Oscar Perez: Prepare A Place For Me
Oscar Perez is a perfectly attired pianist, whose own life story makes this achievement all the more striking. But looking at a photograph is...
Still, the New Work of the Brilliant John Funkhouser
This disciplined and wonderful pianist and bass player brings us another tremendous recording project. This is an eight-piece album where Mr. Funkhouser...
Carmen Souza – Kachupada
Carmen Souza is the extraordinarily talented vocalist who was born in Lisbon, Portugal, within a Christian family of Cape Verdeans. She has melded her...
Lisa Engelken: Little Warrior
Lisa Engelken is a fearless, versatile singer as she demonstrates once again on her new release, Little Warrior. Her song selection and interpretations reveal...
Etienne Charles: Creole Soul
“In the world that we live in today, it’s impossible not to be a creole, it’s impossible not to have a blend of ideas, a blend of traditions and a blend of sound or shape that determines who we are. There is a little bit of a creole...
3 Cohens (Anat, Yuval, Avishai): Tightrope
To make this album, Tightrope, with virtually just reeds, woodwinds and brass takes courage. To pull it off requires a very large...
Fabián Almazán: Master of All He Plays
In most musicians, just like nice ordinary people, molecules are made up of DNA just like the unique people that each is. But in...
Clare Fischer Big Band: Pacific Jazz
It might not be expedient to suggest that Clare Fischer is responsible defining what Big Bands should sound like. Duke Ellington did that. Nor...
Monty Alexander: The Harlem-Kingston Express Comes Alive
There might be a gentleman’s argument as to whom the pianist Monty Alexander belongs to; Jamaica, where he was born, or New York where...
Paolo Fresu Devil Quartet – Desertico
If Paolo Fresu is quickly becoming one of the most sought after trumpet players it might easily be because he calls to mind a...
John Basile: Penny Lane
This is a vivid, provocative Beatles album from John Basile, a New Yorker who has a pianist’s approach to the guitar. Let there be...
Teri Roiger/John Menegon – Misterioso
Any Jazz musician who wants to learn how to accompany a vocalist, not getting in the way but still keep it interesting should listen...
The Heavyweights Brass Band: Tones and Textures non pareil
The Heavyweights Brass Band (HBB) may seem to have taken a leaf out of the playbook of that other, more famous ensemble—the woodwinds ensemble,...
Tom Szczesniak – Waltz For Bill
Toronto based pianist, composer, arranger and producer Tom Szczesniak has released his debut recording as leader; Waltz For Bill, an eleven track, straight ahead...
Hamilton De Holanda & André Mehmari – Gismontipascoal: A Musica de Egberto e Hermeto
Gismontipascoal: A Musica de Egberto e Hermeto, by two of the most precociously talented musicians from and in Brasil does not so much document...
Brigitte Zarie: L’amour
Beautiful strings arrangements give way to the sensual voice of Brigitte Zarie on “Where there is love”, the first track of her new release...
Brampton Global Jazz & Blues Fest Report – Part II
Brampton, a city north west of Toronto played host to its second annual jazz and blues festival this past August 9th through to the...
Phill Fest: That’s What She Says
The rhythmic intricacies of Brasilian music are just one aspect of that metaphor. Then there is that beautiful concept of a feeling called alegria....
Ray Vega: Chapter Two
This disc ought to come with a connoisseur’s advisory: Be prepared to be amazed. As much as that sounds like something trite, it is,...
Jeff Ballard Trio: Time’s Tales
Jeff Ballard has spent the equivalent of a month of Sundays casting his shadow along with bassist Larry Grenadier’s in the Brad Mehldau Trio....
