With a career spanning nearly two decades, you’ve probably heard of bassist and composer Dezron Douglas by now. Douglas was a prominent part of Makaya McCraven’s Universal Beings last year, Nextbop’s favorite album of 2018, and has appeared on other albums by the likes of Glenn Zaleski, Duane Eubanks, J. D. Allen, and Cyrus Chestnut, without mentioning stage appearances along … [Read more...]
Henry Threadgill 14 or 15 Kestra: Agg – ‘Dirt… And More Dirt’
At this point in Henry Threadgill's career, we already know the dynamic. Everything else is a refinement of those shifting polyrhythms, those floating melodies that skirt about the tonal and the atonal like hummingbirds at springtime, and that ever-present feeling that all this art just wouldn't work if you just couldn't help but keep tapping your foot. It's all there with … [Read more...]
Maria Grand – ‘TetraWind’
Tenor saxophonist/vocalist María Grand is on Steve Coleman's next album (Morphogenesis with Coleman's group, Natal Eclipse, is out June 23rd on Pi Recordings). Based on her four-song EP, TetraWind, based on each of the four directions, it's understandable why. Her style of composition has that same circular feel to it that is propelled by a steady beat. Her sound feels … [Read more...]
Josh Evans – “Chronic Mistakes” (Stream)
Trumpeter Josh Evans is set to release a new album on Oliver Lake's Passin' Thru imprint, Hope and Despair, on September 18th. It's a quite decent straight-ahead affair with Evans as a vibrant voice working alongside and equally respectable band. To get ready for the imminent release, Evans' has just released the song "Chronic Mistakes". Check out the stream after the … [Read more...]
Aidan Carroll – “Apollo Song” (Video)
Bassist Aidan Carroll released his debut Original Vision last March. Check out a live version of Carroll’s “Apollo Song” filmed at Rockwood Music Hall last April during the album release party. The band is John Ellis on tenor sax, Godwin Louis on alto sax, David Bryant on piano and Justin Brown on drums. … [Read more...]