The latest on GLISSANDO: A Story of Love, Lust and Jazz
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Deep Breath, Fresh Air up on “Lilac Hill” with Sukyung Kim
Don’t let the delicate title fool you. Yes, there is a very pretty grace about the music on Sukyung Kim’s newest album “Lilac Hill,” but she can pivot and deliver hearty and hale, confident and stately. Warm vibes flow off “Stargazers” which swings and meanders. Her piano is focal but inclusive, proving tight interplay with... Continue Reading →
Tribute to a Friend: Alfred Sergel IV Remembers “Brother John”
John Alexander The just-released single “Brother John” from composer and drummer Alfred Sergel IV is a broth of inspiration, affection and the acknowledgement of a unique talent not to be forgotten. Released as an entry into the tiny desk concert contest in April of this year, the song soars with hope as it celebrates his... Continue Reading →
A Crash, a Sigh and A Groove – Debut EP “Awareness” from Joe Sturges
Joe Sturges thinks of his drums as more than a rhythm machine. In fact he celebrates its melodic capabilities, an idea which is a revelation for many casual jazz listeners. With his brand-spanking new debut on the EP called “Awareness” he boldly demonstrates the different dimensions of the drums while also creating a warm, inviting... Continue Reading →
Fresh, Organic Music in “Tiny Grass is Dreaming” by Jonathan Andersen
Bassist Jonathan Andersen of Denmark started with scraps and roots of songs that grew into his debut album “Tiny Grass is Dreaming.” A serious display of talent and heart, the album explores the width of the emotional spectrum with pieces that are sometimes frail, sometimes hearty; sometimes hopeless and sometimes starry-eyed. “Dry Air” is an... Continue Reading →
#BLACKLIVESMATTER
I stand with my jazz brothers and sisters. THIS HAS TO STOP. Miles Davis (c) Jerry Kinstler/NY Daily News (c) Debbie Burke 2020
The Steps of a Life’s Journey: “Totem” with Ferdinando Romano
Bassist Ferdinando Romano’s debut as a front man in the new CD called “Totem” is proof he has the chops to create a variety of textures and flavors, coaxing the very best from his ensemble. “Mirrors” has the quality of a band tuning up/coming together, its independent melodic fragments sprinkled skillfully; “Evocation” gives Romano the... Continue Reading →
Linguistics and Musical Meanderings – Sophie Tassignon on “Mysteries Unfold”
The new CD from Sophie Tassignon, “Mysteries Unfold,” has a potpourri of sounds dancing in many different corners of jazz: the cabaret-like “Don’t Be So Shy with Me” (a perfect lilt and bounce with a dash of cynicism), its echo-chambered voices in the bridge unexpectedly bringing a quick change of temperature and tempo. “Cum Dederit”... Continue Reading →
Double Time: Two Tasty New CDs from Ratko Zjaca
Two new works by guitarist Ratko Zjaca (interviewed earlier here) are almost too much of a treat at once. Not only is his instrumentation firmly in that perfect Goldilocks zone; his melodic lines are uncluttered, tempos tight but unobtrusive, and the phrasing flows like a river. Consider the sensibility of a meandering soul (“Here Nothing... Continue Reading →
Bright and Tight: Dave Stryker with Bob Mintzer and the WDR Big Band
Those airy swells, chill on-pointness and big band brilliance make guitarist/leader Dave Stryker’s new album “Blue Soul” an amazing contribution to jazzhood. The first track, “Trouble Man,” starts hot right out of the gate, swinging its way through the theme, veering off for some intense and bluesy solos by Stryker and then a stellar take-off... Continue Reading →
