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…
ECM continues to issue new albums on vinyl, with the latest batch of LPs released in March.
Pianist Bobo Stenson’s trio with bassist Anders Jormin and percussionist Jon Fält captivates on Sphere, a deep breath of open spontaneity where nuance and understated interplay offer a sophisticated improvisational experience.
Ralph Towner’s At First Light presents the guitarist delivering a stunning solo performance marked by tone, taste and joy. “My solo recordings have always included my own compositions, in which there are trace elements of the many composers and musicians that have attracted me,” Towner writes in the liner notes. Those influences include everyone from George Gershwin and John Coltrane to Bill Evans and Jon Dowland.
Ralph Alessi’s It’s Always Now presents the trumpeter in a new quartet setting. Moving to Switzerland in 2020 gave him an opportunity to play with a new set of musicians, including pianist Florian Weber, drummer Gerry Hemingway and bassist Bänz Lester on this recording. DB
(ecmrecords.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.
Mar 10, 2026 1:43 PM
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.
Mar 30, 2026 10:20 PM
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.
Apr 7, 2026 1:21 PM
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.…
