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 …
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 …
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, …
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and SpotifyWorld-renowned guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli has dedicated many of his albums to the great songwriters and performers who have helped to establish the Great American Songbook and the pop music canon: Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, Richard Rodgers, and Duke Ellington, to name a few. With his …
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and SpotifyTaj Mahal can rightfully be called a living legend for his contributions to popular music. With a voice that is as instantly recognizable as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles or Dr. John, Taj Mahal throughout his career has pushed the envelope of American music forward by incorporating sounds from the Caribbean, …
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Toronto has been known as a great jazz city for decades. When jazz fans all over the world hear bands like Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass, they instantly recognize the swinging arrangements and immaculate playing as being emblematic of the Toronto sound. With “The Toronto Project,” The …
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and SpotifyFor those unfamiliar with the title of the gorgeous new album from Buster Williams, “Unalome, or the lotus flower-topped symbol that graces its cover, is a Buddhist symbol representing individual transcendence and the path to enlightenment over the course of one’s life. The legendary bassist, a long-practicing Buddhist …
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and SpotifyIn the grand tradition of jazz piano trio records, Lafayette Harris returns to Van Gelder Studios for his latest effort, “Swingin’ Up in Harlem,” covering a wide spectrum of tunes by composers ranging from Hoagy Carmichael to Stevie Wonder. Harris’ sympathies have always been wide-ranging, as one would …
