Tenor sax player Kevin Blue Woods can serve up a sumptuous band of silky sound that hugs the soul and swaddles the spirit. In his latest CD “CityLife” that fat-and-happy sax sound presides over a collection of tracks that have... Continue Reading →
A song starts out and you’re totally open, ready to get your mind around the rhythm of it, the main tune of it, and soon after, to identify where the harmonies lie and where the other textures will start to... Continue Reading →
Being a jazz journalist who started in the 1970s has afforded Scott Yanow some priceless opportunities and serendipitous encounters. Yanow is an oft-quoted jazz reviewer who plies his trade in magazines, program guides, liner notes and just about anywhere else... Continue Reading →
The Doggy Cats want to tell you straight up that jazz doesn’t need to be complicated and over-thought. Their first CD “Diakon Pizza” is a work of open-hearted joie de vivre. Leader and pianist Tetsuro Hoshii who hails from Japan... Continue Reading →
Pianist/composer Ingi Bjarni has a delicate affinity for nuance which is layered with beautiful precision in his quintet’s new CD “Tenging.” Translated into English as “connection,” the tracks fit together with smooth edges and strong unity while celebrating each musician’s... Continue Reading →
Reverberating poetry opens the title track of bassist Yuriy Galkin’s latest CD, “For Its Beauty Alone,” which trails off to allow a sax’s thoughtful musings, light but supportive percussion and an aptly colorful and sweet piano accompaniment. Galkin is a... Continue Reading →
In a solo acoustic album you have to carry it all: melody, harmony, funk, soul and heart. Guitarist Mimi Fox’s new album “This Bird Still Flies” takes us to the sun and back, embroidering the journey with masterful intuition. You... Continue Reading →
The full and engaging sound of an iconic musical skyscraper like the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (once the Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Orchestra) is alive and well, winning new fans to the genre while reminding audiences everywhere how timelessly hip... Continue Reading →
Jazz as a way to work through your issues has produced creative results for trombonist/composer Nick Rosario. He just released “The Uncertain Suite” which is a musical summary of his very personal sense of self-doubt followed finally by acceptance and... Continue Reading →
