumpet) and multi-genre player (add rock), Bhalla crafted five tracks that leave room and space for contemplation... Continue Reading →
SOLID: Life and Death of a Jazz Genius, Scott LaFaro by Vincenzo Staiano
It’s a great time for a book about some little-known corners of bassist Scott LaFaro's life and influences in his tragically short 25 years, because while many in jazz’s old guard have had a lot of time to give us wonderful interviews throughout the decades in magazines, on blogs and in books, LaFaro has very... Continue Reading →
Saxophone Colossus: The Life and Music of Sonny Rollins by Aidan Levy
Aidan Levy has written a just-released book on living legend Sonny Rollins that deftly chronicles the life and music of the great tenor player and does so with an honest eye. Perhaps its greatest strength is evoking the times he has lived (and continues to live) through and actually himself had a huge hand in... Continue Reading →
Taking Energy from “Calder’s Universe” by Eric Zolan
Swift fingerwork with a light touch best characterizes guitarist Eric Zolan’s skills in his newest CD, Calder’s Universe. The spare instrumentation here–he leads the trio with established musical colleagues Brian Charette (organ) and Jordan Young (drums) –fits just right with six uncluttered easy-flowing tracks. “D.D.L.O.D.” (don’t worry what it means/stands for, that’s not the point)... Continue Reading →
Living under the Glow of Music: Leader/Tenor Sax Player Mateusz Chorazewicz Shows How
Releasing three singles over three seasons, leader Mateusz Chorazewicz’s group Hippocampus Ex is starting with the first track, “Sunrise.” Solid beats and low, easy harmonies (there is something stately about this song) lay the floor for the poetry of C. K. Norwid artfully expressed by vocal artist Nick Sinckler. It’s a thought piece, an experiential... Continue Reading →
A Velvet Touch with a Glimmering Horn: Jimmy Leach Sings Chet Baker
Inspired by the songs of the great Chet Baker, Oklahoma-based trumpet player and vocalist Jimmy Leach has reimagined some classic tunes (Jimmy Burke’s “It’s Always You” or “The Thrill is Gone” by Lew Brown) and added his own flair. Leach, who has played the Star-Spangled Banner at two Red Sox games in Fenway Park, performed... Continue Reading →
The Fall and Rise of a Stanza: Lena Bloch Honors Russian Poet Marina Tsvetaeva
If we’re talking food, Lena Bloch’s saxophone is a pouring of honey, a warm trickle of red wine and a bite of the crisp, sweet and salty in turn. Describing herself as a “long-time disciple of Lee Konitz” (see below) and having studied under other greats such as David Liebman, Yusef Lateef, Joe Lovano and... Continue Reading →
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