Tag Archives: Jazz music

Patricia Brennan’s Of The Near And Far

The origin story, many of the technical details and some of the music on this album flummox me. But that doesn’t stop me from recognizing Patricia Brennan’s Of The Near And Far as an astonishing work of art, and indeed … Continue reading

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Chris Byars Sextet’s The Dark Forest

Chris Byars’ sextet combines the best of two jazz worlds, the sophisticated sonic palette of the big band and the nimble nature of the smaller bop combo that leaves more room for soloists to shine. Leader and composer Byars, who … Continue reading

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Kenny Barron’s Sunset To Dawn

I’ve become a fan of Kenny Barron in just the past few years, but he’s quickly become one of my favorite jazz pianists. So how excited am I with the reissue of his leader debut, 1973’s Sunset to Dawn? Very! … Continue reading

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Roy Brooks’s The Free Slave

Detroit native Roy Brooks may be one of the most under appreciated drummers in jazz, but if there’s any justice in the world, this album reissue should change that. The Free Slave is the record of an incendiary live set … Continue reading

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Wolfgang Muthspiel’s Tokyo

I’ve been a fan of Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel since at least 2016, when I absolutely loved his quintet recording Rising Grace. I’ve also been on board with this particular trio of Muthspiel’s, with Americans Scott Colley on bass and … Continue reading

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The Necks’ Disquiet

I’ve been aware of The Necks for a while, but this is the first time I’ve really delved into their …what … their world, their ethos, their music. For a band that has been together for nearly 39 years and … Continue reading

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Duke Ellington & His Orchestra’s The Ellington Suites

The first thing you notice when you start up the first movement of Duke Ellington’s “The Queen’s Suite” is that you can’t tell if it’s “classical” or “jazz” or “pop” music. That, of course, is a hallmark of Ellington’s oeuvre, … Continue reading

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Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Pass, Ray Brown, Mickey Roker’s Dizzy’s Big 4

Dizzy Gillespie is often referred to as one of the best jazz trumpeters of all time, and is credited along with Charlie Parker with being one of the most influential figures in the development of bebop. He was also known … Continue reading

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Ivan Farmakovskiy’s Epic Power

Ivan Farmakovskiy at age 52 is one of the premier jazz pianists in Russia. Following formal schooling he played in a number of Russian and Western ensembles, won the 1994 bi-annual Russia Jazz Competition, the biggest contest for young Russian … Continue reading

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Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen’s Jaywalkin’

When the bass player stands out on a record featuring Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson and French violinist Stephane Grappelli, you know that bassist is something special. That was the case with my first exposure to the playing of the legendary … Continue reading

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