Page 7 – Best of Jazz

Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens De Couleur Libres

Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens De Couleur Libres was the first installment of an ongoing musical project that would explore the history and legacy of Black Americans. Drawing on a diverse range of musical traditions, including jazz, gospel, folk, and experimental music, American composer and saxophonist Matana Roberts created a powerful and deeply personal work that spoke to the struggles and triumphs of her ancestors.

Jazz April 2023

What’s new to discover in jazz this month? This is our April 2023 selection of albums that have already been released. These got our full attention and should be worth your time! The albums are ordered by their release date.

The 9 Best Jazz Clubs in New York

The Big Apple and jazz music go together like Paris and expressionist art. New Yorkers have listened to jazz in smoky late-night clubs since the early 1900s. While cigarette smoke may have vacated the premises in 2002, jazz in The City That Never Sleeps is still going strong, having endured now for over a century.

African Americans led the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, birthing musicians such as Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong. Spots such as The Cotton Club and Carnegie Hall survived prohibition, mob rule, and segregation to deliver jazz to flappers, gangsters, budding musicians, tourists, and of course, late-night revelers looking to dance.

Breath Of Air – Breath Of Air

Breath Of Air is a trio formed by guitarist Brandon Ross, violinist Charles Burnham, and drummer Warren Benbow. Their first album, Breath Of Air, was recorded in 2019 and 2020 and it was released on August 5, 2022, by Burning Ambulance Music.

21st-Century Krautrock

Krautrock is considered a historical genre since while it was active during the 1970s, it is not as prominent in the 2020s. Yet, the influence of Krautrock can still be heard in various genres of music such as electronic, ambient, and post-rock, and it continues to be a source of inspiration for many contemporary musicians.

Some of the original Krautrock bands are still active and perform live occasionally. Additionally, there are also new bands that continue to create music influenced by Krautrock, and the genre has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, with a renewed interest in its influence and history.

Miles Davis – Birth of the Cool

When Miles Davis began recording Birth of the Cool he was only twenty-one years old. Recorded in the sacred period between the post-hard bebop era and the ‘cool jazz’ movement, the album is a listening necessity. Yet, the record was actually recorded eight years before its timely release. Seen as a key piece of recorded music at the end of the 1940s, the seminal record actually had a massive influence on the period of jazz music that followed its release in 1957.

The Best Krautrock Albums

First things first. Why should we talk about the best Krautrock albums on this blog as it is not directly related to jazz? Correct!? But it has been for sure influenced by the improvisation and experimentalism of jazz music, plus as it has produced some amazing albums during the late the 70s, we thought that would be enough to allow us a deep dive into the very unique “kosmische musik” genre.

And to be honest, we simply love it!

George Benson – Breezin’

Breezin’ by George Benson – Song by Song Album Review

Breezin’ is George Benson’s fifteenth studio album released in 1976 and produced by Tommy Lipuma. Here you will find the complete song-by-song album review of Breezin’.

Breezin’ is one of the best albums for Benson and his group’s career. This 70’s masterpiece gave George Benson true popularity: he combined his softer focused R&B, funk, and jazz-flavored work for some kind of amazing smooth jazz.

Miles Davis – Kind of Blue

It is an instantly recognizable album cover; Davis in a blue suit, lips puffed, about to blow his trumpet; the black backdrop, the Columbia logo, and the album’s title typed in blue. Not only is Kind of Blue considered Miles Davis’s magnum opus and masterpiece, but it is also regularly billed as one of the best albums of all time, not to mention the greatest-ever jazz album.

John Coltrane – Giant Steps

There is a well-known Latin phrase Omne trium perfectum which put simply, means “everything that comes in threes is perfect”. Nobody knows where the principle of the perfect set of three originally came from but it is a philosophy the Ancient Greeks recognized and carried into the future. It is a phrase still used today, albeit heavily paraphrased.