Steve Elman
His beautiful sound is undimmed by time, his sensitivity to nuance is intact, and his choice of virtuoso partners was a delight.
Is this lineup of jazz performances richer and more mouth-watering than we’ve seen in many a year? Yep.
A baker’s dozen of recordings worth hearing . . . maybe even owning.
Composer/pianist Anthony Coleman’s meticulous crafting made every second worthwhile.
A kaleidoscopic small-band adventure led by one of the world’s great clarinetists, and a superbly-played set by Ben Wendel’s dynamic quintet.
It was supposed to be an evening of sheer virtuosity, and that’s what it was.
It’s clear these four musicians love playing together. As long as the magic lasts, it’s well worth your hearing.
In two new releases, Jane Ira Bloom and Brian Carpenter complete their work on self-defined projects that are tonics for a time of trouble.
If you want to know how exquisitely intuition and structure can be balanced, you could hardly do better than to hear these two new discs.
Jazz Recommendations: The Test of Time, 2018
Here’s a look back at the history of jazz recordings and a selection of ten of the best, plus one release from 2018 that has a good chance of being one of my favorites for many years to come.
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