The Double Six of Paris was unique among vocal jazz groups for their clever vocalese lyrics (sung in French!) and their uncanny way of capturing the nuances of the original instrumental recordings. Amy Duncan discusses the group’s second LP Singin’, Swingin’ in this Retro Review.
MoreThis month’s new CDs include a solo set by Dena DeRose, a live quintet recording by Lewis Nash, an exploration of jazz and Brazilian music by Monday Michiru, an album of originals by the Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet, a wide-open collection by the Hot Club of Detroit and a tribute to Duke Ellington and his saxophonists by an all-star band led by Mark Masters of the American Jazz Institute. Thomas Cunniffe and Amy Duncan provide the details.
MoreThis month–without planning it–all of our featured CDs share the theme of family and community. Thomas Cunniffe and Amy Duncan review five albums by the Clayton Brothers, Brandi Disterheft, Diego Figueiredo, Eric Person and Houston Person that feature or salute family members, reunite longtime friends, or share the communion of faith.
MoreFollowing his 1961 big band masterpiece, Out of the Cool, Gil Evans defied expectations with his next album, Into the Hot. Evans acted only as producer, allowing John Carisi and Cecil Taylor to showcase their music. Amy Duncan reviews this classic album which contrasts Carisi’s progressive big band charts with Taylor’s avant-garde ensemble.
MoreIn the first edition of our new Sidetracks feature, Amy Duncan tells of getting the interview of a lifetime with the legendary (and notoriously difficult) Miles Davis. The first-person narrative is part of Duncan’s soon-to-be-published autobiography Getting Down To Brass Tacks: My adventures in the world of jazz, Rio and beyond.
MoreFew albums had the impact of Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come and Change of the Century. They generated an incredible amount of critical buzz, and there was little middle ground: either you loved it or hated it. In 1960 (and today), Amy Duncan loved it, and she shares her reactions to the albums in this Retro Review.
MoreThe five instrumental albums reviewed this month are all led by pianists, but the groups they front range in size from duet to big band. Amy Duncan, a talented pianist in her own right, gives the rundowns on these noteworthy recordings by Cecilia Coleman, Satoko Fujii, Fred Hersch and Donald Vega.
MoreThere are probably more women instrumentalists on the current jazz scene than at any other time in the music’s history. Thomas Cunniffe and Amy Duncan offer capsule reviews of new CDs led by Sarah Elgeti, Jessica Jones, Virginia Mayhew, Roberta Piket and Anne Sajdera.
MoreJazz is an adventure, and that spirit highlights the music of Sara Gazarek, Carol Saboya, Nicky Schrire, Sara Serpa and Judi Silvano. Thomas Cunniffe and Amy Duncan review the latest albums by these talented vocalists.
MoreOne of the finest ensembles of the 1970s was the Los Angeles big band co-led by Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin. Their double LP, Road Time documented their 1976 tour of Japan, and netted the group a Grammy nomination. Amy Duncan examines this out-of-print classic in this month’s Retro Review.
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