by Steven Miller
Adding to his ever-expanding canon of contemporary jazz compositions, Gregg Hill’s work continues to captivate discerning musicians and listeners alike. Pianist Rick Roe’s latest offering, Tribute: The Music of Gregg Hill, released by Cold Plunge Records, underscores Hill’s distinctive compositional brilliance, interpreted through a compelling trio setting. Alongside bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Nate Winn, Roe approaches Hill’s repertoire with profound sensitivity, celebrating its inherent versatility and emotional understanding of styles.
Roe’s thoughtful arrangements [...]
by Steven Miller
John Patitucci’s Spirit Fall is an album based on trio communication, a study of the freedom and responsibility of a chordless format, and what happens when three deeply intuitive musicians explore the boundless harmonic and rhythmic possibilities. Marking Patitucci’s debut as a leader on Edition Records, the album finds the bassist alongside long-standing collaborators Chris Potter (saxophones, bass clarinet) and Brian Blade (drums), exploring a set of nine Patitucci originals and one cover with remarkable spontaneity and depth.
Trio records that omit a chordal instrument come with a built-in challenge: how to create [...]
by Steven Miller
Jazz and Christmas music have a long history of harmonious interplay; Rich Willey’s Boptism Christmas celebrates this spirit. Released under Willey’s Boptism Music label, the album merges beloved holiday standards with the harmonic colors, improvisational vigor, and rhythmic drive of jazz. Drawing on decades of performance experience and arranging skills, Willey brings a lively set of some of the season’s most familiar melodies.
Willey’s genius shines through his arrangements, transforming time-honored tunes into relatable jazz statements. His four-horn voicings—featuring alto and tenor [...]
by Steven Miller
Released by Shifting Paradigm Records on August 23, 2024, Tides by Philip Weberndoerfer presents a deeply conceptual journey through the highs and lows of the human condition, a sonic portrayal of life’s ever-changing currents. Weberndoerfer, a German guitarist, draws upon his diverse influences, from European classical and gypsy music to the American Songbook, and uses these to craft a sound uniquely his own.
Since his arrival in New York City in 2016, Weberndoerfer has become a significant contributor to the jazz scene, with his work as a bandleader and sideman reflecting a distinctive voice. His music [...]
