By John Stevenson Over the last couple of months, I’ve had a renewed appreciation for the monumental early work of the Modern Jazz Quartet and the last recordings of The Black Magus, Miles Davis. The MJQ compilation – five CDs packaged in environmentally sensible cardboard sleeves – includes seminal platters …
By John Stevenson Freddie Hubbard (1938 – 2008) was arguably one of the greatest jazz trumpeters and flugelhorn players in the history of jazz. His unmistakable tone and technique shone brightly on not only his own recordings but also in the bands of countless artists such as Sonny Rollins, Eric …
Most of us have come to know Frank Harrison as the pianist in Israeli saxophonist Gilad Atzmon’s Orient House Ensemble. Frank’s sensitive accompaniment stands out: he traces the rhythmic arc of Gilad’s middle-eastern and north African compositions with poise and elegance. As is the case with some of the best …
By John Stevenson Like a Brazilian soccer superstar, UK hip-hop sensation, Nate, goes by just a single moniker. His music and urgent poetic flow sweeps up a whole host of influences in the rhythmic undertow. Jazz, reggae, rock, South African music, and drum’n’bass, are among the myriad genres showcased in …
By John Stevenson In a year of countless remarkable recordings, Radio Jumbo will be remembered as one of 2011’s most distinctive jazz recordings. London is known for its staggering array of cultures and genres of music. However, accomplished London-based, Dominican-born guitarist, Cameron Pierre, has certainly helped to place the French …
By John Stevenson Terri Lyne Carrington’s life is characterised by a wealth of textures. She’s led a glittering career as a drummer of choice, operating in top-drawer jazz circles from her early teens. Alongside this, she’s been a notable composer, and artistic director of the Beantown Jazz festival and the …
By John Stevenson African music is flourishing in the most unlikely places. And if cutting-edge, US-based African music big-band, Chopteeth, has anything to do with it, the myriad fusions of Congolese Soukous, Ghanaian Highlife and Nigerian Afrobeat will waft even further across America. Chopteeth (taken from the title of a …
By John Stevenson It was the era of national reconstruction (after a particularly bitter civil war), Udoji awards, military coups, OPEC-fuelled prosperity, FESTAC, and a naira that reigned supreme. Indeed, the decade of the 1970s represents not only a period when oil money flowed as liberally as palm wine and …
By John Stevenson On Kaiso, his third recording as a leader, Trinbagonian trumpet maestro, Etienne Charles, cooks up an ambrosial bouillabaisse of New World music genres, with the jazz and calypso genres standing out as piquant flavours. In the Efik-Ibibio language and culture of the Nigerian delta region, the term …
Review by John Stevenson It’s always refreshing to be reminded of the terpsichorean origins of jazz. There was a time when after the bandleader counted off “one-two, a-one-two-three-four”, everyone knew it was time to dance and time to swing. Trombonist and vocalist Jeff Bush and his top-notch bandmates go back …
By John Stevenson The last few years have been particularly kind to veteran Trini-Bajan jazz pianist, Edwin Ebenezer Gilkes, popularly known as “Ebe”. In 2010, after playing professionally for more than half a century he released his much-welcomed very first CD. Earlier this year, he was formally presented with one …
By John Stevenson On Be It As I See It, drummer Gerald Cleaver casts his creative gaze on a seminal moment in 20th century African-American history: The Great Migration from the agrarian South to the industrial, frigid North. Released on the FSNT label, the recording showcases Cleaver’s captivating aggregation, Uncle …
