By Phil Freeman, StereoGum Plenty of jazz musicians have made politically engaged music; there’s usually at least one album in this column with a message to convey, whether subtle or … Read More
By Phil Freeman, StereoGum Ajoyo is a sextet led by reeds player Yacine Boularès; this is their second album, following a self-titled 2015 debut. Guitarist Michael Valeanu, keyboardist Jesse Fischer, … Read More
By Phil Freeman, SteroGum It’s easy to get comfortable with your idea of what jazz is, when it’s happening right in front of you. But when there are no gigs, … Read More
By Phil Freeman, Stereogum Pianist Chris McCarthy started out in Boston, where he worked with trumpeter Jason Palmer and saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, among others. They’re both absolute masters of their … Read More
By Phil Freeman, Stereogum This album is a surprise coming from saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, whose previous work has been more R&B-tinged, closer to modern soul jazz. She interprets tunes written … Read More
By Phil Freeman, The Wire Saxophonist Dave Liebman has been working on a series of album based on the elements for over 20 years: Water (1997), Air (2006) and Fire … Read More
by Phil Freeman, Stereogum Santiago Bosch, Galactic Warrior (Independent/Self-Released) Venezuelan keyboardist Santiago Bosch’s second album as a leader is a soundtrack to a nonexistent video game. The music is entirely composed, though … Read More
By Phil Freeman, Stereogum Saxophonist Clark Gibson is the Director Of Jazz Studies at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma, but he makes a record every couple of years; this is … Read More
by Phil Freeman, New York City Jazz Record
by Phil Freeman, The Wire
