Chance Meeting Lands Junior Role as Drummer on “Father Figure” by Michael Dease
A UT student drummer has made his professional debut on a recently released album.
Luther Allison, a junior jazz student in UT’s School of Music, recently recorded on jazz trombonist Michael Dease’s newest album, Father Figure, which was released on April 22.
When one of his professors recommended him for the drummer at the Jazz Trombone Institute summer camp in Brevard, North Carolina, Alliso ...Read More
Something Else gives us a view of “The Way You Say It” by Walt Weisfopf
Walt Weiskopf wrote the book on jazz harmonics and improvisation…actually about ten of so books on those topics. But the best demonstration of his firm grasp on the building blocks for good jazz rests in his records, and his fifteenth one, The Way You Say It (April 8, 2016, Posi-Tone Records), is the latest chapter of his recorded book of work.
No matter how much Walt Weiskopf mixes thing ...Read More
Jazziz Magazine tells us about “Standing Tall” by Ken Fowser
Having co-led three sessions with vibraphonist Behn Gillece on Posi-Tone Records, saxophonist and composer Ken Fowser is a staple of the imprint. However, he’s just now releasing his first album for Posi-Tone under his name alone. The aptly titled Standing Tall proves an auspicious debut, as Fowser displays his lush and heady tenor sound on a set of bluesy original compositions. Leading a like-m ...Read More
CultureJazz -The Art of Jazz Piano – “Koan” Spike Wilner
We find with pleasure the New York pianist Spike Wilner four years after “The Tenderness” previous album which borrowed its title (and the jacket picture) to a work of his grandmother, the artist Marie Wilner (born in 1910). Koan with his reference to the Buddhist concept of spiritual awakening and his picture in the Zen spirit, we find it very touching feature of a musician lucid styl ...Read More
Saxophone Today reviews Walt Weiskopf’s “The Way You Say It”
Saxophonist and composer Walt Weiskopf has been a major contributor in the New York (which is to say, world-wide) jazz scene since the early 1980s. After completing studies at the prestigious Eastman School of Music, Weiskopf joined the Buddy Rich Big Band followed by a fourteen-year tenure with the Toshiko Akiyoshi big band. During his time with Akiyoshi and beyond, Weiskopf began recording his o ...Read More
Spike Wilner’s ‘Koan’ Transcends Limiting Piano Trio
Man, those guys at Posi-Tone are on a roll! Spike Wilner’s Koan is as engaging a piano trio CD as you’ll hope to hear. I thought I was done with basic piano trios but Wilner is so inventive, his originals so, uh, original, his covers so well-picked and performed, that if you have to hear yet another piano trio, let it be he. Of course, bassist Tyler Mitchell and drummer Anthony Pinci ...Read More
Midwest record is the first to look on the “Bright Side” by Doug Webb
This is a direct descendant of the kind of jazz record that took jazz from smoky, late night New York clubs to the rec rooms of then nascent suburban sprawl. With a crew of leaders backing up the first call sax man, this is a perfect example of where jazz meets commercial vibes and coming out none the worse for wear. Pure jazz for pure jazzbos, listening dates don’t come any Better than this ...Read More
Downbeat understands the tradition of the Hammond B-3 as well its future with “Once & Future”
In every jazz lover’s mind there exists the perfect Hammond B-3 organ player. Whether that ultimate B-3 technician is Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland, Larry Young or Shirley Scott, certain defining parameters exist, regardless of the individual player.
But when it comes to Hammond B-3 mastery, Brian Charette wrote the book. Literally. His 101 Hammond B3 Tips (Hal Leonard) covers, among other topics ...Read More
Mel Minter’s Musically Speaking blog reviews “Koan” by Spike Wilner
Pianist Spike Wilner brings a refreshing lack of pretention to his work on the trio recording Koan, with bassist Tyler Mitchell and drummer Anthony Pinciotti. There’s something so easygoing and unassuming in his playing and his compositions that you can’t help but like the man, and the jaunty opener, his original composition “Iceberg Slim,” captures you right at the start. The title track ...Read More
WBGO has David Gibson’s “Inner Agent” on its radar
When trombonist David Gibson put out “Boom” last year, one listen and you knew this guy likes working with no net. Told me the feeling was exhilarating to make music this way. It’s also quite fulfilling to listen to and see live, something I made sure happened with David Gibson.
With “Inner Agent”, Gibson’s upcoming release from Posi-tone Records, the trombonist ...Read More