The music moves like a rushing river on “Dabu” yet it’s not harsh; the melody lays on top with some high fingerings on guitar; the drums keep pumping, no violence but persistent; and the piano has a chime-like brightness. ATSCH (rough American translation might be “Gotcha”) is a band of pretty young guys based in... Continue Reading →
Faye Patton talks about her music like a rapid-fire ball of yarn of musical associations that she must unravel quickly for fear of not getting it all out. The sharply felt passion for what she does (and learning new ways to do it) is in-your-face, leaving her breathless and energized. Faye’s full of ideas, spinoffs,... Continue Reading →
Think of drummer Gladys Lazer as an indie rocker of jazz. Experimental yet sonorous; embracing the abstract, yet rhythmically followable; unexpected dips and swells from chord change to chord change, yet, dreamy. “Candy World” is brand new, check it out: https://gladyslazer.bandcamp.com/releases. Keep an open mind; it teeters on a new definition of jazz. Refreshingly and... Continue Reading →
He has the chops for punchy and aggressive, and the depth for sweet and kind. Trombonist and bandleader Paul Dunlea from Cork, Ireland coaxes the best out of his ensembles. Part of that is making excellent choices, as all the personnel are cherry-picked with perfection. After all, Paul is a rabid fan of Old Blue... Continue Reading →
If you’ve rubbed elbows with musicians who rubbed elbows with early music powerhouses like Sousa, well, you’ve touched a piece of history. That big band influence left an indelible impression on Fred Hughes. He started off tickling the ivories of the Hammond B-3 and now leads the decades-established self-named Trio as an accomplished pianist. The... Continue Reading →
There’s a “laggy” feel to Tommy Andrews’ “Crystal Car.” His alto sax soars wide and lazy like a bird that’s in no hurry. And there’s a certain held-back quality of “Toscana,” where the keys are rolling in the background. Yet Tommy can also punch out those double-time rhythms and offer complex beats. The common... Continue Reading →
Finnish big band arranger and conductor Jussi Lampela has a full sound at his fingertips. His nonet swings on a tune called “Touch Red” – a held note hanging in the air ‘til the next half-beat; the brass in utter unison; the sax laying a low melody. Flutes layer themselves on top; the drums keep... Continue Reading →
A rolling and rollicking drum intro kicks off “2 Lumps for Humpty” courtesy of percussionist Robert Castelli. Crashing the cymbals and attacking his kit, he sets the pace for measures later, when the guitar sounds a chord and the sax pops in with a funkadelic melody. Robert, who can wail away on a 12-string guitar... Continue Reading →
Sam Hankins’ latest CD is “Do That Thang,” and the headline song by the same name starts with something kind of familiar – a lively, warm conversation among friends reminiscent of the first few seconds of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” In Sam’s case, though, “Thang” is lighthearted, uptempo, a celebration of comradeship. Wait for... Continue Reading →
Debbie Burke - jazz author 
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