While Tierney Sutton’s oeuvre is, essentially, a survey of American music in all of its glory, the shades of red, white and blue that pop up on American Road are far more vivid than any that have appeared in her work before. Sutton and her musical soul mates, who’ve been with her for nearly two decades, don’t turn their backs on what they’re known for here, but dig deeper to explore hymns, spirituals, folk songs and patriotic music in inimitable fashion…

Date: Sep 30th, 2011 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

Maiden Voyage (Blue Note, 1965) was a classic quintet recording from pianist m: Herbie Hancock , a concept album with the sea as the theme. With a clear view in hindsight, The Westchester Jazz Orchestra’s re-imagination of that timeless music with Maiden Voyage Suite seems a natural.

Date: Sep 30th, 2011 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

What might on the surface appear as a meeting of disparate minds–jazz with Byzantine airs–ignores the fact that multi-reed/woodwind player Charles Lloyd has been embracing the music of the world for half a century with singular conviction and grace. Greek classical singer Maria Farantouri is herself a musical adventurer and risk taker; over the course of fifty years, she has collaborated with guitarist m: John Williams , Turkish composer Zulfu Livaneli, Cuban guitarist/composer Leo Brouwer, electronic legend m: Vangelis and saxophonist m: Jan Garbarek . For over a decade too, she has played and recorded with pianist Henning Schmiedt, saxophonist/flautist Volker Schlott and cellist Jens Naumilkat, reinterpreting Greek music from the Byzantine to traditional rembetiko, or urban blues.

Date: Sep 30th, 2011 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

Even when tending to the minimalistic, the music of Scottish post-rock instrumentalists Mogwai has always been about grandeur–atmospheric swells of guitars and keyboards stacked relentlessly atop each other in suffocating layers, jarring transitions from near-silent white noise to frightening explosions of high-decibel distortion. In the fourteen years since the release of its debut Young Team (Chemikal Underground, 1997), Mogwai has carved out a comfortable niche for itself between these two extremes, perfecting a variation on alternative rock’s loud-soft dynamic that manages, at its best, to render both the grit and delicacy of indie rock’s instrumental foundation almost classical in scope.

Date: Sep 30th, 2011 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

Chora Baiao (Cry, Baiao) explores the influences of European dances, classical music (choro) and the Moorish-flavored musical environment of the Iberian Peninsula (baiao), on Brazilian music in a light and melody-rich interpretation from Brazilian master Antonio Adolfo. An important composer, musician and exponent of the genre, the pianist is also an educator by profession, touching on Brazilian, jazz and even pop music at the Antonio Adolfo School of Music in Hollywood, FL, an experimental Brazilian music school…

Date: Sep 30th, 2011 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

A live recording is always a great chance to experience some of the core principles of jazz. Improvisation and spontaneity arise when musicians feel free and comfortable with the tunes and arrangements. A collaborative effort between trombonist Ron Westray and trumpeter m: Thomas Heflin , Live from Austin was recorded in 2009 at the Elephant Room, one of the few jazz venues in the Texas capital, while both musicians were involved with the University of Texas…

Date: Sep 29th, 2011 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews

An omnipresent cloud persistently hangs over any tribute album–that the music will be compared to the original. Even though this might seem unfair, it’s a fact.

Date: Sep 29th, 2011 · No Comments · Categories: Jazz CD Reviews