Archives for September 23, 2008

Zenón’s MacArthur

September 23, 2008 by Doug Ramsey

Alto saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenón is one of twenty-five winners of 2008 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation fellowships. The grants were announced today. Each of the awards is for $500,000 over five years, to be used in any way the recipient decides. Although not officially described as "genius grants" by the MacArthur foundation, that is what the fellowships have come to be called. This year's fellows include writers, scientists, an architect, a farmer, and artists in … [Read more...]

Winstone Alert

September 23, 2008 by Doug Ramsey

I know, I know; Doug's Picks is overdue for new entries. They'll be coming along, but the Rifftides staff is engaged in a number of projects, including preparation of a reading from Poodie James, with strings. More about that later. Among other things, I'm writing the notes for a forthcoming CD co-led by Charlie Shoemake and Terry Trotter. It is a delight. I'm not at liberty to tell you about it except to say that its title is Inside and the music, uncompromising but accessible, is a … [Read more...]

Recommendation: Miles Davis At Newport 1955-1975

Miles Davis At Newport 1955-1975:The Bootleg Series, Vol. 4 (Columbia/Legacy) Miles Davis’s importance and recognition grew dramatically in the decades covered by the recordings on these four volumes. When he played in an all-star group at the 1955 Newport Jazz Festival, the trumpeter was barely known to the general public. By the end of the […]

Monday Recommendation: Mat Walerian

Mat Walerian, Matthew Shipp, Hamid Drake, Jungle: Live At Okuden (ESP-Disk) His adventurism ranges far and he occasionally makes harsh sounds, but Polish reed artist Mat Walerian ultimately projects a calming effect not often found in avant garde music. The album is from the concert that produced a previous Walerian album with American pianist Matthew […]

Monday Recommendation: Broadbent And Mancio

Georgia Mancio, Alan Broadbent, Songbook (Roomspin Records) Pianist and composer Alan Broadbent has found his lyricist. Further good news: in their Songbook, Georgia Mancio sings her words to Broadbent’s songs with taste, feeling and faultless intonation. Their collaboration began after the Anglo-Italian singer wrote a lyric to “The Long Goodbye,” a Broadbent composition for Charlie […]

Monday Recommendation: Fay Claassen

Fay Claassen, Luck Child (Challenge) With exceptions, the Dutch singer departs from her incomparable interpretations of standard songs to explore contemporary pieces. They include the title tune written by guitarist Leni Stern, originally an instrumental called “Sandbox.” Sentimental and lyrical, it is dedicated to Claasen’s daughter. Claasen gives “One Trick Pony” a lilt in a […]

Monday Recommendation: Charlie Haden Speaks

Woodard and Haden: Conversations With Charlie Haden (Silman-James) Interviews transcribed from tape recordings and transformed into print are often boring substitutes for writing. With judicious editing, however, the technique can be illuminating. Journalist Josef Woodard’s many chats with bassist Charlie Haden (1937-2014) provide valuable insights into what fueled Haden’s musical tastes and goals and the […]

Monday Recommendation: Krukowski, The New Analog

Book: Damon Krukowski, The New Analog (The New Press) The introduction of the compact disc in 1982 made analog sound delivered by phonograph records and landline telephones obsolete—didn’t it? If not, then the advent of iTunes in 2001 and the iPhone in 2007 replaced analog forever—didn’t they? Damon Krukowski makes a persuasive case to the […]

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