The first thing that hits you about FATHERS, the self-titled Blue Note debut by an all-star collective of groove-savvy producer-musicians, is how utterly perfect everything sounds. Not perfect as in sterile or clinical or even flawless, but perfect as in completely satisfying — digging into that... read more
By Evan Haga
Most musicians, even brilliant jazz improvisers, prioritize the present when recording and releasing new work. What kind of reviews is this record going to get? Will my fans like it? Is it going to sell?
But with his stirring new Blue Note album, The Myth We Choose, the pianist... read more
By Dan Ouellette
There’s long been a notion that Sonny Rollins, the tenor saxophone titan, never achieved in a recording studio what he was able to in his thrilling live performances. It had nothing to do with lackluster efforts on Sonny’s part. It’s more that he flourished in front of an... read more
By Stephanie Jones
“I really respect songs and I really want to honor them in the best way,” says vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa. With her riveting Blue Note debut Diavola, Cavassa makes her artistic arrival with an album that unveils her range as a band leader, a songwriter, and a fearless song... read more
From November 14 to 16 in 1985, the Joe Henderson trio held court at the Village Vanguard for a legendary 10-set engagement, some of which was recorded for Blue Note and released in 1986 as two volumes under the declarative banner The State of the Tenor. The saxophone titan was 48 at the time, and... read more
By Tina M. Campt
When Immanuel Wilkins asked me to pen liner notes for his new live album, my immediate answer was: “You had me at liner.” I had seen a glorious set he played with Kenny Barron at the Village Vanguard a year before, where one of his solos has left me feeling like I’d heard... read more
By Evan Haga
Walter Smith III ranks among the most impressive tenor saxophonists of our time, equally powerful and articulate, with a room-filling depth of sound that’s unforgettable. As an improviser, he suggests how jazz can continue to evolve in the most organic, authentic way possible;... read more
By Evan Haga
The guitarist and composer Bill Frisell — a “mild-mannered maverick [who] has made a colossal impact,” per the New Yorker — likes to remember a dream he had that transformed the way he thinks about music and his instrument. It occurred more than three decades ago, but... read more