Jazz
The Jazz at Lincoln Center vice president of education discusses the growth of Essentially Ellington, the rise in student playing, and the organization’s push for wider access.
Mike Rivard’s rotating collective has blended dub, jazz, Moroccan trance, funk, electronica, hip-hop, and prog into its heady stew.
Two standout releases showcase adventurous composition, tight ensemble interplay, and the next wave of trumpet-driven jazz.
April Varner, a rising star in this new generation of female jazz singers—which happily seems full of them—pays homage to Ella Fitzgerald; John Pizzarelli’s recording is an early entry in the no-doubt long list of tributes celebrating Tony Bennett’s 100th birthday.
The relaxed intensity of the band was apparent from the get-go.
Strong albums from trios led by pianists Edward Simon and Alfredo Rodríguez.
Javon Jackson’s homage to Bob Dylan is well thought out and beautifully rendered.
The jam-rock vibes and gnarly blues licks that Scofield showcased in many of his projects over the years weren’t evident in Saturday’s laid-back final set of his trio’s two-night stand.
Three recent high-end LP reissues that have only become more valuable over time.
“Listening to Prestige” can be read as a kind of post-literate anti-Spotify. And, lo and behold, it’s true jazz history.
Arts Commentary: The Boston Symphony’s New Humanities Blueprint Makes Sense