In 2001, Ropeadope Records released The Philadelphia Experiment, a unique collaborative effort by three artists from the city of Brotherly Love who built off of their community’s rich musical history to create something new. Part of the project’s success came from the diverse musical backgrounds of its three leads. From hip hop and R&B came […]
We ended the first part of our conversation (available here) with Bob James by discussing artists who have sampled his work over the years. Part two begins by examining the influence hip hop has had on his own music. We then continue a tour through the history of the compositions on his forthcoming trio album, […]
Across his almost six-decade career, Bob James’ music has meant many things to different people. To those who have an interest in Creed Taylor’s iconic CTI Records, the memorable label that incentivized artists to merge jazz with ideas from other genres, James is a familiar name. Between his own significant releases and his contributions to […]
Our conversation with the legendary Wadada Leo Smith continues with a further discussion on the business side of music, including his own label, Kabell. We go into a deeper dive on his recent duet with Jack DeJohnette and Vijay Iyer, A Love Sonnet for Billie Holiday (TUM, 2021), and his latest solo release, Trumpet (TUM, […]
Many people, as they get older, tend to slow down and reduce their workload. Some even step aside and retire entirely. Wadada Leo Smith takes the opposite approach. Over the past year, Smith has been perhaps more productive than ever. 2021 has found him behind a 3 CD solo trumpet box set (Trumpet (TUM, 2021)), […]
Historians believe some form of the harp existed as far back as the beginning of ancient Egypt’s “Old Kingdom”, 2500 BC. Even as early as 4,500 years ago, it was commonplace for a harpist to give solo performances. Across the ages, the instrument adapted and changed to meet the musical needs of the time. Despite […]
With its double reeds and complicated fingerings, the bassoon is one of the most difficult wind instruments to master. But for an artist dedicated to conquering the tool, great music can result. With its somehow equally mysterious and romantic tone, the bassoon provides tonal color unlike any other instrument. And while the bassoon has found […]
Since the 1970s, Marilyn Crispell has been a major figure in creative music, pushing the piano into new realms, whether her hands are on its keys or in the instrument itself. While Crispell has some beautiful solo, trio, and quartet recordings to her name, it seems she has a particular affinity for the intimacy of […]
Over the past two and a half decades, pianist-composer Sylvie Courvoisier has established a formidable career in combining concepts from European chamber music and avant-garde jazz. In the process, she has collaborated with such other luminaries as John Zorn, Wadada Leo Smith, Evan Parker, Ken Vandermark, and Mary Halvorson. Like Courvoisier, guitarist-composer Halvorson has a […]
The second part of our conversation with Dave Liebman covers his incredible debut as a leader, Lookout Farm (ECM, 1973). But it focuses primarily on two of the saxophonist’s more recent projects. First, we discuss his longtime collaboration with pianist Richie Beirach and their recent five CD release – with special guest Jack Dejohnette– Empathy […]
