Ryan Truesdell mentions in the liners notes for Lines of Color that Gil Evans had a reputation for taking his time while he composed or arranged. Perhaps that’s why the jazz that that Evans created has endured. Evans was meditative and obviously meticulous. For how else could he have created …

Tony Monaco carries on the tradition of the Hammond B-3 organ, but in his latest album, Furry Slippers, there’s a difference. Well, there are several differences. Monaco continues with the traditional jazz organ trio of B-3, guitar and drums, but this time with new personnel. The result is a different …

Fred Hersch’s My Coma Dreams positions him even higher in iconic status among jazz musicians as it elevates the traditional role of jazz musician from concert stage and nightclub presence to that of a multimedia artist with profound insights to share. In Hersch’s case, these insights involve some of the …

Audacious. How else would you describe a project to re-create note for note one of the most famous jazz albums of all time? That famous album, of course, would be Kind of Blue. Some other people may say it’s “unnecessary.” “Interesting.” “Foolish.” “Impudent.” “Inscrutable.” “Sardonic.” “Outrageous.” “Unoriginal.” “Blasphemous.” Or “mischievous.” …

Once again, the jazz listening public benefits from Chick Corea’s prolific recorded output. We all know what to expect, including his characteristic keyboard scamper or his sometimes Latin flourishes—not to mention his numerous other musical characteristics including electric keyboard explorations, well known by now. But Corea continues to surprise. And …

Often, it seems that jazz musicians proceed through a path of initial musical discovery, exposure to jazz, growth of their jazz careers, and then a final synthesis of everything they experienced along the way. For example, Monty Alexander lately has concentrated on the reggae music heard in his youth in …

So I was levitating from the sheer beauty of a performance by The Fred Hersch Trio during a concert in Ohio when all of a sudden Hersch drew appreciative applause from the audience when he introduced his new composition, “West Virginia Rose.” The applause arose not only because of the …

Due to the wisdom and appreciation gained from hindsight, Eartha Kitt receives appropriate tribute from equally outspoken and equally talented and equally “wicked” Renė Marie, who perhaps perceives Kitt as a kindred spirit. If we’re honest with ourselves, we have to admit that, at least narratively, wicked characters are usually …

 Sticks in your head. That’s what Stacey Kent’s singing does. It sticks in your head. Yesterday, while I was involved in some home improvement duties, I couldn’t get her song, “Changing Lights,” out of my head. Intriguingly enough, Kent is neither dramatic nor dynamic in her singing. She is calm …

 Curtis Stigers is back with his eighth Concord album, and this time his subject is that universal inspiration for lyrics and music: love. With so many song titles to choose from, which ten does he narrow it down to? Well, there’s the stand-by, “Our Love Is Here to Stay,” which …