Archive for the ‘Art Hirahara’ tag
SomethingElseReviews takes on Sean Nowell “The Kung-Fu Masters”…
somethingelsereviews.com
Sean Nowell is a name I remember from a couple of years ago when sizing up his last album Stockholm Swingin’(2011), a snappy live encounter of solid, straight ahead jazz performed by both American and Swedish musicians in a small combo band. The Kung-Fu Masters is an about face from the trad direction Nowell went on Stockholm, propagating instead a brand of funk-jaz ...Read More
Music and More on “The Kung-Fu Masters”…
jazzandblues.blogspot.com
Saxophonist Sean Nowell raised some eyebrows last year with an excellent mainstream post-bop jazz album called Stockholm Swinigin’. This new album approaches things from a different direction, leaving the world of buttoned down bop behind to import aspects of fusion, funk and pop into the mix. Along with Nowell on tenor saxophone, the Kung-Fu Masters are: Brad Mas ...Read More
StepTempest on “The Kung-Fu Masters”…
steptempest.blogspot.com
Tenor saxophonist Sean Nowell, born in Alabama, educated in Boston and New York, has, over the course of his recording career for Positone Records, shown that he can not only swing but also bring the funk. ”The Kung-Fu Masters” is his 4th CD for the Los Angeles, California-based label and it would not be out of place that Nowell and his group display their ...Read More
Brent Black takes on “The Kung-Fu Masters”…
www.criticaljazz.com
Zen and the art of improvisation. The human chemistry of abstract creation where limitations of form and function are cast aside for soulful interpretation of a deconstructed melody by the soloist and all those that choose to participate.
That and this is a really cool disc!
More than a jazz disc, Sean Nowell and The Kung-Fu Masters are a multi-media presentation of positive ...Read More
Dan Bilawsky takes on Sean Nowell “The Kung-Fu Masters”…
www.allaboutjazz.com
The Kung-Fu Masters isn’t simply another album for tenor saxophonist Sean Nowell; it’s the recorded coming out party for a band and concept that he’s been tweaking and promoting for years. Nowell has been field testing this project in New York jazz spots like 55 Bar, and his website contains various recorded performances of the group at the club dating back ...Read More
A stellar review for Art Hirahara “Noble Path”…
www.criticaljazz.com
The one that got away for 2011?
Art Hirahars began turning heads with his work on saxophonist Fred Ho’s more out of the box releases, but Hirahara’s voicing on Noble Path are a mirror image of this aptly titled release from Posi-Tone. While occasionally pushing the musical envelope as fitting the composition there is an intimate charm to this release featuring e ...Read More
Brent Black digs into Sean Nowell “The Seeker”…
www.criticaljazz.com
I have to admit that I am somewhat late to the party when it comes to tenor saxophonist Sean Nowell. Perhaps my hesitancy in exploring his work was based in part to what would appear to be his approach to the more hard bop as that of a musical chameleon. Nowell somehow magically and often mysteriously merges his roots in funk and post bop to create his own lyrical voice with t ...Read More
A new review for Sean Nowell “Firewerks”…
www.criticaljazz.com
If you follow the basic premise that ECM records invented the piano trio then Posi-Tone is not terribly far behind when it comes to churning out releases from some of the brightest tenor stars of this generation. Ralph Bowen, Tom Tallitsch, Brandon Wright are but a few of the tenor giants of Posi -Tone and now we have Sean Nowell from this classic 2007 release Firewerks.
Th ...Read More
Brent Black reviews Sarah Manning “Dandelion Clock”…
www.criticaljazz.com
Far more than a pretty face finds alto saxophonist Sarah Manning walking the musical tightrope between the more free form and the more accessible with the result a perfect balance of artistic flavor and texture without ever pushing the listener over the edge with self indulgence. One key element of Dandelion Clock that seems to leap out and ironically a stated goal of Mannin ...Read More
Kenny Shanker “Steppin’ Up” gets a nice write-up from Critical Jazz…
www.criticaljazz.com
I make it a point to almost never read other writers unless I am doing research on an artist that I may not be as familiar with as others. There are some artists that are a pure joy to discover without the slightest pre-conceived notions that come from outside influences and Kenny Shanker is one such artist. Originally recorded in 2009 but taking two and one half years for ...Read More