By Derek Ansell, Jazz Journal The start of Hilary Kole’s career as a jazz vocalist dates to 1998. As a very young vocalist she did the obligatory club sets of the time which consisted of four hours with 55 minutes on stage and five off for breaks. So, she certainly paid her dues early on. … Read More
by Euan Dixon, Derek Ansell, Jazz Views The August 2021 issue of Jazz Views UK includes reviews of Steven Feifke‘s Kinetic, Dara Tucker‘s Dreams of Waking: Music for a Better World, Tim Mayer‘s Keeper of the Flame and Paul Bedal‘s Cerulean Stars. Read the full reviews here.
By Derek Ansell, Jazz Views This is a jazz big band very much in the classic tradition but with a full, contemporary sound of their own. Derrick Gardner is trumpet soloist, arranger, composer and leader of this ensemble, taking brassy, open solos on several tracks but leaving plenty of space for his talented soloists within … Read More
By Derek Ansell, Jazz Views A&R are April May Webb and Randall Haywood. They met in 2013 when she visited a New Jersey jazz club and heard him playing trumpet. Or Flugelhorn as he plays both. From then on they became inseparable as a couple and in making music together. How do I know? Because … Read More
By Derek Ansell, Jazz Views Vazquez spent time jamming in NYC at an East Village location in the 1970s as a teenaged trombone player. He continues a 40- year career with this recording, planned in March 2020 but blocked by a NYC lockdown. The ensemble finally made it in June and July and have produced … Read More
By Derek Ansell, Jazz Views It is called Party Of Four but really this release is a party of eight. The Royal Bopsters are a vocal group of soprano, alto, tenor and bass and they are accompanied gracefully here by the trio of Schmidt, Brown, Williams and Kroon on piano, bass, drums and percussion, respectively. … Read More
Derek Ansell, Jazz Journal UK Meridian is Adison Evans’ second CD since she moved to Tuscany in 2014. The record opens with the title tune, a delicate ballad that moves at a relaxed pace reflected in the solos. Her own baritone is warm and burry with frequent excursions into the tenor zone. “Owl People” is a … Read More
