New releases from Carol Liebowitz/Bill Payne and from Big Heart Machine offer inventive and innovative music in your choice of sizes: duo or 18-piece big band. Continue reading
Both Nolatet and OrnEtc., ensembles of inspired madness, offer complex, rambunctious music that is accessible and fun. They’re storytellers at heart, and the logic of their stories, and their joy in telling them, keep the listener connected. Located in New Orleans and Santa Fe, respectively, they offer evidence that some very interesting music is being created outside the power centers of New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville. Continue reading
Both Venezuelan pianist/composer Edward Simon and Hungarian-American singer/songwriter Zoltán Székely combine different musical influences into a unique voice, but with very different results. Continue reading
I had been hesitant to review these two albums—Live in Europe from the Fred Hersch Trio and Eric & Will from Eric Vloeimans and Will Holshouser—because both Hersch and Vloeimans have been featured on this site numerous times in recent months. However, after giving both a close listen, I think it would be a disservice to you, gentle reader, not to alert you to these remarkable recordings. Continue reading
Two new releases introduced me to several musicians I had not previously encountered and whose acquaintance I am happy to have made. On The Stereography Project, Vol. 2,* Dutch saxophonist and arranger Marike van Dijk presents the songs and voices of singer/songwriters Jeff Taylor and Katell Keineg in gorgeous arrangements for two pop chamber orchestras. On Blued Dharma,* pianist Adrean Farrugia and saxophonist Joel Frahm, new to me as leaders, offer an accessible and satisfying lesson on jazz duo performance. Continue reading