People forget. They forget what the saxophone was before jazz adopted it and gave it a sound. Certainly, whoever write this Wikipedia article must have been living under a rock. Here’s a quote from the first paragraph: “The saxophone is [...]
Jazz doesn’t always announce itself upfront, but you know who this band are in a split second. The first thing that hits me is Joe Morello’s bass drum. It isn’t dropped like the “bombs” of Max Roach or Kenny Clarke, [...]
“It’s the voice. Rich and deep, there is no one who sounds like her. She has the vocal mobility of a jazz singer, but also a kind of monumental and immovable quality.” Liam Noble previews a rare return visit to [...]
I never met Carla Bley, but in many ways her music has been a constant companion over the years. I love the way her music teases the edges of the mainstream whilst preserving melody at its centre. For me, it [...]
In the latest of our series where musicians consider idols, or formative influences, Liam Noble writes about his favourite tracks by pianist Don Pullen (1941-1995). Don Pullen changed my life. He turned everything upside down. I had started playing with [...]
There’s a certain melancholy to the title of this new solo recording by Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and it’s reflected in the music here, recorded on the newly restored Bösendorfer piano at his house. There’s something different about playing at home: and [...]
There are too many lines, and not enough circles, in life. Graphs, timelines, narrative arcs, they’re everywhere. A beginning and an end, with a compelling and dramatic series of ups and downs in between. Is that how real life is? [...]
Between 1989 and 1995, Concord Records produced 42 solo piano recitals, all recorded in Maybeck Recital Hall in Berkeley in California. Each recital featured a different jazz pianist; the series eventually consisted of 42 CDs. The entire series is now available on streaming services…so LJN [...]
I have this print (*) on my wall at home, quite near the piano. I’ve been reminded, today of all days, to look at it again. On the back is the title: “Auspicious Symbols: Mount Fuji, Cranes and Pine Trees.” [...]
Between 1989 and 1995, Concord Records produced 42 solo piano recitals, all recorded in Maybeck Recital Hall in Berkeley in California. Each recital featured a different jazz pianist; the series eventually consisted of 42 CDs. The entire series is now [...]
