By Dave Sumner, Bandcamp Adi Myerson channels the work of multimedia artist Yayoi Kusama, offering up a musical interpretation of Kusama’s art in the hopes it can serve as a spiritual refuge for the listener. Read more here.
by Dave Sumner, Bandcamp “In 2015, Japanese violinist Tomoko Omura decided to arrange 10 well-known Japanese songs—a mix of old folk songs and popular modern tunes—for performance as jazz pieces on an album she would title Roots. The inspiration for the project was relatively straightforward. ‘I was looking for something I could bring to jazz,” she explains. … Read More
By Dave Sumner, Bandcamp “We had to throw open some doors,” says Eugene Petrushanskiy, head of Russian label Rainy Days Records. He’s speaking about the way the label helped to nurture the St. Petersburg jazz scene; but in the context of the shutdown caused by the pandemic, that statement began to take on a more … Read More
By Dave Sumner, Bandcamp Though Chicago is famous for its experimental jazz scene, and for mapping paths that diverge far and wide from tradition, their impact upon the defining characteristics of the straight-ahead post-bop sound is no less notable. Read this article here.
By Dave Sumner, Bandcamp Daily The modern jazz scene is more diverse than it’s ever been, with great music turning up in all corners of the globe. In February’s column, we visit Melbourne and Glasgow; Paris and Buenos Aires; St. Petersburg and Mannheim; Rome and Leeds; and hit both U.S. coasts. No matter where you … Read More
By Dave Sumner, Bandcamp Daily It would be easy to peg this music as simply a byproduct of various influences. The musics of Santi Debriano’s native Panama, and his long-time roots in the nucleus of New York City, can be directly felt on Flash of the Spirit, as can the experience of his collaborations with … Read More
By Dave Sumner, Bandcamp Daily Chad McCullough crafts his music as if it were meant to be carried delicately upon the breeze. His melodies are vibrant, yet understated, and their strength is similar to the way that a few carefully chosen words can summon a universe of meaning. Read this article here.
By Dave Sumner, Bandcamp On her excellent 2015 recording, Roots, Tomoko Omura adapted well-known Japanese songs, both traditional and recent, into arrangements for modern jazz quintet. Read this article here.
By Dave Sumner, Bandcamp It’s always a treat when Julian Shore’s name appears amongst an album’s personnel; but on one of his own recordings, his expressiveness offers a view of a vaster horizon from a higher plateau. Read this full list here.
By Dave Sumner, Bandcamp Daily On this tribute to the music of Alice and John Coltrane, Lakecia Benjamin plays it pretty straight. The saxophonist infuses a spirituality into the foundation of these renditions, and this quality, in addition to an appealing propulsion and unerring melodicism, makes this a pretty easy recommendation to make to fans … Read More
