Mar 30, 2026 10:30 PM
Flea Finds His Jazz Thing
In the relatively small pantheon of certifiable rock stars venturing into the intersection of pop music and jazz, the…
Verve/UMe’s Acoustic Sounds Series continues to deliver with a trio of great new albums and plenty more to come.
In February, the label reissued the Oscar Peterson Trio’s Night Train, a romp through the American Songbook from the title track to “I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good.” It also presents Peterson’s “Hymn To Freedom,” which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. Add Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums and you’ve got pure magic.
In March, the label released the grooving Alice Coltrane album Journey In Satchidananda, featuring saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. First released in 1971, the music sounds as fresh as today.
And, in April, the label unleashes Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio’s 1965 live recording Smokin’ At The Half Note, a blistering affair released, in part, to celebrate the centennial of Montgomery’s birth on March 6. All releases in the series have been mastered in stereo from the original analog tapes and pressed on 180-gram vinyl. DB
(shop.ververecords.com)
“Cerebral and academic thought is a different way to approach music,” Flea says of his continuing dive into jazz. “I’ve always relied on emotion and intuition and physicality.”
Mar 30, 2026 10:30 PM
In the relatively small pantheon of certifiable rock stars venturing into the intersection of pop music and jazz, the…
“These days, with curated news, where people only get half the story, people can’t even speak to family members anymore,” Schneider laments.
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Maria Schneider is doing her part to try to fix what ails America. Which got her thinking about crows, specifically,…
Each of the 25 JAMs has delivered a poster featuring a jazz legend that is sent out to schools across the nation. This year’s poster features Tony Bennett.
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Every April for the past quarter century, something remarkable has happened across the United States and far beyond.…
Cécile McLorin Salvant busts out Jelly Roll Morton’s “The Murder Ballad” at Big Ears, here with pianist Sullivan Fortner.
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There’s pluralism, then there’s PLURALISM! — and then there’s Big Ears. Thurston Moore, who participated in…
“We thought it’s important that Ronin has a new statement,” said Nik Bärtsch of his band’s latest album, Spin. “The sound is differently produced, so it reflects more of who we are.”
Apr 21, 2026 10:00 AM
Nik Bärtsch cuts an imposing figure on stage. He’s unmistakable with his soul patch, shaven head and black attire.…
