John Chacona

John Chacona

Review: Tyshawn Sorey Trio’s ‘Mesmerism’Review: Tyshawn Sorey Trio’s ‘Mesmerism’

Review: Tyshawn Sorey Trio’s ‘Mesmerism’

Did any artist have a better 2021 than Tyshawn Sorey? The 2017 MacArthur Fellow was the subject of a New…

3 years ago
Review: Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison, and Ted Nash’s ‘Healing Power – The Music of Carla Bley’Review: Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison, and Ted Nash’s ‘Healing Power – The Music of Carla Bley’

Review: Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison, and Ted Nash’s ‘Healing Power – The Music of Carla Bley’

If Wayne Shorter is widely acknowledged as the most important living composer in jazz, who is the runner-up? Guitarist Steve…

3 years ago
Review: Irreversible Entanglements’ ‘Open the Gates’Review: Irreversible Entanglements’ ‘Open the Gates’

Review: Irreversible Entanglements’ ‘Open the Gates’

"I’m so close," poet Camae Ayewa, a/k/a Moor Mother, intones on "Lágrimas del Mar" off of Irreversible Entanglements’ Open the Gates (International…

3 years ago
Review: William Parker’s ‘Migration of Silence into and Out of the Tone World [Volumes 1-10]’Review: William Parker’s ‘Migration of Silence into and Out of the Tone World [Volumes 1-10]’

Review: William Parker’s ‘Migration of Silence into and Out of the Tone World [Volumes 1-10]’

Has there ever been a musician whose musical imagination is as universal and as omnivorous as William Parker's? Perhaps Alexander…

3 years ago
An Alternative Holiday PlaylistAn Alternative Holiday Playlist

An Alternative Holiday Playlist

Remember the old "Saturday Night Live" parody of the "60 Minutes" Point/Counterpoint debate, the one remembered for the line "Jane,…

3 years ago
Review: Henry Threadgill Zooid’s ‘Poof’Review: Henry Threadgill Zooid’s ‘Poof’

Review: Henry Threadgill Zooid’s ‘Poof’

As some artists approach their late careers they become ruthless self-editors, paring down their style to remove everything that is…

4 years ago
Ritual for the Losses: A Brief Conversation with Jen ShyuRitual for the Losses: A Brief Conversation with Jen Shyu

Ritual for the Losses: A Brief Conversation with Jen Shyu

During her recording career thus far, Jen Shyu has drawn on a deep well of song, fable, and poetry from…

4 years ago
Review: Dave Brubeck’s ‘Time OutTakes’ and Bill Evans ‘Live at Ronnie Scott’s’Review: Dave Brubeck’s ‘Time OutTakes’ and Bill Evans ‘Live at Ronnie Scott’s’

Review: Dave Brubeck’s ‘Time OutTakes’ and Bill Evans ‘Live at Ronnie Scott’s’

Dave Brubeck and Bill Evans were the twin Great White Hopes of jazz piano at the apex of the Pax…

4 years ago
John Chacona’s Best Albums of 2020John Chacona’s Best Albums of 2020

John Chacona’s Best Albums of 2020

Here it is, a "Best Of" list for the worst of years. Alright, that's a bit jokey; the fact is…

4 years ago
2020 PostGenre Hall of Fame Inductee: Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five’s “West End Blues”2020 PostGenre Hall of Fame Inductee: Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five’s “West End Blues”

2020 PostGenre Hall of Fame Inductee: Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five’s “West End Blues”

Jazz fans can be a disputatious lot, yet if there’s something on which we all can agree it’s this: the…

4 years ago