Venezuelan pianist and Guggenheim Fellow Edward Simon is just about as well respected as anyone in the realm of jazz piano. His accolades include stints with Greg Osby and Terence Blanchard’s bands plus he’s been a member of the prestigious SFJAZZ collective since 2015. All this to say that when he puts out a record, as is the case with his latest Sorrows and Triumphs, out now … [Read more...]
Caroline Davis – ‘Heart Tonic’
Alto saxophonist Caroline Davis knows her way around a tune. Her songs on her new album, Heart Tonic, can be angular, smooth, poppy, earnest jams, or driving runs. She's a player and a composer with a great deal of range and enchanting execution, and she leads a damn fine band, too. Davis plays the alto sax with a sweetness that lets her more divergent choices work. The same … [Read more...]
Gilad Hekselman – “Last Train Home” (Interactive Video)
Guitarist Gilad Hekselman is consistently captivating. His 2013 album, This Just In, is such a strong release that I still personally keep it in rotation and may feel a bit distraught that I may have to divide my attention from it a single drop to make way for Hekselman's new release, Homes, out next month. However, Homes is yet another fantastic album that we'll rant and rave … [Read more...]