Chris Rand, The Gathering: Rebound Review Chris Rand is a UK saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. Rand has performed with the Rolling Stones Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood, and as a guest artist with George Porter Jr (The Meters) and Guitarists Mick Taylor and Chris Jagger. He has also performed with guitarist Elliot Randall (Steely Dan, … Read more
Larry Willis, I Fall in Love Too Easily (The Final Session at Rudy Van Gelder’s) Review Larry Willis is a jazz pianist and composer that has performed with many legendary names in the genre. He has played and recorded with Paul Murphy, Dizzy Gillespie, Lee Morgan, Woody Shaw, Hugh Masekela, Cannonball and Nat Adderley, Stan … Read more
Wanderlust, When in Rome Review Wanderlust is an Australian contemporary jazz band led by trumpeter Miroslav Bukovsky that formed in 1991. Bukovsky is a distinguished jazz trumpeter that was one of the founders of the renowned Jazz ensemble, the Ten Part Invention (TPI), along with Roger Frampton and John Pochee. He has performed with the … Read more
Jenny Davis, Rearranged Review So many times, in the jazz genre, female composers are overlooked if they are also singers. There is merit to a crafted, well-honed lyric, something the general populous can connect with conveying the story within the melody and easing a suffering heart or adding an accent to a joyous occasion. Going … Read more
Tamuz Nissim, Capturing Clouds Review Vocalist Tamuz Nissim originally hails from Tel Aviv, the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Transplanting to New York, her pursuit of traditional jazz with a specialty focus of creating original vocalese pieces has been a centric cornerstone of her continued releases. Her latest album … Read more
Pat Battstone & Giorgia Santoro, Dream Notes Review Pianist Pat Battstone is at it again; his release schedule is as prolific as his writing. This time around, he has partnered with flutist Giorgia Santoro on his latest endeavor Dream Notes. The album is inspired by Improvisations to the artwork, “Appunti Onirici,” of Daniela Chionna. Battstone explains, … Read more
Wayne Escoffery, The Humble Warrior Review Wayne Escoffery is a New York city-based tenor saxophonist and composer. He is A Grammy Award winner and DownBeat Critics Poll winner. Although Escoffery is only thirty-two-years old, he has already enjoyed a stand-out career and ample accolades. He has performed with a who’s who of jazz, including Herbie … Read more
Avishai Cohen, Big Vicious Review Avishai Cohen is an Israeli-born composer and trumpet player that is known for his adventurous and forward-thinking approach to the jazz genre. His music combines the best of avant-garde jazz, post-bop, and klezmer to form a swirling tapestry of musical sounds. Cohen leads his projects as well as several other … Read more
Janko Rašeta and Leander Widmoser, Elf Review Janko Rašeta and Leander Widmoser are teaming up to bring us a fresh sound in the jazz fusion department. The two are releasing their second collaboration titled “Elf.” The Munich-based musicians Janko Rašeta (guitars, production) and Leander Widmoser (drums) are building something that combines their heritage with the … Read more
Jerry Bergonzi, Nearly Blue Review Jerry Bergonzi is a Boston Massachusetts saxophonist, educator, author, and composer that forms a perfect bridge between jazz’s past and its present. Bergonzi is known for his interpretations of jazz standards and his original compositions that have unusual harmonic progressions. With a vast body of recorded work, Bergonzi has recently … Read more