Jazz
Chicago jazz on disc
The following review appears in the January 2010 issue of All About Jazz-New York. — Chicago Underground Duo, Boca Negra (Thrill Jockey)Rob Mazurek Quintet, Sound Is (Delmark)Chad Taylor, Circle Down (482 Music)By David R. Adler No account of American jazz in the ’00s would be complete without a thorough look at the Chicago scene. The year 2009 was a good
Six Picks: January 2010
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in All About Jazz-New York, January 2010: Samuel Blaser, Pieces of Old Sky (Clean Feed) Charles Evans & Neil Shah, Live at Saint Stephen’s (Hot Cup) Randy Ingram, The Road Ahead (BJU) NYNDK, The Hunting of the Snark (Jazzheads) Barry Romberg, Was, Shall, Why, Because: Music for Large & Small Ensemble (romhog)
On Matthew Shipp
My feature article on pianist Matthew Shipp, in the January/February 2010 issue of JazzTimes. The whole thing is online, but I’ll scan the print layout soon.
Christmas Time Is Here
Well, this comes a little late. But thought I’d share this beautiful Vince Guaraldi waltz from A Charlie Brown Christmas. (I never knew that Jerry Granelli plays drums on the original version!)
Village Voice annual jazz poll
I was glad to take part once again. Results here. Francis Davis’s reflections here. Individual ballots here.
On Ari Hoenig
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Ari Hoenig’s Oscillations QuartetSat., Dec. 26, 8pm. $20. Chris’ Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom St. 215.568.3131 www.chrisjazzcafe.com From the physical mayhem of Ari Hoenig’s drumming — limbs flailing, face contorted in agonized delight — comes music of unsurpassed depth and control. Little wonder the Philly native has become world-renowned, with two unaccompanied drumset albums and two
Not to be overlooked
I’m not sure I’ll do another Week on Disc before the holidays are out, so I wanted to draw attention to Carla’s Christmas Carols (Watt), a seasonal gem by legendary pianist-composer-arranger Carla Bley, her longtime collaborator Steve Swallow on electric bass, and the superb Partyka Brass Quintet. Beautiful arranging and hip detours on “Away In a Manger,” “O Tannenbaum” and
The week on disc (60)
In case you missed the last one… Nobuyasu Furuya Trio, Bendowa (Clean Feed) Ben Wendel/Harish Raghavan/Nate Wood, ACT (BJU) Yulia Musayelyan Quartet, Caminos (ind.) (Another) Nuttree Quartet (Liebman/Abercrombie/Anderson/Nussbaum), Something Sentimental (Kind of Blue) Bill Dixon, Tapestries for Small Orchestra (Firehouse 12) Jeb Patton, New Strides (MaxJazz)