The Squid’s Ear | Block Ensemble – Hugs and Bugs
By Nick Ostrum Block Ensemble is a big unit with some big names: Maja S.K. Ratkje and Stine Janvin Joh on vocals, Britt Pernille Frøholm on hardanger fiddle, Didrik Ingvaldsen on trumpet, Mette Rasmussen on alto saxophone, Lene Grenager and Tanja Orning on cello, Jasper Stadhouders guitar, kologo and mandolin, Mats Äleklint on trombone, Nils […]
All About Jazz | Bernardo Sassetti Trio – Culturgest 2007
By Mark Corroto Many listeners were introduced to the pianist Bernardo Sassetti by the record label Clean Feed, which built its early reputation on his recordings. The releases Nocturno (2004), Indigo (2004), Ascent (2005), Unreal: Sidewalk Cartoon (2006), and Motion (2010) are true evergreens. His untimely accidental death in 2012 (like that of Esbjorn Svensson […]
Skjazz.sk | Hugo Carvalhais – Ascetica
By Ján Hocek Kontrabasista a skladatel Hugo Carvalhais se narodil v Portu a vystudoval malířství na tamní škole výtvarných umění. Navzdory tomu, že jako hudebník byl samouk, stal se žákem např. Rona Cartera, Eddieho Gomeze a Miroslava Vitouše. Je považovaný za jednoho z nejtalentovanějších portugalských kontrabasistů své generace; spolupracoval s osobnostmi jako Julian Arguelles, Tim […]
Free Jazz Blog | Best of 2021
By Steve Griffith Dave Rempis with Reid, Abrams, Daisy, Damon- The Covid Tapes (Aerophonic) Binker Golding, John Edwards, Steve Noble – Moon Day (Byrd Out) William Parker, Daniel Carter, Hamid Drake – Painter’s Winter (AUM Fidelity) Sylvie Courvoisier, Ned Rothenberg, Julian Santorius – Lockdown (Clean Feed) Evan Parker – Winns Win (Byrd Out) Roots Magic […]
All About Jazz | Best of 2021
By Mark Corroto NEW RELEASES Hafez Modirzadeh, Facets (Pi) William Parker, Mayan Space Station (AUM Fidelity) Matthew Shipp, Codebreaker (Tao Forms) Muriel Grossmann, Union (RR Gems) Friends & Neighbors, The Earth Is # (Clean Feed) Anna Webber, Idiom (Pi) Wadada Leo Smith, Sacred Ceremonies (TUM) Archie Shepp & Jason Moran, Let My People Go (Archieball) […]
John Szwed | Best of 2021
John Szwed (The Wire, Center for Jazz Studies [Columbia University]) NEW RELEASES Charles Lloyd & the Marvels, Tone Poem (Blue Note) Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra, Promises (Luaka Bop) East Axis [Matthew Shipp-Allen Lowe-Gerald Cleaver-Kevin Ray], Cool With That (ESP-Disk) Tim Berne-Chris Speed-Reid Anderson-Dave King, Broken Shadows (Intakt) Michael Wollny-Emile Parisien-Tim […]
El Intruso | Best of 2021
By Sergio Piccirilli NEW RELEASES Anthony Braxton, 12 COMP (ZIM) 2017 (Firehouse 12) Wadada Leo Smith-Jack DeJohnette-Vijay Iyer, A Love Sonnet for Billie Holiday (TUM) Anna Webber, Idiom (Pi) Pedro Melo Alves Omniae Large Ensemble, Lumina (Clean Feed) Nate Wooley, Mutual Aid Music (Pleasure of the Text) Chamber 4, Dawn to Dusk (JACC) The Coast […]
Step Tempeste | Best of 2021
By Richard B. Kamins NEW RELEASES James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet, Jesup Wagon (Tao Forms) Kimbrough (Newvelle) Steve Coleman and Five Elements, Live at the Village Vanguard Volume II (MDW NTR) (Pi) Wadada Leo Smith’s Great Lakes Quartet, The Chicago Symphonies (TUM) Ches Smith & We All Break, Path of Seven Colors (Pyroclastic) Kate […]
Robert Bush | Best of 2021
Robert Bush (New York City Jazz Record, San Diego Reader, San Diego Troubadour) NEW RELEASES Ches Smith & We All Break, Path of Seven Colors (Pyroclastic) Henry Threadgill Zooid, Poof (Pi) Wadada Leo Smith’s Great Lakes Quartet, The Chicago Symphonies (TUM) Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & the London Symphony Orchestra, Promises (Luaka Bop) Dave Holland, […]
The Squid’s Ear Best of 2021 | Philz 2021 Top 45
December 31, 2021: My last entry for 2021, as we wind down a year of global frustration complemented with some truly wonderful new albums released through the year. We all know what a difficult year the globe has faced in 2021, so recorded music has been one of the best reliefs for all the contradictions, […]