This review appears in the August 2013 issue of The New York City Jazz Record. — Christian McBride Trio Out Here By David R. Adler At long last, bassist Christian McBride has weighed in with a straight-down-the-line piano trio session. Yet Out Here throws much of the spotlight onto a different Christian — young pianist Christian Sands, who handles with aplomb
From the August 2013 issue of The New York City Jazz Record. — One of bassist Ben Allison’s recent obsessions is the music of Jim Hall, which he’s explored live with the gifted Steve Cardenas on guitar. In a four-night run at Dizzy’s, Allison maintained a focus on Hall at least in part while changing up the personnel. Saxophonist Ted Nash and drummer
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in The New York City Jazz Record, August 2013: Jim Black, Antiheroes (Winter & Winter) Drew Gress, The Sky Inside (Pirouet) Geoffrey Keezer, Heart of the Piano (Motéma) Chris Morrissey, North Hero (Sunnyside) Gary Peacock & Marilyn Crispell, Azure (ECM) Eric Revis, City of Asylum (Clean Feed)
From the July 2013 issue of The New York City Jazz Record. — In the best sense of the term, vocalist Gregory Porter is a crowd-pleaser. His performance at SubCulture (June 10th) was like a neighborhood event, brimming with audience goodwill and easy banter, the mood no doubt enhanced by Porter’s recent signing to Blue Note. There were songs, or
This review appears in the July 2013 issue of The New York City Jazz Record. — Ryan Blotnick Solo, Volume I (ind.) By David R. Adler It’s odd for a solo acoustic guitar album to be more varied, harmonically and sonically, than a lot of full-band efforts, but such is true of Ryan Blotnick’s Solo, Volume I. The Maine native plays
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in The New York City Jazz Record, July 2013: David Ake, Bridges (Posi-Tone) Terence Blanchard, Magnetic (Blue Note) Gerald Cleaver’s Black Host, Life in the Sugar Candle Mines (Northern Spy) Michel Gentile/Daniel Kelly/Rob Garcia, Works (Connection Works) Steven Lugerner, For We Have Heard (NoBusiness) Peter Madsen with Alfred Vogel, Soul of the Underground
From the June 2013 issue of The New York City Jazz Record: — For the second year the Undead Music Festival kicked off with a night of Improvised Round-Robin Duets, but the lineup at Brooklyn Masonic Temple (May 1st) couldn’t have been more of a departure. Simply put, this wasn’t strictly a jazz event. Jazz players did take part, however, and
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in The New York City Jazz Record, June 2013: Secret Keeper (Stephan Crump & Mary Halvorson), Super Eight (Intakt) Jonathan Finlayson & Sicilian Defense, Moment & The Message (Pi) Will Martina, Modular Living By Design (ind.) Sean Moran Small Elephant Band, Tusk (NCM East) Cécile McLorin Salvant, WomanChild (Mack Avenue) Craig Taborn Trio,