The New York City Jazz Record
On the Metta Quintet
This review appears in the February 2012 issue of The New York City Jazz Record: — Metta Quintet Big Drum/Small World (ind.) By David R. Adler An album by the Metta Quintet always begins with a premise. The group’s 2002 debut, Going to Meet the Man, was inspired by James Baldwin’s short stories. Subway Songs (2006) evoked the bustle of
New York @ Night: February 2012
From the February 2012 issue of The New York City Jazz Record: — The term “groove-oriented” usually describes jazz of a funkier, danceable sort. But it’s not how many would categorize the maddeningly complex music of Vijay Iyer and his trio with bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Marcus Gilmore. Pulsing rhythm, however, has always played a significant role for Iyer,
Six Picks: February 2012
My monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in The New York City Jazz Record, February 2012: Jason Adasiewicz’s Sun Rooms, Spacer (Delmark) David Budway, A New Kiss (MaxJazz) Benoît Delbecq & François Houle, Because She Hoped (Songlines) Guilhem Flouzat, One Way… (ind.) Tineke Postma, The Dawn of Light (Challenge) Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts, An Attitude for Gratitude (Palmetto)
On Ilhan Ersahin
This review appears in the January 2012 issue of The New York City Jazz Record. — Ilhan Ersahin’s Istanbul Sessions Night Rider (Nublu) By David R. Adler As founder of the club Nublu, tenor saxophonist Ilhan Ersahin has had a notable impact on live music in New York, increasing the creative traffic between jazz improvisers, beatmakers, world music bands and avant-gardists of
On Herculaneum
This review appears in the January 2012 issue of The New York City Jazz Record. — Herculaneum UCHŪ (ind.) By David R. Adler On releases such as Orange Blossom, Herculaneum III and Olives and Orchids, the Chicago sextet Herculaneum fashioned a sound full of urgent, percolating rhythm and well-placed dissonance — a horn-heavy aesthetic with echoes of Blue Note’s ’60s avant-garde
New York @ Night: January 2012
In the January 2012 issue of The New York City Jazz Record: — In a cheerful and loquacious introduction at Bar Next Door (Dec. 4), guitarist Peter Mazza announced his plan for the evening: arrangements of standards, reflecting a passion for rich and intricate harmony. Flanked by Marco Panascia on upright bass and Roggerio Boccato on a scaled-down percussion kit, Mazza
Six Picks: January 2012
Happy New Year! To start us off, my monthly list of recommended CDs, as published in The New York City Jazz Record, January 2012: Dan Blake, The Aquarian Suite (BJU) Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet, Apparent Distance (Firehouse 12) Emmet Cohen, In the Element (Bada Beep) Dave Douglas & So Percussion, Bad Mango (Greenleaf) Adam Rudolph’s Go:Organic Orchestra, The Sound of a
New York @ Night: December 2011
In the December 2011 issue of The New York City Jazz Record: — There was much to digest while watching Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society perform “Brooklyn Babylon,” an hourlong work programmed by BAM’s Next Wave Festival (Nov. 10). Danijel Zezelj, standing on a catwalk, painted haunting images in black and red, using a small roller on a wide and narrow canvas as