Mark Sullivan, All About Jazz Guitarist/composer Phil Schurger is a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana. He leads his Chicago-based quartet—previously heard on Echoes of the Ancestors (ears&eyes, 2017)—through six expansive originals. The tracks run an average of ten minutes or more apiece, and they attain that length through compositional complexity rather than extended solos (although the band is blessed … Read More
Seton Hawkins, Hot House Don’t Tell Mama – November 17 A charismatic vocalist who manages to evoke the seemingly disparate sounds of figures like Lou Rawls and Billy Eckstine, John Minnock has emerged as a fan favorite at several of New York’s vocal venues. Onstage and on record, John opts for a wide range of … Read More
Nelson Brill, Boston Concert Reviews Emma Frank, Ocean Ave [Susan Records; www.emmafrankmusic.com]. Frank’s original songs hit the bullseye of breezy pop and effervescent jazz. Her voice is a soft, breathy marvel as she climbs high with supple confidence (on her “Magnolia”; “Best Friend” and the wondrous title track). She also imbues beautiful soft ballads, such as her “Sunless … Read More
Kevin Johnson, No Treble Bassist and composer Matt Ulery has released a new album called Sifting Starsthat expands his musical palette to include orchestral art songs. The music includes lush string arrangements plus a five-movement piece for brass quintet inspired by the Ivan Albright painting “Into the World There Came a Soul Called Ida.” Ulery admits the ambitious … Read More
Mike Greenblatt, Aquarian Weekly Alex Clough – Near Far Beyond Touched By A Spaceman Pianist/Composer/Producer/Arranger Alex Clough’s self-released near, far, beyond is a delightful and captivating romp with sax/trumpet/bass/drums. Half is piano trio. Half is quintet. It’s been over a decade as a sideman for Clough. Graduating from the State University of New York, and … Read More
Michael Jackson, Downbeat Artists at Hyde Park Jazz Festival Reflect Generational Connections RAVI COLTRANE, BRANDEE YOUNGER, ALLISON MILLER, GEOF BRADFIELD, CHRISTIAN SCOTT ATUNDE ADJUAH In its 12th year, Chicago’s Hyde Park Jazz Festival presented an almost preposterous amount of quality music on Sept. 29, day one of the two-day event that hosted scores of programs in about a dozen disparate … Read More
Nate Chinen, WBGO Ralph Peterson’s Aggregate Prime, “L’s Bop” Listen here. Ralph Peterson has long been celebrated as someone who took the pulse of hard-bop and ratcheted it up to a fever pitch. He is also a composer and trumpeter with a perch at the Berklee College of Music, where he has mentored more than … Read More