Tribute albums can come in many forms. Despite its title, Jane Ira Bloom’s new CD, Early Americans actually celebrates her current trio. Roberta Piket pays homage to her mentor Marian McPartland with lovely sextet arrangements of McPartland’s compositions on One for Marian. Matt Wilson gathers the members of his various groups in a lively memorial to his wife Felicia on Beginning of a Memory. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the discs.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a small city when compared to metropolises like New York, Boston and Philadelphia. However, the rich musical culture of the city’s black community produced an extraordinary number of jazz masters, including Earl Hines, Mary Lou Williams, Roy Eldridge, Billy Strayhorn, Kenny Clarke, Billy Eckstine, Erroll Garner, Art Blakey, Ahmad Jamal and George Benson. Thomas Cunniffe reviews a new documentary and a new book which celebrate the jazz heritage of this great city.
Celebrating Pittsburgh Jazz Read More »
The reissues have been piling up in the JHO offices, so this month, Thomas Cunniffe has selected seven new collections (a total of 26 discs!) for discussion in the Retro Review. Included are the Mosaic Savory Collection, and collections featuring Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Erroll Garner.
A Plethora of Historical Releases Read More »
In addition to being brilliant poets, Emily Dickinson and Carl Sandburg shared a deep appreciation for music. Dickinson was an amateur pianist and reportedly, a skilled improviser in the classical sense; Sandburg was a jazz fan, and an avid performer of American folk songs. In their latest albums, Jane ira Bloom and Matt Wilson celebrate Dickinson and Sandburg respectively, using stunning mixtures of poetry and music. Thomas Cunniffe spotlights both albums in this Sidetracks essay review.
From his start as a child prodigy in Indiana through his long dual career of musician and educator, Gary Burton has been an important force in jazz for the past five decades. His new autobiography, Learning to Listen tells of his career, his sexuality and, as Thomas Cunniffe notes in this review, an eloquent chapter on the creative process.
Learning to Listen (by Gary Burton) Read More »
Jazz piano covers a multitude of styles and sounds. This month, Ben Markley reviews recent albums by the intense and poetic Dan Cray, the classically-trained and Latin-influenced Ari Erev, the powerful and creative Orrin Evans, and the exuberant and passionate Arturo O’Farrill.
Jazz Pianists: Emerging and Established Read More »
Ted Gioia’s new book The Jazz Standards is an invaluable guide to the standard repertoire of working jazz musicians. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the volume, which includes essays on 252 songs by Tin Pan Alley and jazz composers. And if you’re wondering why we’re featuring this book in a Women in Jazz issue, it’s because Gioia recommends recordings by women musicians on nearly every page of the book.
The Jazz Standards (by Ted Gioia) Read More »
Over the past several decades, jazz oral history projects have preserved the stories of great musicians. While the Filius Jazz Archive from Hamilton College may not be as well known as other jazz oral history projects, a new book Jazz Tales from Jazz Legends reveals that the Filius Archive holds several unique treasures. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the book, sales of which support the ongoing work of the archive.
Jazz Tales from Jazz Legends (by Monk Rowe with Romy Britell) Read More »
A few decades ago, every young drummer dreamed of having a drum set finished in red sparkle. Jeff Hamilton was lucky enough to have one, and his memories of playing that set are so vivid that he calls the musical highlights of his life “red sparkle moments”. Red Sparkle is also the name of Hamilton’s latest album, and in his review, Thomas Cunniffe notes that the album is a superb addition to the Hamilton trio’s discography.
Jeff Hamilton Trio: “Red Sparkle” (Capri 74114) Read More »
In a rare Denver appearance, jazz guitar legend Jim Hall and his quartet performed subtle entrancing music for a sold-out crowd. In his review, Thomas Cunniffe reports that Hall’s improvised lines are as stunning as ever, and his group listens and responds like few others.
Jim Hall Quartet at Dazzle Jazz, Denver (October 20, 2011) Read More »
In 1975, Stan Getz was asked to produce several jazz albums for Columbia. One of his first projects was The Peacocks, an album displaying the instrumental and vocal talents of Jimmy Rowles. In this Retro Review, Thomas Cunniffe calls the album the best showcase Rowles ever had.
Stan Getz Presents Jimmy Rowles: “The Peacocks” (Columbia 34873) Read More »
Up until a few years ago, John F. Goodman’s best-known work in jazz journalism was his nine-year tenure as the music critic for Playboy magazine. Jazz has been a passion for Goodman ever since his childhood, and in his new self-published memoir, “Jive Colored Glasses” he relates how jazz was a constant part of his life, even when he was not writing about the music. Thomas Cunniffe reviews the book.
Jive Colored Glasses (by John F. Goodman) Read More »
Jo Stafford never considered herself a jazz singer, but her 1960 Columbia LP Jo + Jazz shows us what might have been. Arranged and conducted by Johnny Mandel, and featuring an all-star band made up of Ellington veterans and West Coast jazz stalwarts, Stafford performs the most jazz-infused performances of her career. Thomas Cunniffe revisits this vocal jazz classic in this month’s Retro Review.
Jo Stafford: “Jo + Jazz” (Corinthian 108) Read More »
Vibraphonist Joe Locke’s fame has grown considerably over the last five years through a series of recordings on the Motéma label. However, he has been known as a “musician’s musician” since he first appeared on the New York scene in the early 1980s. Thomas Cunniffe reviews two new albums, scheduled to be released within the same week, which offer further evidence of his flexibility.
Joe Locke: Interpreter and Composer Read More »