by Alan Young, New York Music Daily/Lucid Culture “Singer/percussionist Christiane Karam has built a unique and darkly captivating body of work that blends Middle Eastern and Balkan music, jazz and European art-song. Like Sarah Serpa, Karam gravitates toward subtly expressive, wordless vocals. She covers a deceptively impressive among of ground, from aching highs to somber lows. She’s … Read More
by delarue, New York Music Daily “It’s hard to think of anyone better suited to playing Mary Lou Williams tunes than the woman who wrote the book about her. Pianist Deanna Witkowski just published her biography of the pioneering, individualistic jazz pianist. Witkowski reconvened her old New York band, which had been scattered across the country after the 2020 … Read More
by Alan Young, New York Music Daily/Lucid Culture “Singer Mafalda Minnozzi‘s career spans the worlds of jazz, tropicalia and Mediterranean balladry. Her new album Cinema City: Jazz Scenes From Italian Film – streaming at Bandcamp – is a perfect vehicle for her since the collection underscores the close affinity between Italian film music from the 50s onward, … Read More
by Alan Young, New York Music Daily “There’s nothing sinister or macabre about tenor saxophonist Asaf Yuria‘s new album Exorcisms, streaming at Spotify. More likely, it could be about shaking off the rust and the demons of the most hideous year on record with an inspired, energetic sextet. Yuria plays with a slightly smoky tone and writes … Read More
by Alan Young, New York Music Daily “The main inspiration for Berta Moreno‘s latest album Tumaini – streaming at Bandcamp – is the trip the alto saxophonist made to Kenya, where she fell in love with the region’s many indigenous sounds. The album title is Swahili for “hope,” which resounds throughout this upbeat, optimistic mix of original … Read More
By delarue, New York Music Daily These days Sasha Dobson may be best known for her work as a multi-instrumentalist in the supertrio Puss N Boots with Norah Jones and Catherine Popper. Dobson’s own work is more jazz-focused, with a nuanced Brazilian streak. Interestingly, on her new album Girl Talk – streaming at Spotify – … Read More
by Alan Young, New York Music Daily A Smart, Energetic, Purist Debut Album By Rising Star Jazz Singer Samara Joy Read the review here.
By Delarue, New York Music Daily Mariel Bildstein may be best know as the high-voltage lead trombonist in Arturo O’Farrill‘s Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, but she’s also a composer and bandleader. Her new album Backbone – streaming at Bandcamp – is a straight-up, swinging, purist mix of tunes from across the ages. Bildstein maintains a remarkable … Read More
By delarue, New York Music Daily There hasn’t been a debut big band jazz recording as powerful, and lavish, and fun as Derrick Gardner and the Big Dig! Band’s first album, Still I Rise – streaming at Bandcamp – in a long time. Solos are brilliantly wild, Gardner’s compositions are colorful, unpredictable, explosive and have … Read More
By delarue, New York Music Daily As grassroots resistance against the lockdown gains momentum and more parts of the country declare themselves free territory, we will soon have unprecedented opportunities to remake our world. As lockdowner governors are voted out and driven from office, we will have plenty of chances to give force of law … Read More
