Boris Kozlov has met, head-on, the gargantuan task of keeping a legacy alive while comfortably and ably expressing his own individuality. As the co-leader of the Mingus Big Band, originally formed by Charles Mingus’s widow Sue Graham Mingus after the bassist’s demise in 1979, his music and musical direction stand beautifully tall. The winner of... Continue Reading →
The mood, texture and grain of the 2019 film “Adrift in Soho” begs for music that’s complex and compelling. Composer Anthony Reynolds makes full use of jarring dissonance, shrieking, wailing strings, the beats of a terrified heart and the occasional lyrical lick to help tell the story of Soho, London in the 1950s. With its... Continue Reading →
I had no specific expectations of the book “Tonight at Noon: A Love Story” (DaCapo Press, 2003) other than it was going to be a wild ride with Charles Mingus and his wife. And so it was. The man was gifted yet tormented; breaking from norms of performing, writing, hearing and seeing, he discerned beyond... Continue Reading →
Slapping the bass gives an edgy intro to Rebecca Angel’s vocals in the new take on “For What It’s Worth,” a song that became a protest anthem of the 1960s and has become strangely relevant today. Angel was previously interviewed on this blog here. Her new single is preceded by the 2018 album “What We... Continue Reading →
Guitarist Giorgos Tabakis has invited bass clarinetist Rebecca Trescher to a musical exploration of tone and interval, shading and hue in the new CD “Dual Nature.” Some tracks feature them together, bobbing and weaving; others are standalone solos. The instrumentation is an exciting and fresh treat for the ear. The ability to create textures is... Continue Reading →
Music is not just an accompaniment in film or TV; it’s another voice that tells the story. The whirlwind career of John Beasley, who arranged and conducted the original music for the movie “Let Them All Talk” and countless other projects, is proof that music is its own borderless and fascinating language. Being attuned (literally)... Continue Reading →
When klezmer – music from the Jewish settlements of Russia and Poland with a Romanian and possibly Greek influence– meets swing, better step back for a lava-like result. “Klez N’Zazou,” the latest offering from klezmer fusion group Gefilte Swing, rains down with an Eastern European kick, great licks and airtight harmonies. Founded by multi-horn player... Continue Reading →
Robert Castelli comes blazing out with his polyrhythmic self in the latest offering “Party at One World Plaza.” It’s what he’s been doing since last interviewed here. “Vamos” is an energetic body-shaker and the funk weaves throughout “Your Lucky Number,” both contrasting heavily against the dreamier and more somber “For the Fallen.” Castelli is versatile... Continue Reading →
In his 2019 breakout debut “Fulfillment,” multi-instrumentalist Zac Zinger explores an impressive breadth of musical instrumentation. Without exception, all the tracks feature a sonic exploration where he whips, caresses, attacks and bends notes with excellent accompaniment (pianist Kana Dehara, bassist Adam Neely and many others). Zinger is as much at home in creating melody with... Continue Reading →
