During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the cello established itself as a mainstay in Western European classical music due to its capacity to provide both an intimacy to small chamber ensembles and grandeur to large symphony orchestras. The instrument’s appeal in this space is undeniable; few can listen to Bach’s Cello Suites, specifically the prelude, […]
For the last quarter of the 20th century, Italian labels Black Saint and Soul Note issued an influential series of recordings by Black American artists, including the World Saxophone Quartet and its members Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, and David Murray. These records were hardly blowing sessions, but their loose-limbed vibe brought the expressive […]
For April, Brian Kiwanuka and Rob Shepherd provide capsule reviews of four recordings by saxophonists who are pushing music in new directions: Ingrid Laubrock’s The Last Quiet Place (Pyroclastic, 2023) [which you can also read more about here], James Brandon Lewis’ Eye of I (Anti, 2023), Ben Wendel’s All One (Edition, 2023), and John Zorn’s New Masada Vol. 2 (Tzadik, […]
Artistic expression has a unique power to flourish even when the soil is arid and lacking nutrients. The COVID pandemic, which destroyed many societal bonds, structures, and lives, nevertheless presented opportunities for artists to craft new works and explore additional avenues of creative expression. Even as social distancing made congregation difficult, many artists were able […]
For March, Brian Kiwanuka and Rob Shepherd provide capsule reviews of three recordings – Cécile McLorin Salvant’s Melusine (Nonesuch, 2023), Tomas Fujiwara’s March On (Firehouse 12, 2023), and Rubin Kodheli’s Departure (self-release, 2023)- and a SXSW performance venue – the Qobuz Sessions at KMFA Studios. Cécile McLorin Salvant- Melusine Cécile McLorin Salvant’s Mélusine is the first Salvant album […]
Throughout its history, creative music has always been on a conceptual search for freedom. Ornette Coleman sought to move his music beyond traditional chords. Other artists- Wadada Leo Smith and Anthony Braxton, for instance – abandon notions of Western notation by utilizing graphic scores. But even the removal of such burdens, by themselves, is often […]
The history of jazz presents a melding of different cultural cues which form the core of the music itself. It is no coincidence that the music originated in New Orleans, a city with a unique blending of influences from the Caribbean, Europe, and the African diaspora. Over the ensuing decades, artists have woven sounds from […]
For February – just under the wire – we provide capsule reviews of recent works with an eye towards avant-garde expressionism. Two of the selections explore the contributions of legends of the music, while the others showcase the voices of younger practitioners of the craft. For this month, only one of these albums – Mat […]
If you are reading this, there is a substantial likelihood you arrived here under false pretenses. Apologies for the deception. This space was initially intended – as a means for this site to celebrate its third anniversary – to host a two-part interview with a significant artist. Since the beginning of our correspondences, this artist […]
We continue our conversation with Jason Moran by going deeper into the songs on his James Reese Europe inspired album, From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes, 2023). These discussions lead us through WC Handy, Albert Ayler, Geri Allen, and student musicians at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We also uncover the meditative aspects of […]
