Tag Archives: Jazz music

Arun Ramamurthy Trio’s Jazz Carnatica

I love jazz violin and I love Carnatic music — classical music from the south of India. So I figured I would love this album by Indian jazz violinist Arun Ramamurthy, and I was right. It’s been on heavy rotation … Continue reading

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Tarbaby’s You Think This America

Melodic, rhythmic, replete with lush harmonies and head-turning improvisation, Tarbaby’s You Think This America is just about everything I want in a jazz record. Tarbaby is pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits. They’ve been playing together … Continue reading

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Bruno Råberg Tentet’s Evolver

Here’s yet another superb recording from a large jazz ensemble. It’s been a good year for those, and it’s only just June! After a critically acclaimed nonet album in 2002, bassist, composer, and educator Bruno Råberg spent the ensuing 20 … Continue reading

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Christopher Zuar Orchestra’s Exuberance

The thing I like most about a big band is its almost infinite potential for varied tones, colors and textures. That’s always been true of big bands going back to the swing days, and it definitely applies to the big … Continue reading

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The Jerry Granelli Trio’s The Jerry Granelli Trio Plays Vince Guaraldi and Mose Allison

What an excellent concept for an album. The modern jazz trio headed by veteran drummer Jerry Granelli pays tribute to two of the greats of the mid-20th Century, Vince Guaraldi and Mose Allison. Both of them popularized jazz, the blues, … Continue reading

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Mark Turner & Ethan Iverson’s Temporary Kings

I was sad and a little concerned in 2017 when pianist Ethan Iverson left The Bad Plus, the modern jazz trio he helped found nearly 20 years ago. Not to worry, though. He left that ensemble in good hands with … Continue reading

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Arild Andersen, Daniel Sommer, and Rob Luft’s As Time Passes

A seasoned veteran working a date with talented younger artists is a trope almost as old as jazz music itself. It finds one of its most delightful recent expressions in this ecstatic album anchored by leading Norwegian bassist Arild Andersen, … Continue reading

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Noah Haidu’s Standards II

Standards are standards for a reason. They’re such classic, durable, memorable pieces of music with catchy melodies and emotional hooks that they can be adapted to any setting and still stir the listener’s heart. And they catch the players’ heartstrings, … Continue reading

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Nils Økland Band’s Gjenskinn

The advance for Gjenskinn arrived on a Friday in mid-February and I spent most of the weekend listening to it on repeat. It’s music that perfectly complements things like taking a rainy walk on a cold February day. This is … Continue reading

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Liv Andrea Hauge Trio’s Ville Blomster

This trio’s first studio album opens with what could be a classical solo piano piece, a lilting parlor waltz with a hint of jazz in a couple of blue chords. But over its five minutes it slowly opens up into … Continue reading

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