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Jared Hall: Hometown
by Jack Bowers
The Hometown in question is Spokane, Washington, where trumpeter and composer Jared Hall was born and raised. On his third album for Origin Records, Hall salutes the hometown to which he has returned after years as a touring musician with a splendid series of his original compositions and new readings of others by Bobby Hutcherson and Thelonious Monk. To help carry out his plan, Hall enlisted the services of four stellar sidemen: tenor saxophonist Troy Roberts, pianist Ben ...
Continue ReadingPat Bianchi: Confluence
by Pierre Giroux
Pat Bianchi has never been content to let the organ settle into its own mythology. With Confluence, he shows that the organ trio, when in skilled hands, remains one of the most energetic formats in jazz. Joined by saxophonist Troy Roberts and drummer Colin Stranahan, Bianchi delivers a seven-track session that feels more like a late-night set in a lively club than a studio recording; urgent, honest, and full of purpose. The opener, “It Was A Very Good ...
Continue ReadingThe Birdland Big Band: Storybook: The Music of Mark Miller
by Jack Bowers
Storybook, the third recording by the New York City-based Birdland Big Band, is subtitled “the music of Mark Miller" and is designed to showcase compositions and arrangements by that multi-talented artist who doubles (triples) as the band's lead trombonist. Miller wrote or co-wrote half of the album's 10 colorful and impressive numbers (11 if one counts Joaquin Rodrigo's brief “Concerto de Aranjuez," which serves as an introduction to Chick Corea's “Spain") and arranged all of them. Miller's ...
Continue ReadingSilvano Monasterios: The River
by Jack Bowers
To enhance his musical excursion along The River, composer, arranger and pianist Silvano Monasterios invited eight talented companions on board to share the ride. He did not make it easy for them. As envisioned by Monasterios, this river is by turns placid or turbulent, sparse or overflowing--but invariably tricky to navigate and tame. The entire work, he writes, is “a suite of what I consider Venezuelan music," and was inspired by the people in his native land ...
Continue ReadingJackson Potter: small things
by Kyle Simpler
When musicians who are both skilled at their craft and passionate about what they play come together, it translates clearly into their music. Such is the case with Jackson Potter's sophomore release, Small Things. This is an engaging and well-crafted collection that highlights his compositional skills along with his fluency in contemporary jazz guitar. With a sound that captures the lyrical fluidity of Jim Hall and the swinging clarity of Herb Ellis, Potter strikes a compelling balance between tradition and ...
Continue ReadingRobby Ameen: Live at the Poster Museum
by Jack Bowers
Unlike some drummer-led albums, wherein it is hard to determine who is actually piloting the ship, there are no doubts about who is in charge on Live at the Poster Museum--and that would be none other than Robby Ameen whose sharp and forceful timekeeping enlivens the heart and soul of every number, lending them a sizable measure of their exuberance and swagger. That is especially meaningful considering that Ameen is traveling in fast company, overseeing a burnished ...
Continue ReadingJackson Potter: small things
by Dan Bilawsky
Grandiose gestures are well and good, but it's actually the small things, both independent and aggregated, that often prove most impactful. Those micro events or occurrences can lead to serious matters or link together to create an incredibly meaningful web of wonders at the macro level. That's a fact that Jackson Potter most certainly recognizes. For this, his sophomore date, the Minnesota-reared, New York-based guitarist demonstrates remarkable maturity and attention to detail while weaving together a smartly balanced program with ...
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