Trumpeter Tito Carillo's second bite of the apple on Origin was more than a decade in the making, following up his outstanding first release, Opening Statement (Origin, 2011). With Urbanessence (Origin, 2022), the Chicago-based artist is truly up to the task, producing a work which is an homage to everyday life in the city. The narrative makes the point that cities are home to creators, visionaries and an army of people who are... read more
In the twilight days of the compact disc as a sound storage device, the most compelling reason for keeping what still seems a "new" audio media (compared to wax cylinders and 78s) in the face of purely electronic media is "concept" or "thematic" releases. One such example was drummer Todd Bishop's Pop Art 4 album, 69 Annee Erotique (Origin Records, 2009). This excellent release surveyed the music of French pop artist Serge Gainsbourg, music with... read more
Vancouver-born, San Francisco-based Michael Zilber, a talent of the saxophone, a dexterous composer, and a respected educator, exhibited his impressive skills side by side with jazz luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, Dave Liebman, Miroslav Vitous, and Dave Douglas.
Now, leading an elastic quartet whose reliable rhythm section includes David Kikoski on piano, James Genus on bass, and Clarence Penn on drums, Zilber prepared... read more
A cat that once played with Thad Jones & Mel Lewis commissions a renowned studio rat to do a real rave up on liturgical music to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary. Roping in Tierney Sutton and Kurt Elling to help him take it to church, this is a jazz mass like no other. Bold, brassy and contemporary, this work is too encompassing for him not to have shared it with the world. A real one of a kind work that defies genre and... read more
New York vocalist Emma Larsson made a splash with her 2010 sophomore effort Let It Go (Imogena). She has populated her recordings with predominantly well-envisioned original compositions, seasoning the album sequence with standards specifically chosen to meld with her unique sound. Her repertoire choice is eclectic without being eccentric.
On her present Sing to the Sky, Larsson reveals her fortitude by covering "Here's to... read more
One of the most significant musical advantages of the Hemage bass that is played by David Friesen is that its inner architecture enables him to extract an enormous palette of colours that appear to meld those of a contrabass and an electric bass guitar. The result is a seemingly dramatic increase in registers - he can reach higher registers and challenging lows while the bass still produces a faux-acoustic sound. This might also be a function... read more
West Coast pianist Clay Giberson's initial offering from the Origin label vividly recalls the seminal trio of Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, and Paul Motian by the introspective manner in which it presents the music. Like Evans, Giberson's touch is well modulated, revealing an impressive lyrical demeanor. The nine compositions on the program all come from Giberson's pen. They are delicate, gentle, and, most of all, melodic but still distinctive.... read more
Weekly rehearsals in Curt Berg's Los Angeles area garage studio afford him the opportunity to try out his compositions
and to interpret them with various personnel line-ups. For his first recording as leader this quintet does a stellar job; the Stagg Street studio isn't far from Berg's home and garage, but it offers the acoustics to capture the sound of his ensemble quite well. Deeply sensual and emotionally moving, the leader's compositions... read more
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Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Hanna Kay, Cult News (Paris)
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Budapest, Rudolf Radnai
Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project - Addis Ken
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Dawn Clement - Dear Ms. Dearie
by Editor, Bman's Blues Report
Jared Hall - Hometown
by Dee Dee McNeil, Making A Scene
Affinity Trio - New Outlook
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect
Michael Dease Big Band - Return Trajectory
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Brad Goode Quintet Feat. Ernie Watts - Live Your Dream: Live at North Street Cabaret
by Thierry De Clemensat, Paris Move
Maja Jaku - Blessed & Bewitched
by Tom Haugen, Take Effect