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Archive for the ‘Rudy Royston’ tag

“Interstellar Adventures” is focused keenly on tradition and searching beyond it

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Interstellar Adventures makes good on the promise displayed on 2017’s Promethean, the young pianist’s debut for Posi-Tone, and 2015’s Live at Smalls, his first as a leader. It also far surpasses them in originality and pluck. Where the earlier outings, particularly Promethean, showed Hill to be an imaginative player with one eye focused keenly on tradition and the other eagerly searching bey ...Read More

Written by jamo

August 12th, 2018 at 3:26 pm

Posted in Reviews

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Turn it up and feel the power of “Interstellar Adventures”

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Pianist and composer Theo Hill, a native of Albany, New York, first studied jazz piano with the late (and, in her neck of the woods, legendary Lee Shaw (1926-2015). After graduating from the Jazz Conservatory at SUNY/Purchase, Hill moved to New York City.  Slowly yet steadily, he has built quite the resume working with drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, trumpeter Wallace Roney, vocalist Grego ...Read More

Written by jamo

June 11th, 2018 at 9:52 am

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Dusted Magazine has high praise for “Central Line” by Art Hirahara

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A pithy observation from American naturalist Ralph Waldo Emerson graces the cardboard gatefold of Central Line, pianist Art Hirahara’s third project for the Positone label: “The ancestor of every action is a thought.” The importance of ancestry in a more historical sense folds indelibly into not only Hirahara’s audibly observable actions, but also his carefully considered approach to his i ...Read More

Written by jamo

January 22nd, 2017 at 3:54 pm

Midwest Record gives us a look at “Central Line” by Art Hirahara

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Here’s a piano man bold enough to make a modern, mainstream date and doing it while surrounding himself with hell raisers like Donny McCaslin, Rudy Royston and Linda Oh.  Swinging easy but to the left, you won’t mistake this for cocktail jazz but Hirahara could do a killer job on that form if he every chose to take the easy way out.  Piano fans take note, this is a date not to be missed. Hot ...Read More

Written by jamo

December 2nd, 2016 at 11:13 am

Something Else shows it’s Gratitude for Tom Tallitsch’s latest release

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Last spring tenor sax ace Tom Tallitsch put forth his seventh album Gratitude, comprising mostly of songs gestated during a particularly reflective time in his life, a roughly yearlong span during which he lost his father and became one himself. Tallitsch has never been known as someone who composed or played without earnest emotion, so the extra motivation put his personal investment this time on ...Read More

Written by editor

July 21st, 2016 at 11:47 am

New York City Jazz Record gives a great review of “Gratitude” by Tom Tallitsch

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Tenor saxophonist Tom Tallitsch is an Illinois-bred, New Jersey-based bandleader and Gratitude is his seventh album a leader. Tallitsch plays Straightahead postbop, tossing a few Curve balls to keep things interesting. He is Of the generation(s) Of players that doesn’t rely on the Great American Songbook for material (9 Of the 11 tracks herein are Originals) and he dips into the rock world f ...Read More

Written by editor

June 26th, 2016 at 11:10 pm

Step Tempest shows it’s own – “Gratitude” by Tom Tallitsch

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From the opening seconds of the first track “Terrain”, it’s easy to understand why the new Tom Tallitsch CD, titled “Gratitude” (his 4th for PosiTone Records), is so enjoyable.  The music sounds like vintage John Coltrane, circa 1957, powerful yet accessible and played by a band that is on fire.  The tenor saxophonist surrounds himself with such great players includ ...Read More

Written by editor

March 25th, 2016 at 9:00 pm

Midwest Record is pleased with “Gratitude” by Tom Tallitsch

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TOM TALLITSCH/Gratitude: Loaded with music borne of several personal situations that are life changing, Tallitsch finds his voice in a new place and takes his impressive past to a new level of the game.  With an up and coming murderer’s row of next gen jazz hitters behind him, this thoughtfully swinging set leaps off the disc and shows you just how much variety still lives in the spaces between ...Read More

Written by editor

March 16th, 2016 at 9:41 am

Midwest Record chimes in on “Back East” by Doug Webb

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DOUG WEBB/Back East Is the saxophonic bad boy simply playing with raging intensity or is he bringing the daddio in unabashed fine style? No matter, when you’ve been a pro for over 30 years and other pros have always called on you because they know you will not misfire with tape rolling, to maintain this kind of energy and drive gives you the right to call it whatever you want. With a crew th ...Read More

Written by editor

October 1st, 2015 at 10:04 am

“Back East” by Doug Webb gets Dusted

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Doug Webb – Back East (Positone) A germane quote from Herman Hesse graces the tray card of Back East, tenorist Doug Webb’s fourth album for the Positone imprint. The words codify the compass point not just as something concrete, but also as an intangible concept better suited to the province of the mind. Tenorist Doug Webb is steeped in the East Coast jazz vernacular of his instrument from Col ...Read More

Written by editor

October 1st, 2015 at 9:45 am