Gareth Thompson, All About Jazz After a stint in New York, saxophonist Greg Ward was lured home to Chicago in 2016 by a project based on Charles Mingus‘s The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (Impulse! Records, 1963). Ward’s new vision of this record was widely acclaimed, not least for its performance with a ballet company, as Mingus had … Read More
Scott Yanow, New York City Jazz Record Kelly Green impressed many listeners last year with her debut CD Life Rearranged. Her piano playing is sophisticated and swinging, her vocals are quietly expressive and inventive and and she is not shy to take chances and stretch herself even on familiar material. On Volume One, the pianist-singer … Read More
Eric Wendell, Hot House Vocalist Vanessa Rubin’s venerable tone sashays and saunters as much as it glides and strides. Vanessa’s style and phrasing is a beautiful patchwork of jazz, soul and Motown-era pop that excites and entices. In 1982, the Cleveland native made her way to New York, and began performing at notable clubs such … Read More
Dan Bilawsky, JazzTimes Having come under the tutelage of Art Blakey (a.k.a. Buhaina, or “Bu” for short), drummer Ralph Peterson knows a thing or two about the value of mentorship. His time as a Jazz Messenger proved life-changing and he’s long been paying it forward through more formalized lines, teaching and rearing up-and-comers at one … Read More
Jerome Wilson, All About Jazz Henry Conerway III operates in the realm of the piano trio, leading a group with a nitty-gritty feel that relies a lot on blues and gospel. They tackle tunes by the likes of Ray Brown, Duke Ellington and Phineas Newborn, Jr. as well as their own compositions with sly wit and energy. They slip into a … Read More
Matt Micucci, Jazziz Greg Ward, “Stardust” Saxophonist-composer Greg Ward, one of the most versatile saxophonists of his generation, will launch his new group Rogue Parade with Stomping Off the Greenwood, his new album, out on January 11 via Greenleaf Music. Rogue Parade is a quintet of heavyweight creative Chicago musicians and this nine-track collection explores the … Read More
Jerome Wilson, All About Jazz Kevin Bales/Keri JohnsrudBeyond the Neighborhood: The Music of Fred RogersSelf-produced Fred Rogers and his beloved TV series, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” has gotten a lot of attention lately. This musical tribute, featuring pianist Bales and the warm vocals of Johnsrud, adapts the songs he wrote for the show to a jazz … Read More
Phil Freeman, Stereogum Pianist Gabriel Zucker’s debut album also features Tyshawn Sorey on drums, along with trumpeter Adam O’Farrill and saxophonist Eric Trudell. There’s no bassist; the fifth member of the ensemble is the room, because Weighting features absolutely masterful use of mic placement and reverb, and even post-production. Listen to this album on headphones … Read More
Pianist/composer Andy Milne marks 20 years of leading the genre-breaking group Dapp Theory with his Sunnyside Records debut The Seasons of Being. Nominated for Grammy consideration, the album features Milne at his most Ellingtonian, masterfully orchestrating an original fusion between the impressionistic and pure groove. Commissioned by Chamber Music American, the music features several A-list guests.
Avant Music News Acclaimed pianist Gabriel Zucker is joined by trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, saxophonist Eric Trudel, and drummer Tyshawn Sorey on this recently-released effort. Originally written in 2014-15, Weighting was played live in that time frame, but this is its first recording. Unlike much of the creative jazz discussed in these pages, Zucker’s compositions are clearly pre-determined … Read More
