Still Life
Artist: Charnett Moffett

In the 1980s and early 1990s, two groups tried to limit Charnett Moffett's creativity. On one hand, jazz purists wanted him to steer clear of fusion and confine himself to playing hard bop on the upright bass. On the other hand, there were marketing people and NAC radio programmers who urged Moffett to play unchallenging elevator Muzak. But... Read More

The Art of the Trio, Vol. 3: Songs
Artist: Brad Mehldau
Community Score: 8.00

The lyrical pianist Brad Mehldau applies his melancholy, Bill Evans/Keith Jarrett-derived approach to a set of five originals plus standards including "Young at Heart," "For All We Know," and "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," as well as covers of Nick Drake's "River Man" and Radiohead's "Exit Music (For a Film)." The always swinging and... Read More

Crossfire
Artist: Steve Davis

Davis is one of the breed of young boppers whom have mastered the idiom. Here, the trombonist leads a group mostly culled from "One for All," a conglomeration of extraordinary musicians who perform regularly together in the Big Apple. Veteran pianist Harold Mabern joins them, adding experience and depth. Davis plays a mean 'bone, strongly... Read More

This Time It's Love
Artist: Kurt Elling

After taking the jazz vocal scene by storm, Kurt Elling got in a bit over his head, gaining as many critical kudos as catcalls. On his third disc, he finds a happy medium between romantic rumination and vocal experimentation. The highlight of the disc is "Freddie's Yen for Jen," a stellar jazz experience that comes pretty damn close to... Read More

Live in Spain
Artist: Jazz Passengers

Artists ranging from Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole and Teena Marie to Sting have demonstrated that certain rock and R&B stars can successfully handle jazz-oriented or jazz-influenced situations if given the chance. Similarly, Deborah Harry made a radical departure from the type of pop-rock she was known for when, in the mid-'90s, she became the lead... Read More

The Art of the Trio, Vol. 2: Live at the Village Vanguard
Artist: Brad Mehldau

It takes a certain nerve for a young jazz artist to call an album Live at the Village Vanguard. The title evokes some mighty powerful spirits from the jazz pantheon. John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins. Bill Evans. Joe Henderson. But pianist Brad Mehldau is more than up to this daunting challenge. On this set of standards by the likes of Cole Porter,... Read More

Pure Imagination
Artist: Eric Reed

Pure Imagination finds pianist Eric Reed offering fresh arrangements of traditional pop songs from classic Broadway and Hollywood productions. Supported by bassist Reginald Veal and drummer Gregory Hutchinson, Reed offers tasteful, inventive versions of such songs as "Maria," "Hello, Young Lovers," "42nd Street," "Send in the Clowns," "Nice Work... Read More

Cream
Artist: Pat Martino

The 32 Jazz compilation Cream collects tracks from some of guitarist Pat Martino's best albums, including Consciousness and his post-brain aneurysm 1987 comeback Return. Although 32 Jazz also reissued most of the albums these cuts come from, having them in one place makes for a nice introduction to Martino's distinctive ambient "machine... Read More

Speak Low
Artist: Jeroen DeRijk

Jeroen de Rijk is a Dutch hand drummer who came to New York City in 1994 for a three-month visit to absorb its jazz scene; there, he met pianist Dado Moroni and bassist Joris Teepe, and ended up recording the eight tracks of this CD in four hours. This is fine, swinging, straight-ahead jazz, freshened up with a conga pop. While de Rijk gets... Read More

Song for the Geese
Artist: Mark Murphy

There is never much doubt that Mark Murphy is a jazz singer. He continues, even after 40 years of recording, to take wild chances on this CD. The first few songs on the set are fairly straightforward (if one can consider an uptempo rendition of "Baltimore Oriole" to be conventional). The music, which includes originals by Donald Fagen and Pat... Read More

Classic Trio
Artist: David Hazeltine

This 1997 album, featuring an impeccable rhythm section of Louis Hayes and Peter Washington, is a tour de force for pianist David Hazeltine's versatile skills as instrumentalist and composer. In addition to four very strong originals, the group tackles challenging compositions by piano masters Bud Powell and Cedar Walton, and offers fresh takes... Read More

Oasis
Artist: Chris Cody

The musicians on this CD (pianist Chris Cody, James Greening on trombone and pocket trumpet, guitarist Jon Pease, bassist Lloyd Swanton, drummer John Bartram and percussionist Fabian Hevia) will not be familiar to American listeners, but that is because they are all fixtures of the jazz scene in Sydney, Australia. They have all been in Europe at... Read More