In Common is an album co-led by tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, guitarist Matthew Stevens, vibraphonist Joel Ross, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Marcus Gilmore. It's an album with a clean and pure quality to it. It's a straight-ahead jazz album without all the conventions. It's definitely contemporary, but it doesn't exactly swing. These songs aren't trying to rock … [Read more...]
Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire Unveils 22-minute Album Trailer for ‘Origami Harvest’
Ambrose Akinmusire’s fourth studio album, Origami Harvest, drops tomorrow once again on the famed Blue Note label. We’ve already written about the project, which features New York’s Mivos Quartet on strings, Das Racist’ Kool A.D. on the mic, and Walter Smith III on tenor, with the core band comprised of pianist Sam Harris and drummer Marcus Gilmore, in greater details. However, … [Read more...]
Ambrose Akinmusire Drops First Single Off New Album ‘Origami Harvest’
Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire has always pushed the envelope, bringing about unabashed avant-gardism and exultant individualism to the music he so lovingly creates. His latest project is no different. Stemming from a challenge given to him by curators Judd Greenstein of Manhattan’s Ecstatic Music Festival and Kate Nordstrum of St. Paul's Liquid Music Series, Akinmusire was a … [Read more...]
Walter Smith III – “Ask Me Now”
Saxophonist Walter Smith III has a new album on the horizon. TWIO to be released February 9 on Whirlwind Recordings, features Smith’s trio comprised of bassist Harish Raghavan and drummer Eric Harland with guest appearances by Joshua Redman and Christian McBride. “For this album, out of around twenty recorded songs, I chose nine pieces that I have a particular relationship with … [Read more...]
Lauren Desberg Releases ‘Twenty-First Century Problems’ (Stream)
We have to admit we have a soft spot for vocalist Lauren Desberg over here at Nextbop. The young Berklee graduate, originally from LA now living in NYC, has a real knack for unearthing unusual standards or old-ish pop songs and breathing new life into them with her unique and refreshing jazz-pop aesthetics as well as surrounding herself with truly stellar musicians. We loved … [Read more...]