Michael Brecker

Midnight Special: Central Standard Version

Infidel Bloggers Alliance (Free subscription) | 01/29/2010

Reckon you've all figured out I'm particularly fond of this tune. . . Michael Brecker, solo 'Round Midnight

Roy Hargrove Quintet @ The Dakota

More Cowbell (Free subscription) | 01/26/2010

January 25 Roy Hargrove Quintet 7:00 and 9:30 Buy Tickets Roy Hargrove, Trumpet Justin Robinson, Alto Sax & Flute Jonathan Batiste, Piano Ameen Saleem, Bass Montez Coleman, Drums Pamela Espeland described Hargrove’s June appearance here as “A night of shifting moods, rhythms and speeds, fine solo turns, and fun all around, on stage and in the audience.” She has so much more to...

Joanne Brackeen: Phenomenal Capacity

All About Jazz (Free subscription) | 01/20/2010

One of the most heralded pianists of her era, JoAnne Brackeen came to New York in 1965 after cutting her chops jamming with the likes of Teddy Edwards , Harold Land , Charles Lloyd and Dexter Gordon during the waning days of the Central Avenue scene in her native California. After a few dues-paying years here, she landed the piano chair with Art Blakey 's Jazz Messengers, touring with the great drummer...

Brecker and Blake

Rifftides (Free subscription) | 01/13/2010

Speaking of Seamus Blake (see the item below), I looked for a video clip with him in action and came across one of the 28-year-old Blake in heavy company. He follows the late Michael Brecker in solo on Charles Mingus's...

George Robert Jazztet: Remember the Sound (Homage to Michael Brecker)

All About Jazz (Free subscription) | 01/11/2010

Working with a tentet similar to mid-size bands he's led on his own projects, composer/arranger Jim McNeely has fashioned a musical tribute to the late Michael Brecker that manages to conjure up aspects of the late saxophonist's music and musical personality, without resorting to overt mimicry or pastiche. Led by alto saxophonist George Robert , with faculty from the jazz program he heads at Switzerland's...

REVIEW: Pablo Menendez & Mezcla – I’ll See You In Cuba

Geezer Music Club (Free subscription) | 12/19/2009

As someone who has reviewed his share of Cuban music, I have to confess that I jumped to a premature conclusion when I received my review copy of the latest album from Pablo (Paul) Menéndez. I pretty much expected I’ll See You In Cuba, coming out in early January on the Zoho label, to be [...]

Adam Rogers: Sight

All About Jazz (Free subscription) | 12/17/2009

Guitarist Adam Rogers returns with Sight, an album that continues his exploration of heady originals and standards, in the trio format that, with Time and the Infinite (Criss Cross, 2007), took a left-turn from his earlier quartet and quintet records. Surrounded by friends old and new on Time, with Sight Rogers returns to longtime drummer {{Clarence Penn = 15857}} after that brief hiatus. {{John Patitucci...

Book Review: “The Pat Metheny Interviews”

Popdose (Free subscription) | 12/07/2009

In 2007, composer, arranger and performer Richard Niles wrote, produced and hosted a three-part radio series for the BBC titled “Pat Metheny – Bright Size Life.” The in-depth discussions Niles held with Metheny for the series covered all aspects of the renowned musician who has revolutionized both the guitar and jazz music – from Metheny’s [...]

• BOOK/MAGAZINE: Book Review: "The Pat Metheny Interviews" - All About Jazz

Eric Muhler Quartet - The Jury is Out (Slow Turn Records, 2009)

Jazz & Blues Music Reviews (Free subscription) | 11/25/2009

This album features pianist and composer Eric Muhler leading a band with Michael Wilcox on bass, Sheldon Brown on saxophones and Brian Andres on drums. The music has a modern mainstream feel to it, reminding me of the likes Don Grolnick, Bob Berg and Michael Brecker who began their careers as musicians in the 1970's. "Plunky" opens the set with a bouncy melody, then a swinging tenor solo...

Top global jazz musicians to play in Delhi

Times of India (Free subscription) | 11/21/2009

The 100 Pipers Jazz Utsav 2009 on Saturday and Sunday will feature some of the biggest names in international jazz.

CD/DOWNLOAD/ALBUM: CD Reviews: Playing Catch-up (Part 1)

All About Jazz (Free subscription) | 11/13/2009

Perennial - Rob Garcia 4 - BJU Records) - Part of the allure of drummer/composer's Garcia 3rd CD as a leader was the anticipation of hearing the young saxophonist Noah Preminger and pianist Dan Tepfer. Preminger, a Hartford-area native, had an excellent debut CD last year ("Dry Bridge Road")...

Review: Vijay Iyer – Historicity (Jazz CD, 2009)

Gear Diary (Free subscription) | 11/09/2009

Because of – or perhaps in spite of – the fact that my musical tastes fall well outside of the mainstream, I have always been suspicious of something that has become the ‘latest critical darling’, even when it is from an artist I love. In recent years I remember buying ‘River: The Joni Letters’ [...] Related posts: Review: ivideosongs.com, The Website Every Budding...

Tonight in Music: Sun Circle, John Abercrombie, Symphony of the Superhero, Ghostland Observatory, the Raveonettes, and More

Line Out (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009

From Data Breaker : Sun Circle, Story of Rats, Eric Ostrowski, Aures (Josephine) Sun Circle (Greg Davis and Zach Wallace) explore beatless space, but in a more expansive manner. Whereas Mem1 score the body's inner gurgles and expirations, Sun Circle, as their moniker implies, radiate solarized drones that wax and wane in intensity in subtle increments. The sound is akin to that of Davis's Kranky Records...

Chuck Owen and The Jazz Surge: The Comet's Tail: Performing the Compositions of Michael Brecker

All About Jazz (Free subscription) | 10/29/2009

What better way to commemorate {{Michael Brecker = 5275}} than with a CD by a hard-driving big band playing his compositions. Brecker, the great tenor sax player died in 2007. His music and talent will be long remembered, and Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge have put together a wonderful selection of arrangements, starring some of today's best of players...

Pianist Ed Simon the sideman shines in a project of his own, Afinidad

KansasCity.com (Free subscription) | 10/29/2009

Consider, for a moment, the sideman. The best ones have strong ideas of their own. And those ideas just keep growing as the sideman works with strong leaders.

Tony Adamo in Top Selling Jazz-Funk CD's CDbaby

rocarmani | 02/17/2009

Top-Selling Jazz : Jazz-Funk albums (#171 - #210) SUPA LOWERY BROS: Street Bop Live Instruments with an original Hip Hop/Jazz feel. Recommended if you like The Roots , A Tribe Called Quest , Jill, scott . CD price: $15.97 TONY ADAMO: Straight Up Deal "Like Lou Rawls fronting Tower of Power" Stuart Hamilton Amazon.co.uk "Think Lou Reed but funkified" Smoothjazz.com "Straight Up Deal" reveals the vocal...