articles, reviews, etc.
Matt Shipp.pdf
"Song of Himself"
On pianist Matthew Shipp
JazzTimes, February 2010
"Inzinzac Needs Your Money"
Philadelphia Weekly
January 20, 2010
"A Conversation with Tim Berne and Matt Mitchell"
PMP: The online magazine of the Philadelphia Music Project
November 23, 2009
Linda Oh JT.pdf
"Divine Simplicity"
On bassist Linda Oh
Jazz Times, November 2009
McBride Inqy.pdf
"Jazz bassist does more than just make music"
Christian McBride feature
October 15, 2009
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Fat Cat Big Band.pdf
"The Commitments"
On the Fat Cat Big Band
Jazz Times, October 2009
Sonny Rollins Inquirer.pdf
Sonny Rollins feature
The Philadelphia Inquirer
September 22, 2009
(front-page feature, Magazine)
"Jazz Horizons: A Diverse Lineage in Context"
Philadelphia Music Project Magazine, 2009
Sun Ra Inky.pdf
"Sun Ra redux"
May 5, 2009
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Magazine)
Hollenbeck Big Ears.pdf
"Big Apple to Brotherly Love"
On John Hollenbeck's "Big Ears" Painted Bride residency
Jazz Times, May 2009
"Lifting Off"
Feature article on FLY (Jeff Ballard/Mark Turner/Larry Grenadier)
April 9-15, 2009
Time Out New York
"Jazz and Protest: A Reappraisal"
Z Word essay
April 2009
Feature: The Bad Plus
Philadelphia Weekly
March 24, 2009
Tar Baby JT.pdf
"Back to Basics"
On Tar Baby (Orrin Evans/Eric Revis/Stacey Dillard/Nasheet Waits)
Jazz Times, April 2009
Keith Jarrett Solo Concert
Carnegie Hall, January 29, 2009
Jazz Times online
Sci Fi Philly.pdf
"Blowing their own horn"
On Sci Fi Philly, the Sunday night avant-jazz series
November 30, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Arts & Entertainment)
Francisco Mela JT.pdf
"Free Jazz Latin"
On drummer Francisco Mela
Jazz Times, December 2008
Enrico Pieranunzi at Birdland
October 29 & 31, 2008
Jazz Times online
Creative Music Studio celebration
Symphony Space, New York
October 24, 2008
Jazz Times online
apprenticeship.pdf
"Earn Your Keep: Jazz and the Lost Art of Apprenticeship"
Jazz Times Education Guide 2008/09
Rebecca Martin JT.pdf
"Post-Pop"
On singer-songwriter Rebecca Martin
Jazz Times, November 2008
Mike Reed JT.pdf
"Doubled Up"
On Chicago drummer Mike Reed
Jazz Times, October 2008
"Not a Jazz Musician?"
On Anthony Braxton
October 5, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
"Cutting uncommon paths"
Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock & Jack DeJohnette
at the Kimmel Center
September 22, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Book Review:
Kabir Sehgal's Jazzocracy: Jazz, Democracy,
and the Creation of a New American Mythology (Better World Books)
Democratiya 14, Autumn 2008
Philly Jazziz.pdf
"Willy-nilly in Philly"
Travel column on Philadelphia jazz
July/August 2008
Jazziz magazine
G Klein 8-08.pdf
"Filtered Jazz"
Guillermo Klein and Los Guachos play Newport
August 2008
Jazz Times festival supplement
"Three bassists thrill the crowd"
On S.M.V. (Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten)
August 21, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Yohimbe Brothers play North Star Bar"
August 4, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
RTF Inky.pdf
"Forever Is Here"
The reunion of Return to Forever,
the legacy of jazz fusion.
August 3, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Arts & Entertainment)
Sonic Liberation Front at World Café Live
July 29, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Echoes of the City"
On guitarist Matt Davis and Aerial Photograph (cover story)
July 23-29, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
Herbie Hancock at Carnegie Hall
June 2008
Jazz Times online
"Sacred Fusion: Jewish and Muslim Melodies Mingle Easily at Moroccan Music Festival"
June 26, 2008
The Forward
Playing Changes JT.pdf
"Playing Changes for Change"
Guest column on jazz and politics
Jazz Times, July/August 2008
"Philly singer bridges jazz, Latin sounds"
On vocalist Venissa Santí
June 23, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"After din, Polish trio blossoms at Chris'"
On pianist Marcin Wasilewski
May 24, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Pedicin's sax had them from the start"
On saxophonist Michael Pedicin
May 12, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Startling takes on Mayfield"
On bassist/bandleader William Parker
May 5, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Blanchard hits political note"
April 21, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Elliott Levin Inky.pdf
"The Music Man"
On saxophonist/flutist Elliott Levin
April 16, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Magazine)
"Pops' maestro plays jazz in flashy style at Kimmel"
On Peter Nero
April 12, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"The Beats Go On"
On Philadelphia jazz (cover story)
April 9-15, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
"Double duty from a Lovano quintet"
April 5, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Shorter long on jazz variety"
Wayne Shorter Quartet at the Kimmel Center
March 31, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Auktyon creates own style, aura"
March 24, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Danilo Perez Inky.pdf
"Jazzman up close"
On Danilo Perez
March 23, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Arts & Entertainment)
"The art and song of Dianne Reeves"
March 17, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Down to The Wire: Nutter brings B-more to Philly for series finale"
March 10, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
(pics by David Adler)
"Zorn's unorthodox sounds"
March 4, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"War of the Worlds"
Salman Rushdie in Philly
February 27, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
"An invocation of Mingus"
Mingus Big Band review
February 25, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Pat Metheny's Day Trip
Featured CD review
Jazz Times, March 2008
"Berne Unit"
On the reunion of Tim Berne's Bloodcount
February 6-12, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
"Improvisation: Charting the Unknown"
PMP: The Annual Magazine of the Philadelphia Music Project, 2007/08
"Bill Frisell a genius of guitar"
January 28, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Jarrett.pdf
"Standard Bearers"
Keith Jarrett's Standards Trio at 25
Jazz Times, January/February 2008 (cover story)
"Old-school drummer shares laughs, post-bebop classics"
Mickey Roker at Ortlieb's
December 31, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Critical Improv Intensive"
On "Improvisation, Community and Social Practice,"
a new seven-year academic study funded by Canada
NewMusicBox, December 19, 2007
"Coltrane's influence wears well on Fortune"
Sonny Fortune at Chris's Jazz Cafe
December 17, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Tigran Hamasyan Trio
Live in Paris — November 24, 2007
Jazz Times online
"Lively double bill of old and new"
The Blind Boys of Alabama/Dirty Dozen Brass Band review
December 11, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Sex Mob tops bill at Johnny Brenda's"
December 8, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Tiger Okoshi takes on two heritages, jazz and Japan,
in song and trumpet"
November 19, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Harp Warming:
Edmar Castaneda brings his nimble fingers to the Art Museum"
November 14-20, 2007
Philadelphia Weekly
"Fred Hersch Trio +2 keeps core creativity"
November 12, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
HappyApple.pdf
"Hometown Homeboys"
Happy Apple feature
Jazz Times, November 2007
Chris Potter's Song for Anyone
and Follow the Red Line: Live at the Village Vanguard
Featured CD review
Jazz Times, November 2007
"Charles Lloyd trio: Jazz, with sax"
October 29, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Sax man 'Kidd' Jordan at Art Alliance"
October 16, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Clarifying why Trane matters"
Review of Ben Ratliff's book Coltrane: The Story of a Sound
October 10, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Major Dapp"
On Andy Milne & Dapp Theory
October 3-9, 2007
Philadelphia Weekly
Jazzing Iraq.pdf
"Jazzing Iraq"
Guest column, on the first-ever Summer Performing Arts Academy
in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan
Jazz Times, October 2007
"John McLaughlin fills the Keswick"
October 2, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Odean Pope carries jazz legacy gracefully"
September 23, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Arts & Entertainment)
"Aesop Rock's funky fables"
September 10, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Book Review:
Amitav Ghosh's Incendiary Circumstances:
A Chronicle of the Turmoil of Our Times (Houghton Mifflin)
Democratiya 10, Autumn 2007
"Another Shankar, another pop star"
Anoushka Shankar/Karsh Kale review
August 30, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Bluegrass and beyond from Krauss and Union Station"
Alison Krauss review
August 16, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Bobby Zankel's Warriors of the Wonderful Sound at Tritone"
August 4, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Lagrene.pdf
"Electric Gypsy"
Biréli Lagrène feature
August/September 2007
Global Rhythm magazine
Reubens Marc Inky.pdf
"A Jazz Homecoming"
Orrin Evans at Reuben's Marc
July 25, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Magazine)
"Abstract sounds, lots of rhythm"
Bowerbird review, July 16, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Vision Festival 2007
June 19-24, 2007
Jazz Times online
"Back to the Basement"
On Howard Fishman's Basement Tapes project
June 20-26, 2007
Philadelphia Weekly
"Jazz with piano, and banjo?"
Chick Corea & Bela Fleck review, June 18, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Standards and more: McGarry delights"
Kate McGarry review, June 11, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Sounds Unheard Of"
Electro-Music '07 festival
May 31, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Magazine)
"David Torn's jazz ever stranger and stronger"
May 21, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Balkan music has N.Y. band's fans dancing"
Slavic Soul Party! review, May 11, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Zanzibar Blue's final show a sellout"
Melissa Walker/Christian McBride review, April 30, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Music that refuses to be balkanized"
Balkan Beat Box review, April 24, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"World Cafe Live hosts party for 3 Ropeadope artists"
April 19, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Braxton.pdf
"True Mathematics"
Anthony Braxton profile, Jazz Times, May 2007
Metheny-Mehldau Inky.pdf
"Exceptional Clarity of Jazz Duo"
On Pat Metheny & Brad Mehldau, April 1, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Brain Waves: A Guitar Legend Makes a Tremendous Comeback"
Pat Martino feature, March 14-20, 2007
Philadelphia Weekly
"Hard to Classify, But Easy on the Ears"
Tin Hat in Philadelphia, January 28, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"A Different Drummer Brings It All Back Home"
Ari Hoenig Trio in Philadelphia, December 29, 2006
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Still Life With Commentator" by Vijay Iyer & Mike Ladd
Brooklyn Academy of Music Next Wave Festival
December 7, 2006
Jazz Times online
Book Review:
Jesse Larner's Forgive Us Our Spins: Michael Moore and the Future of the Left
Democratiya 7, Winter 2006
Marilyn Crispell Quartet at Miller Theatre, New York
October 21, 2006
Jazz Times online
Jazz edu.pdf
"Taking It to the Streets: Artist-Developed Outreach Education Programs"
Jazz Times Education Supplement, 2006/2007
Stern_Bona.pdf
"Playaholics"
Richard Bona & Mike Stern profile
Jazz Times, July/August 2006 (cover story)
Ralph Towner solo concert
June 21, 2006
Jazz Times online
"Rough Crossings" with Jason Moran, Alicia Hall Moran and Simon Schama
June 2, 2006
Jazz Times online
On Orhan Pamuk's novel Snow
"Writer's Choice" guest essay
Normblog, May 2006
(Previous contributors include Christopher Hitchens, Michael Walzer, David Aaronovitch and Doug Ireland)
"Istanbul, Southeast Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan: A Political Travelogue"
April 2006
Tarik Shah.pdf
"The Trial of Tarik Shah"
Guest column, Jazz Times, May 2006
Regarding the case of Tarik Shah, jazz bassist, who stands accused of conspiring to aid al-Qaeda.
Letters.shah.pdf **Update: This exchange of letters ran in the July/August issue of Jazz Times.
Hill.pdf
"Once More, Jazz with Feeling"
Andrew Hill profile, Jazz Times, April 2006
Potter.pdf
"The Potter Principle"
Chris Potter profile, Jazz Times, March 2006
Wadada Leo Smith's Golden Quartet
at International House, Philadelphia
December 3, 2005
Jazz Times online
"Two Turntables and a Saxophone: How Jazz Plays Off Hip-Hop"
Slate magazine, posted November 22, 2005
Monder_1205.pdf
"Excavating Ben"
Ben Monder profile
Jazz Times, December 2005
Keith Jarrett Solo Concert
Carnegie Hall, September 26, 2005
Jazz Times online
atzmon.pdf
"Assessing Atzmon"
Guest column, Jazz Times, October 2005
In this piece I examine the anti-Semitic politics of London-based saxophonist Gilad Atzmon.
I also discuss some of the critical responses to Atzmon's work. Read supportive remarks from Harry's Place and Oliver Kamm.
Letters_1205.pdf
**Update: Here is an exchange of letters that ran in the December 2005 issue of Jazz Times.
Assata TNR.pdf
"Blind Side: The Competing Myths of Assata Shakur"
The New Republic Online, posted August 23, 2005
"Flat-out forensic!" — a friend
Rosenwinkel.pdf
"Going Deep"
Kurt Rosenwinkel profile, Jazz Times, August 2005
Wayne Shorter Quartet/Dave Holland Quintet at Carnegie Hall
JVC Jazz Festival-New York, June 2005
Jazz Times online
Tenth Annual Vision Festival
Angel Orensanz Center, New York 2005
Jazz Times online
Metheny.pdf
"The Advancing Guitarist"
Pat Metheny feature, Jazz Times, March 2005 (cover story)
Bad Plus TNR.pdf
"Jazz Beat: The Bad Plus and the State of Jazz"
The New Republic Online, posted February 14, 2005
"Zorn's Prickly Harmony"
Jazz Times online
Jazz At Lincoln Center: The Grand Opening
Jazz Times online
"Sample Sale: Will the Courts Change Hip-Hop?"
The New Republic Online, posted October 7, 2004
**chosen by the editors of TNR as one of the magazine's 10 best "Books & The Arts" pieces of 2004
Black Codes TNR.pdf
"Old Glory" — on Wynton Marsalis's 1985 album Black Codes (From the Underground)
The New Republic Online, posted September 22, 2004
dead prez TNR.pdf
"Downbeat: Dead Prez's Repellent Political Rap"
The New Republic Online, posted September 9, 2004
Rhodes article.pdf
"A 70's Castoff Returns to the Bandstand"
The New York Times, July 22, 2001, Sunday Arts & Leisure
Jazz Samba piece.pdf
"Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd's Jazz Samba — The Real Story"
Jazz Times, June 2004, cover story
—Note: On June 19, 2004, Darren DeVivo of WFUV-FM, NYC devoted his "Long Player" show to the Jazz Samba album and a discussion of my article.
Good Book EDU 04_05.pdf
"The Good Book" — on jazz instructional publishing
Jazz Times, October 2004, annual education supplement
"A HyperHistory of Independent Jazz Record Labels"
NewMusicBox.org, July 2003
New York@Night — a collaborative jazz nightlife column from All About Jazz-New York
Other Jazz Times articles:
Rudresh Mahanthappa, Jan/Feb 2005
Hank Jones, February 2004
John Abercrombie, July/August 2004
Wallace Roney, September 2004 (cover, w. Geri Allen)
Deidre Rodman, December 2003
“@Home” profiles on Dr. Billy Taylor, Fred Hersch, Ray Drummond, Andy Bey, Russell Malone, Matt Wilson, Reggie Workman, Ben Allison, Chuck Loeb
Down Beat articles:
John McLaughlin, March 2004
Wadada Leo Smith, May 2004
Maroon, April 2004
Dave Stryker/Steve Slagle, December 2003
New Jazz Composers Octet, May 2003
Brock Mumford, July 2003
Jeremy Pelt, February 2003
The Bad Plus, April 2003
Howard Fishman Quartet, June 2002
Backstage With Jesse Harris, August 2003
"Song of Himself"
On pianist Matthew Shipp
JazzTimes, February 2010
"Inzinzac Needs Your Money"
Philadelphia Weekly
January 20, 2010
"A Conversation with Tim Berne and Matt Mitchell"
PMP: The online magazine of the Philadelphia Music Project
November 23, 2009
Linda Oh JT.pdf
"Divine Simplicity"
On bassist Linda Oh
Jazz Times, November 2009
McBride Inqy.pdf
"Jazz bassist does more than just make music"
Christian McBride feature
October 15, 2009
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Fat Cat Big Band.pdf
"The Commitments"
On the Fat Cat Big Band
Jazz Times, October 2009
Sonny Rollins Inquirer.pdf
Sonny Rollins feature
The Philadelphia Inquirer
September 22, 2009
(front-page feature, Magazine)
"Jazz Horizons: A Diverse Lineage in Context"
Philadelphia Music Project Magazine, 2009
Sun Ra Inky.pdf
"Sun Ra redux"
May 5, 2009
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Magazine)
Hollenbeck Big Ears.pdf
"Big Apple to Brotherly Love"
On John Hollenbeck's "Big Ears" Painted Bride residency
Jazz Times, May 2009
"Lifting Off"
Feature article on FLY (Jeff Ballard/Mark Turner/Larry Grenadier)
April 9-15, 2009
Time Out New York
"Jazz and Protest: A Reappraisal"
Z Word essay
April 2009
Feature: The Bad Plus
Philadelphia Weekly
March 24, 2009
Tar Baby JT.pdf
"Back to Basics"
On Tar Baby (Orrin Evans/Eric Revis/Stacey Dillard/Nasheet Waits)
Jazz Times, April 2009
Keith Jarrett Solo Concert
Carnegie Hall, January 29, 2009
Jazz Times online
Sci Fi Philly.pdf
"Blowing their own horn"
On Sci Fi Philly, the Sunday night avant-jazz series
November 30, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Arts & Entertainment)
Francisco Mela JT.pdf
"Free Jazz Latin"
On drummer Francisco Mela
Jazz Times, December 2008
Enrico Pieranunzi at Birdland
October 29 & 31, 2008
Jazz Times online
Creative Music Studio celebration
Symphony Space, New York
October 24, 2008
Jazz Times online
apprenticeship.pdf
"Earn Your Keep: Jazz and the Lost Art of Apprenticeship"
Jazz Times Education Guide 2008/09
Rebecca Martin JT.pdf
"Post-Pop"
On singer-songwriter Rebecca Martin
Jazz Times, November 2008
Mike Reed JT.pdf
"Doubled Up"
On Chicago drummer Mike Reed
Jazz Times, October 2008
"Not a Jazz Musician?"
On Anthony Braxton
October 5, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
"Cutting uncommon paths"
Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock & Jack DeJohnette
at the Kimmel Center
September 22, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Book Review:
Kabir Sehgal's Jazzocracy: Jazz, Democracy,
and the Creation of a New American Mythology (Better World Books)
Democratiya 14, Autumn 2008
Philly Jazziz.pdf
"Willy-nilly in Philly"
Travel column on Philadelphia jazz
July/August 2008
Jazziz magazine
G Klein 8-08.pdf
"Filtered Jazz"
Guillermo Klein and Los Guachos play Newport
August 2008
Jazz Times festival supplement
"Three bassists thrill the crowd"
On S.M.V. (Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten)
August 21, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Yohimbe Brothers play North Star Bar"
August 4, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
RTF Inky.pdf
"Forever Is Here"
The reunion of Return to Forever,
the legacy of jazz fusion.
August 3, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Arts & Entertainment)
Sonic Liberation Front at World Café Live
July 29, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Echoes of the City"
On guitarist Matt Davis and Aerial Photograph (cover story)
July 23-29, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
Herbie Hancock at Carnegie Hall
June 2008
Jazz Times online
"Sacred Fusion: Jewish and Muslim Melodies Mingle Easily at Moroccan Music Festival"
June 26, 2008
The Forward
Playing Changes JT.pdf
"Playing Changes for Change"
Guest column on jazz and politics
Jazz Times, July/August 2008
"Philly singer bridges jazz, Latin sounds"
On vocalist Venissa Santí
June 23, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"After din, Polish trio blossoms at Chris'"
On pianist Marcin Wasilewski
May 24, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Pedicin's sax had them from the start"
On saxophonist Michael Pedicin
May 12, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Startling takes on Mayfield"
On bassist/bandleader William Parker
May 5, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Blanchard hits political note"
April 21, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Elliott Levin Inky.pdf
"The Music Man"
On saxophonist/flutist Elliott Levin
April 16, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Magazine)
"Pops' maestro plays jazz in flashy style at Kimmel"
On Peter Nero
April 12, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"The Beats Go On"
On Philadelphia jazz (cover story)
April 9-15, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
"Double duty from a Lovano quintet"
April 5, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Shorter long on jazz variety"
Wayne Shorter Quartet at the Kimmel Center
March 31, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Auktyon creates own style, aura"
March 24, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Danilo Perez Inky.pdf
"Jazzman up close"
On Danilo Perez
March 23, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Arts & Entertainment)
"The art and song of Dianne Reeves"
March 17, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Down to The Wire: Nutter brings B-more to Philly for series finale"
March 10, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
(pics by David Adler)
"Zorn's unorthodox sounds"
March 4, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"War of the Worlds"
Salman Rushdie in Philly
February 27, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
"An invocation of Mingus"
Mingus Big Band review
February 25, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Pat Metheny's Day Trip
Featured CD review
Jazz Times, March 2008
"Berne Unit"
On the reunion of Tim Berne's Bloodcount
February 6-12, 2008
Philadelphia Weekly
"Improvisation: Charting the Unknown"
PMP: The Annual Magazine of the Philadelphia Music Project, 2007/08
"Bill Frisell a genius of guitar"
January 28, 2008
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Jarrett.pdf
"Standard Bearers"
Keith Jarrett's Standards Trio at 25
Jazz Times, January/February 2008 (cover story)
"Old-school drummer shares laughs, post-bebop classics"
Mickey Roker at Ortlieb's
December 31, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Critical Improv Intensive"
On "Improvisation, Community and Social Practice,"
a new seven-year academic study funded by Canada
NewMusicBox, December 19, 2007
"Coltrane's influence wears well on Fortune"
Sonny Fortune at Chris's Jazz Cafe
December 17, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Tigran Hamasyan Trio
Live in Paris — November 24, 2007
Jazz Times online
"Lively double bill of old and new"
The Blind Boys of Alabama/Dirty Dozen Brass Band review
December 11, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Sex Mob tops bill at Johnny Brenda's"
December 8, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Tiger Okoshi takes on two heritages, jazz and Japan,
in song and trumpet"
November 19, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Harp Warming:
Edmar Castaneda brings his nimble fingers to the Art Museum"
November 14-20, 2007
Philadelphia Weekly
"Fred Hersch Trio +2 keeps core creativity"
November 12, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
HappyApple.pdf
"Hometown Homeboys"
Happy Apple feature
Jazz Times, November 2007
Chris Potter's Song for Anyone
and Follow the Red Line: Live at the Village Vanguard
Featured CD review
Jazz Times, November 2007
"Charles Lloyd trio: Jazz, with sax"
October 29, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Sax man 'Kidd' Jordan at Art Alliance"
October 16, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Clarifying why Trane matters"
Review of Ben Ratliff's book Coltrane: The Story of a Sound
October 10, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Major Dapp"
On Andy Milne & Dapp Theory
October 3-9, 2007
Philadelphia Weekly
Jazzing Iraq.pdf
"Jazzing Iraq"
Guest column, on the first-ever Summer Performing Arts Academy
in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan
Jazz Times, October 2007
"John McLaughlin fills the Keswick"
October 2, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Odean Pope carries jazz legacy gracefully"
September 23, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Arts & Entertainment)
"Aesop Rock's funky fables"
September 10, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Book Review:
Amitav Ghosh's Incendiary Circumstances:
A Chronicle of the Turmoil of Our Times (Houghton Mifflin)
Democratiya 10, Autumn 2007
"Another Shankar, another pop star"
Anoushka Shankar/Karsh Kale review
August 30, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Bluegrass and beyond from Krauss and Union Station"
Alison Krauss review
August 16, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Bobby Zankel's Warriors of the Wonderful Sound at Tritone"
August 4, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Lagrene.pdf
"Electric Gypsy"
Biréli Lagrène feature
August/September 2007
Global Rhythm magazine
Reubens Marc Inky.pdf
"A Jazz Homecoming"
Orrin Evans at Reuben's Marc
July 25, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Magazine)
"Abstract sounds, lots of rhythm"
Bowerbird review, July 16, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Vision Festival 2007
June 19-24, 2007
Jazz Times online
"Back to the Basement"
On Howard Fishman's Basement Tapes project
June 20-26, 2007
Philadelphia Weekly
"Jazz with piano, and banjo?"
Chick Corea & Bela Fleck review, June 18, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Standards and more: McGarry delights"
Kate McGarry review, June 11, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Sounds Unheard Of"
Electro-Music '07 festival
May 31, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
(front-page feature, Magazine)
"David Torn's jazz ever stranger and stronger"
May 21, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Balkan music has N.Y. band's fans dancing"
Slavic Soul Party! review, May 11, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Zanzibar Blue's final show a sellout"
Melissa Walker/Christian McBride review, April 30, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Music that refuses to be balkanized"
Balkan Beat Box review, April 24, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"World Cafe Live hosts party for 3 Ropeadope artists"
April 19, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Braxton.pdf
"True Mathematics"
Anthony Braxton profile, Jazz Times, May 2007
Metheny-Mehldau Inky.pdf
"Exceptional Clarity of Jazz Duo"
On Pat Metheny & Brad Mehldau, April 1, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Brain Waves: A Guitar Legend Makes a Tremendous Comeback"
Pat Martino feature, March 14-20, 2007
Philadelphia Weekly
"Hard to Classify, But Easy on the Ears"
Tin Hat in Philadelphia, January 28, 2007
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"A Different Drummer Brings It All Back Home"
Ari Hoenig Trio in Philadelphia, December 29, 2006
The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Still Life With Commentator" by Vijay Iyer & Mike Ladd
Brooklyn Academy of Music Next Wave Festival
December 7, 2006
Jazz Times online
Book Review:
Jesse Larner's Forgive Us Our Spins: Michael Moore and the Future of the Left
Democratiya 7, Winter 2006
Marilyn Crispell Quartet at Miller Theatre, New York
October 21, 2006
Jazz Times online
Jazz edu.pdf
"Taking It to the Streets: Artist-Developed Outreach Education Programs"
Jazz Times Education Supplement, 2006/2007
Stern_Bona.pdf
"Playaholics"
Richard Bona & Mike Stern profile
Jazz Times, July/August 2006 (cover story)
Ralph Towner solo concert
June 21, 2006
Jazz Times online
"Rough Crossings" with Jason Moran, Alicia Hall Moran and Simon Schama
June 2, 2006
Jazz Times online
On Orhan Pamuk's novel Snow
"Writer's Choice" guest essay
Normblog, May 2006
(Previous contributors include Christopher Hitchens, Michael Walzer, David Aaronovitch and Doug Ireland)
"Istanbul, Southeast Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan: A Political Travelogue"
April 2006
Tarik Shah.pdf
"The Trial of Tarik Shah"
Guest column, Jazz Times, May 2006
Regarding the case of Tarik Shah, jazz bassist, who stands accused of conspiring to aid al-Qaeda.
Letters.shah.pdf **Update: This exchange of letters ran in the July/August issue of Jazz Times.
Hill.pdf
"Once More, Jazz with Feeling"
Andrew Hill profile, Jazz Times, April 2006
Potter.pdf
"The Potter Principle"
Chris Potter profile, Jazz Times, March 2006
Wadada Leo Smith's Golden Quartet
at International House, Philadelphia
December 3, 2005
Jazz Times online
"Two Turntables and a Saxophone: How Jazz Plays Off Hip-Hop"
Slate magazine, posted November 22, 2005
Monder_1205.pdf
"Excavating Ben"
Ben Monder profile
Jazz Times, December 2005
Keith Jarrett Solo Concert
Carnegie Hall, September 26, 2005
Jazz Times online
atzmon.pdf
"Assessing Atzmon"
Guest column, Jazz Times, October 2005
In this piece I examine the anti-Semitic politics of London-based saxophonist Gilad Atzmon.
I also discuss some of the critical responses to Atzmon's work. Read supportive remarks from Harry's Place and Oliver Kamm.
Letters_1205.pdf
**Update: Here is an exchange of letters that ran in the December 2005 issue of Jazz Times.
Assata TNR.pdf
"Blind Side: The Competing Myths of Assata Shakur"
The New Republic Online, posted August 23, 2005
"Flat-out forensic!" — a friend
Rosenwinkel.pdf
"Going Deep"
Kurt Rosenwinkel profile, Jazz Times, August 2005
Wayne Shorter Quartet/Dave Holland Quintet at Carnegie Hall
JVC Jazz Festival-New York, June 2005
Jazz Times online
Tenth Annual Vision Festival
Angel Orensanz Center, New York 2005
Jazz Times online
Metheny.pdf
"The Advancing Guitarist"
Pat Metheny feature, Jazz Times, March 2005 (cover story)
Bad Plus TNR.pdf
"Jazz Beat: The Bad Plus and the State of Jazz"
The New Republic Online, posted February 14, 2005
"Zorn's Prickly Harmony"
Jazz Times online
Jazz At Lincoln Center: The Grand Opening
Jazz Times online
"Sample Sale: Will the Courts Change Hip-Hop?"
The New Republic Online, posted October 7, 2004
**chosen by the editors of TNR as one of the magazine's 10 best "Books & The Arts" pieces of 2004
Black Codes TNR.pdf
"Old Glory" — on Wynton Marsalis's 1985 album Black Codes (From the Underground)
The New Republic Online, posted September 22, 2004
dead prez TNR.pdf
"Downbeat: Dead Prez's Repellent Political Rap"
The New Republic Online, posted September 9, 2004
Rhodes article.pdf
"A 70's Castoff Returns to the Bandstand"
The New York Times, July 22, 2001, Sunday Arts & Leisure
Jazz Samba piece.pdf
"Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd's Jazz Samba — The Real Story"
Jazz Times, June 2004, cover story
—Note: On June 19, 2004, Darren DeVivo of WFUV-FM, NYC devoted his "Long Player" show to the Jazz Samba album and a discussion of my article.
Good Book EDU 04_05.pdf
"The Good Book" — on jazz instructional publishing
Jazz Times, October 2004, annual education supplement
"A HyperHistory of Independent Jazz Record Labels"
NewMusicBox.org, July 2003
New York@Night — a collaborative jazz nightlife column from All About Jazz-New York
Other Jazz Times articles:
Rudresh Mahanthappa, Jan/Feb 2005
Hank Jones, February 2004
John Abercrombie, July/August 2004
Wallace Roney, September 2004 (cover, w. Geri Allen)
Deidre Rodman, December 2003
“@Home” profiles on Dr. Billy Taylor, Fred Hersch, Ray Drummond, Andy Bey, Russell Malone, Matt Wilson, Reggie Workman, Ben Allison, Chuck Loeb
Down Beat articles:
John McLaughlin, March 2004
Wadada Leo Smith, May 2004
Maroon, April 2004
Dave Stryker/Steve Slagle, December 2003
New Jazz Composers Octet, May 2003
Brock Mumford, July 2003
Jeremy Pelt, February 2003
The Bad Plus, April 2003
Howard Fishman Quartet, June 2002
Backstage With Jesse Harris, August 2003