n Chi
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE: Chien Chien Lu’s THE PATH Reviewed
Reviews
REVIEW: Sounds of A&R (S.O.A.R) Questions Left Unanswered on Making A Scene
by Jim Hynes, Making A Scene The group dubbed Sounds of A&R, or as they are commonly referenced S.O.A. R., is the partnering team of vocalist April May Webb and the trumpeter Randall Haywood, with support from April May’s siblings Jacob Webb on bass and Nathan Webb on drums, plus guitarist Charlie Sigler, pianist James Austin and harpist Riza Printup. Read more here. … Read More
REVIEW: Questions Left Unanswered by Sounds Of A&R (S.O.A.R) – Jazzmatters
By Darren Harper, Jazzmatters Sounds of A & R (S.O.A.R) is the collaboration between vocalist April May Webb and trumpeter Randall Hayward. ‘Questions Left Unanswered’ is their second release as a partnership and, let’s not beat around the bush, it is brilliant. Read more here.
REVIEW: Michael Olatuja’s “Lagos Pepper Soup” on Boston Concert Reviews
By BCR, Boston Concert Reviews First up is a kinetic CD that transcends borders with its irresistible grooves and soaring melodies. Lagos Pepper Soup [Worldwind Recordings; www.whirlwindrecordings.com], is a new recording from Michael Olatuja, gifted bassist, composer and arranger, who has gathered a stellar cast to deliver his cinematic creation. Olatuja plays both acoustic and … Read More
REVIEW: ‘Live from the Prison Nation’ by Alonzo Demetrius – Occhi Magazine
By Jonathan Blackman, Occhi Magazine Whoever says jazz is dead clearly has not heard Alonzo Demetrius. The young trumpeter not only has language on the instrument and paired it with electronic effects, but he is also an amazing composer. His live recording “Live from the Prison Nation” is as real as it gets. The performance … Read More
REVIEW: The 8-Bit Big Band’s ‘Backwards Compatible’ – Lucid Culture
by Delarue, Lucid Culture The 8-Bit Big Band are one of the most improbably successful brands in music. They own the franchise on lavishly orchestrated, jazz-oriented arrangements of video game themes. They have more of a following in the video game world than in jazz circles, maybe because much of what they play is closer to action … Read More
REVIEW: Santi Debriano’s ‘Flash of the Spirit’ – Making a Scene
by Jim Hynes, Making a Scene “..The album title seems especially apt as Debriano and bandmates seem to glide in and out of many grooves and styles rather seamlessly. At times, just as you feel you might be missing something, you as a listener are placed in a new and different context, flashing from one … Read More
REVIEW: Leon Lee Dorsey’s ‘Thank You, Mr. Mabern!’ – Glide Magazine
by Jim Hynes, Glide Magazine “Recorded in July 2019, just two months before the passing of great pianist and composer Harold Mabern, Thank You, Mr. Mabern! features the leader, bassist Leon Lee Dorsey, and drummer Mike Clark in a trio. This posthumous release is not only Dorsey’s personal farewell to the beloved Mabern, but marks six decades of music from the pianist … Read More
REVIEW: Mehmet Ali Sanlikol’s ‘The Rise Up: Stories of Strife, Struggle and Inspiration’ – Jazzword
by Ken Waxman, Jazzword “A complex but not complicated work The Rise Up is a tripartite orchestral tone poem dealing with Sufi, Sephardic Jewish and Muslim Middle Eastern history with American soprano saxophone master Dave Liebman as chief soloist. With each section divided into three parts, Turkish-American composer Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol’s score melds scraps of … Read More
BEST OF 2020: Lakecia Benjamin’s ‘Pursuance: The Coltranes’ On NPR’s Critics Poll
by Francis Davis, NPR The 2020 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll ranked Lakecia Benjamin’s Pursuance: The Coltranes among their list. Read the full article here.