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Ant Law: Unified Theories

by Neil Duggan
Guitarist Ant Law exemplifies the modern jazz polymath. Beyond leading his own quintet, he maintains a musical partnership with British/Turkish vocalist Brigitte Beraha, sustains an ongoing collaboration with saxophonist Alex Hitchcock and co-leads the innovative Trio HLK. This venture sees him forming an entirely new ensemble for their debut release, Unified Theories, all while continuing collaborations with renowned artists including Linda May Han Oh, Tim Garland and Jeff Ballard. Law's background mirrors his musical versatility. Raised in Jeddah, ...
Continue ReadingFini Bearman: Last Night of the World

by Neil Duggan
As professor of Jazz Voice and Songwriting at London's Guildhall School, Fini Bearman naturally incorporates songwriting exercises into her teaching. Over time, some of the songs born from these sessions evolved into fully realised pieces, several of which now appear on her fifth album, Last Night of The World. Bearman brings an impressive jazz pedigree to the project. A celebrated singer, composer, and instrumentalist, she has earned nominations for London Jazz Singer of the Year from the Global ...
Continue ReadingTim Garland: Moment Of Departure

by Neil Duggan
For Tim Garland, the title, Moment of Departure, describes the dive into the fresh unknown as improvisors, leaving the solid ground of what has been composed." Many of the tracks were inspired by the free-flowing artwork of Turkish painter Esra Kizir Gokcen. Her own migrant narrative provides the alternative meaning for the title. This combination of musical control and liberty has been at the heart of the Lighthouse Trio, who will mark their 20th anniversary in 2024. The ...
Continue ReadingJohannes Berauer: Vienna Chamber Diaries plus Strings

by Fiona Ord-Shrimpton
Johannes Berauer's album, Vienna Chamber Diaries plus Strings on Basho Records, is a jewel of emotional weathering to illuminate hearts after an unexpected and extended era of sadness. Berauer is a modern thinking, cross-over, chamber jazz Jedi. Perfecting the placement of elegant, exciting, heart easing, and harmonising in nine arrangements of exacting and uplifting joy, The Vienna Chamber Diaries plus Strings are a rollercoaster of gentle impulses and elation. The assembly of soloists is prescient, assured and propulsive. ...
Continue ReadingPat Metheny: From This Place

by Chris M. Slawecki
When a musician of Pat Metheny's pedigree writes, From This Place is one of the records I have been waiting to make my whole life," it seems prudent to listen. Each of these ten new compositions seems to reflect a different aspect of Metheny as composer and guitarist, casting his bright and articulate voice in various configurations of his core band (Welsh pianist Gwilym Simcock, Malaysian/Australian bassist Linda May Han Oh, and drummer Antonio Sanchez, whose tenure with ...
Continue ReadingPat Metheny: From This Place

by Emmanuel Di Tommaso
Sono vari i motivi per i quali è difficile trattenere l'entusiasmo di fronte all'uscita di From This Place, ritorno su disco di Pat Metheny. Il piacere dell'attesa, innanzitutto: ben sei anni sono trascorsi dall'uscita del precedente album in studio Kin () (Nonesuch, 2014), un lasso di tempo che ai fans più appassionati sarà sembrato infinito, considerata la prolificità di Metheny nel corso della sua quarantennale carriera. Altro fattore di entusiasmo è sicuramente il trio che accompagna Metheny in ...
Continue ReadingPat Metheny: From This Place

by John Kelman
It's been a full six years since Pat Metheny last released a studio recording. This, despite the guitarist who has become, in a career now in the midst of its fifth decade, one of the most famous and influential jazz guitarists of his (or, some would argue, any) generation, reportedly having enough material in the can for five or six releases. Nor is it as if he hasn't kept busy. The guitarist, for whom live performance has always ...
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