Jazz
The music works. The session is among old friends. The rhythm section cooks and every solo holds one’s attention.
“Sun Ra: At the Showcase Live in Chicago, 1976 – 1977” offers a rare opportunity for us 21st century listeners to experience live sets by a distinctive musical spirit.
Saxophonist Owen Broder’s efforts to keep Johnny Hodges’ music alive is more than just mere imitation. It is a fitting tribute to a musician who deserves to be listened to more.
This is my kind of music, a tight latin jazz outfit that embraces great horn charts and explosive percussion.
Pianist Noah Haidu’s impeccably performed and recorded “Standards II” is a winner.
This is a blemished set that I, a Johnny Griffin enthusiast, am glad to have.
Moppa Elliott is an important jazz composer and a dynamic leader. When he brings a group to our area (which happens only rarely), do not miss the gig. When he issues a new recording, pay attention.
Moppa Elliott makes eminently approachable music at a very high standard, with great ingenuity and sophistication. He has proven himself to be one of the most inventive and creative composers for small jazz ensemble since Charles Mingus.
Guitarist Julian Lage wants his music to have a certain paradoxical lightness: to be “reckless and durable” at the same time.
Book Review: “3 Shades of Blue” — Transcendent Art, Despite Personal Demons
“3 Shades of Blue” is at its most compelling seen as an extended essay about drugs, creativity, the jazz life, and the mysterious nature of musical genius.
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