By Adam Feibel, Jazz.FM91 The new album by NEA Jazz Master and Grammy-nominated saxophonist Dave Liebman pays tribute to the music of his most primary source of influence and inspiration. Read more here.
By Ralph A. Miriello, Notes On Jazz The pianist Kirk Lightsey is perhaps a name that you may not be familiar with, but that is certainly not for lack of his possessing immense talent and sublime taste. The now eighty-four-year-old pianist and one-time flutist has certainly flown under many people’s radar, despite being a key … Read More
By Nate Chinen, WBGO Solo piano is a consecrated calling for Kirk Lightsey, who made his name partly on the strength of a series of albums in that format more than 35 years ago. So it would be accurate in some sense to hail his exquisite new release — I Will Never Stop Loving You, arriving … Read More
By Editor, NQ Jazz Pianist Haeun Joo completes our list with her first album of fantastic original compositions, entitled We Will Find. Joo, who plays piano and sings on the recording, is joined by Matt Holman on trumpet and flugelhorn, Doug Weiss on bass, Ronen Itzik on drums. Read more here.
By Editor, NQ Jazz his week’s theme is quartets. Trumpeter Bruce Harris strikes an elegant balance between traditional and contemporary jazz styles on his sophomore album, Soundview. Leading a quartet which features Sullivan Fortner on piano, David Wong on bass, and Aaron Kimmel on drums, the Wynton Marsalis-touted composer and leader covers a couple of … Read More
by Matt Micucci, Jazziz NEA Jazz Master Dave Liebman and his forward-thinking working band Expansions will release a new album, Selflessness, on September 3 via Dot Time Records. Read more here.
by Matt Silver, WRTI These days, it seems every musician is compelled to tout their new album as “their most personal yet.” They’re compelled to not just tell the truth, but to tell “their” truth. Whether listeners care, though, really depends on whether or not the music is good. And, on vocalist Lauren Henderson’s latest, Musa, … Read More
By Cree McCree, DownBeat “Call it magic/ Call it ministry/ Call it music.” The opening epigraph for African Ripples, delivered by spoken-word artist Cyrus Aaron, sets the tone for an album that shines a beacon of hope at the end of a very dark year. “We play on for the living,” as Aaron observes. “Progress … Read More
By Jerome Wilson, All About Jazz Small groups featuring piano continue to work their individual brands of magic throughout the jazz world. Here are some examples from the last few months. Read the reviews of Aliens & Wizards (Spike Wilner), First Steps (Philippe Lemm Trio) and Live At Vitello’s (Michael Wolff) here.
by Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press — Multi-instrumentalist and jazz composer Gerry Gibbs honors the late Chick Corea on his 13th album, “Songs From My Father.” The collection features Corea and Ron Carter on “Bopstacle Course” and “Sweet Young Song of Love.” The last song on the first disc is “Hey Chick,” also in honor of Corea, … Read More
