by Phil Freeman, Stereogum “The concert was recorded — very well — by an engineer named Fred Seibert..it’s amazing stuff.” Read ‘The Month in Jazz – February 2022’ article here.
by Phil Freeman, Stereogum “There are some gentle, acoustic soundscape pieces on the album named for his grandfathers’ respective hometowns, but there are also some pieces where he plugs in and gets loud. ‘2RS’ is one of the latter.” Read the full song review in the October 2021 Month in Jazz article here.
By Phil Freeman, Stereogum “Bassist/composer Adi Meyerson’s second album is a tribute to Japanese visual artist Yayoi Kusama, whose repetitive patterns of dots and curved figures are intended to provide a kind of utopian space into which the viewer can escape.” Read the full review in Stereogum’s August 2021 “The Month In Jazz” here.
By Phil Freeman, Stereogum I’ve always liked octets. Eight pieces — five horns plus a rhythm section — is an unusual configuration, not a big band but more than you usually get, and when deployed properly, on albums like McCoy Tyner’s Tender Moments or David Murray’s Ming, they can deliver extraordinary power and lush beauty. … Read More
by Phil Freeman, Stereogum “It’s impossible to imagine jazz without Louis Armstrong..A new box set from Mosaic, The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia And RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946-1966, shines a light on a superb later era in Armstrong’s career.” Read the full Month in Jazz article here.
By Phil Freeman, STEREOGUM We lost two major jazz voices this month. Bassist Gary Peacock died September 4th at 85. He was one of those players whose experience spans a vast range; he was a member of Miles Davis’s quintet in 1964, subbing for Ron Carter; that same year, recorded Spiritual Unity with Albert Ayler. … Read More
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 explicit. Read this article here.
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, bassist Kyle Miles, and drummer Philippe Lemm back vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles, who’s also worked extensively with trumpeter Christian Scott, on his albums and her … 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, you’re left with the recordings. And when you spend too much time rooting around in your record collection, you start to notice that there’s a … 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 instruments, so that should be endorsement enough for you. Anyway, he’s a New Yorker now, and has made his debut as a leader with trumpeter … Read More
