Benevento Does Benevento: The pianist goes it alone, diving into multi-color textures and deep grooves (album review)

Marco Benevento, “Benevento” (Royal Potato Family) Bubbling, exotic sounds à la the beer-bottle percussion bookending Herbie Hancock’s 1973 version of … More

Pianist Lynne Arriale Creates More Trio Magic; Tunes Inspired by Health Worker Heroics (album review)

Lynne Arriale Trio, “The Lights Are Always On” (Challenge) Can instrumental music that’s uniformly relaxed and occasionally tinged with melancholy … More

Montreal Jazz Fest: Scintillating if Sweaty — Herbie, Kamasi, Medeski, more.

By now, you’ve probably heard about the heat wave that landed in Quebec, just in time for the 39th annual … More

Disc of the Day: Wynton Kelly Trio/Wes Montgomery, “Smokin’ in Seattle”

Wynton Kelly Trio/Wes Montgomery, “Smokin’ in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse” (Resonance Records) Before Wes Montgomery became the commercially successful … More

Disc of the Day: Bill Evans Trio, “On a Monday Evening”

Bill Evans Trio, “On a Monday Evening” (Fantasy Records/Concord Bicycle Music) Relaxed if quite often intense and exploratory, the previously … More

Disc of the Day: Vadim Neselovskyi Trio, “Get Up and Go”

Vadim Neselovskyi Trio, “Get Up and Go” (Jazz Family/Neuklang Records) The debut trio recording from the classically trained pianist, who’s … More

Best Jazz of 2014: Tom Harrell, Chick Corea, Frank Kimbrough, Snarky Puppy & more

In 2014, Jazz meant a profusion of intriguing and sometimes provocative releases by veterans (Tom Harrell) and young stars (Ambrose … More

Tampa Jazz Notes — Kenny Drew Jr. Memorial; O Som Do Jazz at HCC Ybor; Diana Krall at the Capitol

Aside from a piece in Jazz Times and some blog posts (including mine, below, and those in Jazz Truth, JazzWax, … More

Tampa Jazz Notes: WUSF’s Bob Seymour Honors Kenny Drew Jr.; Memorial Service; Kenny Drew Scholarship at UCF

Bob Seymour, longtime jazz guru at WUSF, 89.7 FM and a tireless supporter of Tampa Bay area jazz musicians, will … More

JazzTimes Critics’ Poll: Vijay Iyer’s “Accelerando” Takes Top Honors

Critical consensus says that Vijay Iyer‘s “Accelerando” (ACT) is one of last year’s finest jazz recordings: The CD, with the … More