Yesterday we unveiled Nextbop's Best Jazz Albums of 2019, which was compiled by our staff as a whole. Today, we continue our Season of Lists with Editor-in-Chief Anthony Dean-Harris' Favorite Jazz Albums of 2019. There's something kind of lovely about the lack of one major cohesive idea present in the genre of jazz at the moment. The idea of what the music can be is larger … [Read more...]
Nextbop’s Best Jazz Albums of 2019
It was an amazing year for jazz music. The genre is constantly evolving and pushing the limits of creativity. Jazz musicians have a real talent for drawing inspiration from other musical styles while always staying rooted in a century of tradition. New directions are emerging, new stars are rising, seasoned veterans are redefining their sound. It's such a blessing to be part of … [Read more...]
Javier Santiago’s New Ropeadope Album ‘B-Sides: The Phoenix Sessions’ Reviewed
It cannot be said that Javier Santiago plays the keys without a sense of lyricism and tension. It cannot be said that Santiago doesn't compose songs with powerful arcs that don't let go. In his Ropeadope debut last year, Phoenix, Javier Santiago did this all over, and he did it as a jazz fusion masterpiece, but that may have been due to the tools used for the job, leaning more … [Read more...]
Trumpeter Yazz Ahmed’s Ropeadope Debut ‘Polyhymnia’ Reviewed
It's no secret to those that follow jazz that London is one of the places to be right now. The English capital has an exciting young scene. Bahraini-British trumpeter Yazz Ahmed is extremely active within this scene, having released her sophomore record, the much acclaimed La Saboteuse, in 2017. La Saboteuse was composed of many original compositions that featured a potent … [Read more...]
Trumpeter Russell Gunn Discusses his Latest Album, Ancient Dogon Knowledge, and his Quest for Truth
Pyramids, Russell Gunn's newest album with The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra, came out last month on the Ropeadope label. We caught up with the trumpeter, composer, and bandleader to discuss the record, his artistic vision rooted in ancient Dogon knowledge, his musical identity and its ties to hip hop culture, as well as his quest for truth, meaning, and purpose. Read the interview … [Read more...]