Shortly after Wynton Marsalis burst on the scene in the 1980s, he and what was seen as his “agenda” became subjects of controversy. Just prior, the Jazz scene had experienced Free Jazz and Fusion, both of which were styles Marsalis and his fellow traveler Stanley Crouch opined were “outside the tradition” of Jazz. Two decades … Continue reading Wynton Marsalis : His Jazz Suites from the 1990s
Category: Reviews
This is where I will post my thoughts about my favorite classical or jazz CDs and sometimes survey the various recordings of a specific piece.
Cristóbal de Morales : “Officium Defunctorum”- Jordi Savall
Cristóbal de Morales (c. 1500-1553) was a Spanish composer of the Renaissance. He is generally considered to be the one most influential Spanish composer, who, together with Tomás Luis de Victoria and Francisco Guerrero, is recognized as one of the three most important Spanish composers of the 16th century. Almost all of his music is … Continue reading Cristóbal de Morales : “Officium Defunctorum”- Jordi Savall
A Love Supreme : John Coltrane’s Statement of Faith
2015 marked the fiftieth anniversary from the release of John Coltrane's seminal recording A Love Supreme. This recording is unique in Coltrane's discography in that it was the first time he conceived the music as a four-part suite, broken up into tracks: "Acknowledgement" (which contains Coltrane chanting the phrase that gave the suite its name), "Resolution", "Pursuance", … Continue reading A Love Supreme : John Coltrane’s Statement of Faith
The Hilliard Ensemble : Says goodbye with “Il cor tristo”
One of the world’s finest vocal chamber groups, The Hilliard Ensemble has a formidable reputation in the fields of both early and new music. The program featured on their farewell recording exemplifies its distinctive style and highly developed musicianship in both repertoires. At its heart is a work commissioned by the ensemble from British contemporary … Continue reading The Hilliard Ensemble : Says goodbye with “Il cor tristo”
Vinicio Capossela : Marinai, Profeti e Balene
Vinicio Capossela (born 14 December 1965) is an Italian singer-songwriter. His style is strongly influenced by US singer and songwriter Tom Waits though it also draws from the traditions of Italian folk music. Capossela's lyrics are highly original and are often inspired by literary sources such as John Fante, Geoffrey Chaucer, Louis-Ferdinand Céline, Oscar Wilde, … Continue reading Vinicio Capossela : Marinai, Profeti e Balene
Mal Waldron & Archie Shepp Pay Tribute to Billie Holiday
Mal Waldron's first tribute to Billie Holiday, titled Left Alone, was recorded in 1959, mere months before the singer's death. He and tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp came together in 2002 to salute the legendary vocalist with the CD Left Alone Revisited which is likely to be his final tribute to Holiday. Waldron, who died within a year of making … Continue reading Mal Waldron & Archie Shepp Pay Tribute to Billie Holiday
A year in Jazz : 1959
Six albums were either recorded or released in 1959 that had historic importance, arguably more so than in any other single year: Kind of Blue - Miles Davis’s smoldering modal meditation which both broke with the past and set a new course for jazz. Giant Steps - John Coltrane’s last hard bop recording, released at … Continue reading A year in Jazz : 1959
Marcel Pérès and Ensemble Organum : Machaut’s Mass
Ensemble Organum is a group performing early music, co-founded in 1982 by Marcel Pérès and is based in France. Its members have changed, but have included at one time or another, Josep Cabré, Josep Benet, Gérard Lesne, Antoine Sicot, Malcolm Bothwell. They have often collaborated with Lycourgos Angelopoulos and are influenced by Orthodox music. The group … Continue reading Marcel Pérès and Ensemble Organum : Machaut’s Mass
Mieczysław Weinberg’s music for violin and piano in a new recording
Although Mieczysław Weinberg spent most of his life in the Soviet Union and was somewhat “appropriated” by the local music community, he considered himself a Polish Jew. He was born in Warsaw in 1919. His family came to Poland from the territory of the present-day Moldova and settled down in the city, whose population, at … Continue reading Mieczysław Weinberg’s music for violin and piano in a new recording
Harry Christophers and The Sixteen : Palestrina
The music of Palestrina was described by Wagner as being timeless and spaceless, 'a spiritual revelation throughout'. With polyphony of utter purity, the Palestrina style has been a subject of study by composers for centuries. Long vocal lines flow in a continuous rhythm, imitative and with an original plainchant melodic motive for each phrase of … Continue reading Harry Christophers and The Sixteen : Palestrina
Musica Kaleidoskopea 