By John Murph
I LOVE LIFE even when I’m hurting, the title of the new album from saxophonist and composer Dave McMurray, is an affirmation of his indomitable spirit. It’s also a celebration of the love that he has for his hometown of Detroit, and for the many musicians with which he’s... read more
By Lauren Du Graf
In the spring of 2023, while on tour in Portugal, Aaron Parks had a dream. It concerned an upcoming week of shows at the Village Vanguard, where he was scheduled that July to play alongside the bassist Ben Street and drummer Billy Hart. The trio had been intermittently active... read more
By Evan Haga
Converse with the saxophonist and flutist Charles Lloyd — a titan of an improviser, still digging deep onstage at age 87 — and you will inevitably arrive at this subject: gratitude.
He generously bestows his gratitude in multiple directions: upon his musical heroes, his... read more
By Shannon J. Effinger
For Johnathan Blake, music has always been a family affair. The drummer and bandleader’s previous Blue Note album, Passage (2023), was an homage to his father and chief mentor, the late jazz violinist John Blake Jr. The album cover features a sepia-toned snapshot of... read more
By Evan Haga
On NUEVA TIMBA, the new Blue Note album from the Cuban-born pianist Harold López-Nussa, the jazz vanguard meets multiple eras of Cuba’s musical history with results that are at once accessible, life-affirming and strikingly accomplished. Featuring a core of unmatched talent —... read more
By Evan Haga
Every artist who records for Blue Note is part of a grand legacy, now in its 86th year. But pianist Paul Cornish is a torchbearer for several remarkable Blue Note legacies, all at once. Which makes You’re Exaggerating!, his powerfully lyrical trio debut for the label, a mission... read more
By Nate Mercereau, Josh Johnson, Carlos Niño
Openness Trio is a title that could easily be the name of this group – “openness” is the ideal word and description for what is happening here. Listening, Immersive Emoting, Deep Communication, Discovery, Trust, Exploration, and arriving to... read more
By Bob Blumenthal
Joshua Redman acknowledges that the title of his new Blue Note album, Words Fall Short, could be viewed ironically. His previous and widely acclaimed where are we was his first to pair a vocalist with one of his many monumental Quartets; yet Words Fall Short is anything but a... read more