Author's posts
New Music Monday for June 26, 2023
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify What’s behind “The Red Door?” For pianist Orrin Evans, that question has come to symbolize the daring path his life and music have taken over the course of his three-decade career for taking musical and personal chances. On this his first album since leaving the trio Bad Plus, he …
New Music Monday for June 19, 2023
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and SpotifyAfter producing over 50 albums for other artists in Puerto Rico, Colombia and the U.S., participating as pianist/arranger on more than 100 recordings, and writing music for feature films, theater and television, the Bronx born, Puerto Rican bred pianist Israel Tanenbaum is stepping out with a new disc of his …
New Music Monday for June 12, 2023
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify“Words From My Horn” is the debut album by trumpeter and composer Anthony Hervey, who was recently chosen as one of Grammy.com’s 10 Emerging Jazz Artists to Know in 2023. He’s been a first-call sideman for luminaries such as Christian McBride, Wynton Marsalis, Jon Batiste and Michael Buble. Thematically, the …
New Music Monday for June 5, 2023
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and SpotifyThe music of Herbie Hancock has affected the lives of generations of jazz performers. Like many of these musicians, it was the opportunity to play with the great pianist/composer that introduced the drummer Mike Clark to the jazz world at large. Hancock initially had Harvey Mason in the drum chair …
New Music Monday for May 29, 2023
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Drummer Joe Farnsworth sets out on a bold new path in answer to the question, “In What Direction Are You Headed?” The new disc marks a turning point in his career, as he’s assembled a new quintet featuring not his renowned forebears but esteemed talents from his own generation and …
New Music Monday for May 22, 2023
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and SpotifyAs difficult times often beget new beginnings, the Covid-19 quagmire gave birth to alto saxophonist Eric Alexander. To some, a tenor-to-alto switch may not seem to be a newsworthy matter, but for the initiated, it’s the stuff of headlines. An inveterate tenor at the apex of the scene for more …
New Music Monday for May 15, 2023
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Three years after the release of Artemis’ critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, the all-female ensemble returns with a marvelous follow-up that highlights the improvisational strength of its members as well as their respective gifts as composers. “In Real Time” showcases a new lineup of the collective with founding members …
New Music Monday for May 8, 2023
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and SpotifyBuilding on a long track record of scholarship and interpretive artistry focused on the great Mary Lou Williams, vibraphonist and composer Cecilia Smith unveils “The Mary Lou Williams Resurgence Project Volume One: Small Ensemble Repertoire.” Through countless hours of immersion in the Williams archive at the Institute for Jazz Studies, …