The New York-based tenor saxophonist and composer was born and raised in Texas and began performing professionally at age 16 with his father, Joe Killian, a jazz pianist and Hammond organist who... more
As relationships evolve, a special language can develop between partners. This language can foster new ways of approaching syntax and messages that have been often repeated. The duo of drummer... more
One of the powers that music holds is the ability to sway emotions and atmospheres. Hearing music can make a listener remember a special moment, feel a certain way, or have a sensory experience... more
Losing a parent can remind the bereaved of the moments lost and the chapters that remained unfinished in their relationships. Saxophonist and composer Carlos Averhoff, Jr. Knows these feelings all... more
Developing a program of solo piano music is the ultimate challenge for any improvising pianist. Lucian Ban's mesmerizing new recording of solo piano improvisations, Ways of Disappearing, represents a... more
Bass trombonist Jennifer Wharton might be considered by many as a unicorn in the world of music. In decades from the not-too-distant past, it was a rarity to even have a woman in prominent jazz bands... more
"Modern day record producers often find themselves in the unfortunate position of hiring studio fixers and technology experts to make presentable records. This project required none of that. Simply... more
One challenge of this frustrating time has been finding methods to handle grief. The loss of loved ones, enforced isolation, and abounding uncertainty have only heightened anxiety and it's painful... more
Pianist and Composer Dahveed Behroozi is a San Francisco Bay Area based musician. His focus is in jazz, classical, and new music. He is an active player both as a leader and sideman in the Bay Area,... more
The creation of music shares much in common with creation in the visual arts. Both musicians and visual artists speak of and deal in colors, hues and textures in their compositional processes.... more
Recording a solo album is perhaps the most daunting feat for any instrumentalist. The time it takes for a musician to hone skills, develop a repertoire and then learn to trust his or her instincts is... more
When the history of Jazz during the COVID-19 pandemic gets written, Armen Donelian warrants a detailed chapter. Though he composed more than a dozen new pieces through the spring of 2021, the veteran... more
When we come to live with dogs we don't think, at first, about the proto-dogs some tens of thousands of years ago who first wandered into a group of humans and was taken in. We don't think, at first,... more
Quartet+ is music composed and arranged by women, made possible by a NYC Women's Fund grant. Largely conceived during the Covid-19 pandemic, it celebrates the dynamic creativity of the city I call... more
It is hard not to be moved by the singularly brilliant voice of Charles Mingus. In reinterpreting his tunes and those of other Black voices, Stephanie Nilles knows that she is privileged and remains... more
Roberts's new recording, Science of Love, finds the longtime stalwart of the creative Downtown music scene returning to New York City, after raising a family in Ithaca, NY, in an effort to rekindle... more
On his inspiring new album, Da Fé, saxophonist and composer Dan Blake pays tribute to the and political activists who've offered him hope while adding his own singular voice to the out for solutions.... more
The great bassist and composer Charles Mingus had his diehard supporters and detractors. His explosive intermingling of devil may care attitude, imposing character and aggressive music was sure to... more
Saxophonist and composer Logan Strosahl has reanimated one of the most influential of those works through his own idiosyncratic music. Like the protagonist, Sir Gawain, Logan Strosahl took his own... more
MARCH 2020 saw much of the world shut down due to the COVID-19 outbreak. At first there was this foreboding sense of emptiness. Time slowed down. Our home, New York City, which is usually filled with... more
Hailed as "a blazing hot mess of awesome" by The New York City Jazz Record, the Michael Leonhart Orchestra (MLO) traverses a huge swath of musical terrain, guided by the highly developed ears,... more
On Sanctuary, the gifted drummer and composer Matt Slocum continues his long-standing practice of documenting original music and arrangements, eight songlike pieces in total. It's his fourth recorded... more
Vinyl LP pressing. Caipi is the first release by Kurt Rosenwinkel on his new independent label, Heartcore Records which is hosted by Razdaz, the label of Avishai Cohen.. "I am pleased with this new... more
Regarding the trio on this recording: every beat Buster Williams plays is imbued with tremendous individuality and power. Billy Hart's shimmering ride cymbal is a constant revelation. Billy turned 80... more
There is something entrancing about the natural cycle of water. There is the constant ebb and flow. Then there are the nearly limitless variations, like the lightness of sprinkling rain, babbling... more