We have been meaning to call to your attention to an instance in which--unlike, say, the trade talks between the US and China--international cooperation works beautifully. The " trumpeter featured on this album is Randy Brecker, one of the leading American players of the Instrument for more than … [Read more...]

  We continue our survey of albums, mostly recent, all part of the unceasing Rifftides" effort to make you aware of music that the RT staff deems worth hearing. As I write, I glance down occasionally at the four stacks of new releases dropped off over the past couple of weeks by the mailman, … [Read more...]

Stephans, Liebman, Copland, Gress: Quartette Oblique (Sunnyside) Attempting the impossible, Rifftides once again tries to catch up. We all know that is impossible because record companies refuse to accept that jazz is dead; they keep releasing new music. It took too long for me to mention this … [Read more...]

The Jazz Journalists Association announced its 2019 award winners today. Among them are: Pianist Ahmad Jamal, Lifetime Achievement in jazz. Saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Musician of the Year, and Composer of the Year. Bassist Linda May Han Oh, Up and Coming Musician of the Year. Bobby … [Read more...]

Recent Listening In Brief: Linda May Han Oh, Aventurine (Biophilia) The album title, aptly, seems to suggest adventure. Indeed, the CD contains plenty of that attribute in the bassist-composer’s instrumentation, textures and rhythmic values. The name was suggested, however, by a certain shiny … [Read more...]

Recent Listening: Jason Palmer, Rhyme and Reason (GiantStepArts) In his early work with saxophonists Noah Preminger and Grace Kelly and many others, trumpeter Jason Palmer made it clear with his substantial tone, wide range and flexibility that he had the potential to become one of the new … [Read more...]

The family of vibraphonist Dave Samuels has confirmed that he died in New York City on April 22. Best known for his association with the jazz-fusion band Spyro Gyra, Samuels had battled a long illness. His family did not disclose the cause of death. A Grammy award winner, Samuels was best known for … [Read more...]

We spent much of this Easter Sunday driving slowly through hills covered with hundreds of acres of apple and cherry trees gloriously abloom. Spring is here in full flower, with enchanting vistas that include glimpses of Mount Adams and Mount Rainier. This post comes late in the holiday, but the … [Read more...]

The recent post featuring the Clifford Brown-Max Roach Quintet in the 1950s led a couple of Rifftides readers to suggest that we hear more of Brown’s sparkling trumpet playing. He became a major jazz artist before his death at 26 in an automobile accident in 1956 and has been a major influence on … [Read more...]

John Coltrane, Coltrane ’58: The Prestige Recordings (Craft) Every few years, curators of the great saxophonist John Coltrane’s extensive body of recordings come up with yet another retrospective of his work. Craft Recordings is now the overseer of Coltrane’s massively productive years with … [Read more...]

The Rifftides series of occasional visits to jazz bands of the United States armed services continues with the US Army’s Jazz Ambassadors. In a concert at the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas, singer Alexis Cole joined the Ambassadors in trumpeter Clifford Brown’s “Joy Spring.” … [Read more...]

Hakan A. Toker, Messing Around…With The Classics (Navona) For several months since this CD arrived, I have occasionally looked at the cover photo and concluded that there must be more rewarding things to do than listen to a musician who poses upside down atop a piano giving a victory sign with … [Read more...]

There is no way that" Rifftides can keep up with the flood of new jazz albums put on the market by record companies and—in the new world of relatively low production costs—by dozens of independent musicians. The best that we can do is be alert for exceptional releases and bring them to your … [Read more...]

If you live in Los Angeles or will be there later this month, here’s good news from the L.A. County Museum Of Art (LACMA). On April 26th The Bill Holman Band will open the museum’s season of summer jazz concerts. Word from the Holman organization is that, inspired by the continuing success of … [Read more...]

The Jazz Journalists Association has announced its slate of 2019 Jazz Heroes, people who have made significant contributions to the health, well-being and exposure of jazz in their cities and towns. The list includes performing artists, presenters, broadcasters and—well, of course—journalists. … [Read more...]

A couple of months ago, I mentioned that I had been given the privilege and pleasure of writing the liner notes for Scott Robinson’s new album. Today, he announced that the CD has been released. His notice includes background about the project, a link to a promotional video and a link to the … [Read more...]

David Friesen, My Faith, My Life (Origin) Friesen’s virtuosity brought him to prominence as a bassist nearly fifty years ago. He has remained one of the instrument’s most adventurous players through a career including associations with Duke Jordan, Marian McPartland, John Handy, Denny … [Read more...]