All artists filed by last name under J, K and L :
In a moment when poetry is blindfolded in the labyrinth of world politics, trying to find its way to the solutions, Lane gives us the rational route. She has put her fragile eggs (bubbles) in the basket of balance and harmony, the ironic optimism that suffuses her compassionate and intelligent writing… These are not classical puzzles planted as they are in history. They are Now. — Linda Rogers. Continue reading
The Burning Mirror Kerry Shawn Keys Author: Kerry Shawn Keys | ISBN: 0977252493 : 9780977252497 | Format: Paperback | Size: 140 x 215mm | Pages: 92 | Weight: .134 Kg. … Continue reading
Lyn Lifshin’s mirror poems may be taken individually and as a suite. Few poets can extend a metaphor in so many directions. Lifshin’s poetic power is evident in these imagistic variations on the theme of ‘insight’ in its many facets. Continue reading
Richard Twardzik’s“1954 Improvisations,” with its home recording on a dim acetate as well as an untuned piano for the first six of twelve numbers, is still a rare and significant find indeed. Digitally remastered, it makes the best of serious drawbacks. Twardzik, who lived only from 1931 to 1955, made very few recordings. A promising star, extinguished too soon by a self-inflicted drug overdose, he left us with a scant 23 sides with Charlie Mariano (1961/1953), Serge Chaloff (1954), and Chet Baker (1955). In addition to one (1951) number with Bird, and an impossible to get 1954 trio album under his own name; hence, these additional 12 performances, in any form, are treasures. — Coda Magazine Continue reading
“He is a true ‘Jazz Singer,’ meaning someone who uses their voice as an instrument instead of merely interpreting lyrics… A flair for dramatic scale-climbing improvisations, and a silken singing voice that can tell a story. Bob Casanova is a talent.”- Jerome Wilson, Cadence Magazine Continue reading
A student of Connie Crothers, his style also has traces of the linear, knotted approach of Lennie Tristano. All told, it’s an interesting, stylistic synthesis of measure and exuburance, form and freedom, light and shade. What unites the various approaches-from the relative barrage of “Terra’s Ascension” to the fragile lyricism of “Pleiadian Soundscape” -is Leibowitz’s intensity and focus…this is a pretty rich program of music.”– Jason Bivins, Cadence Magazine Continue reading
Thereis a small, specialized subgenre of jazz that occurs when out-cats decide to come in from the cold and play it (relatively) straight for a tune or two. (Think Eric Dolphy exhausting “You Don’t Know What Love Is”on Last Date, or Alber Ayler croaking“Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.” The fun comes from the tension created by turmoil under voluntary temporary restraint. Nod has some of that tension (and fun). Jessica Jones and her husband, Tony Jones, are perhaps the only avant-garde, tenor-sax playing man-and-wife tandem in jazz. Their 15-year track record revolves around experimental composition, freer forms and collective improvisation. But the Joneses planned Nod as “a tribute to the jazz guys (and gals) in the lineage.” The result is an approachable, intriguing album, full of surprise and positive energy. Continue reading
Liebowitz and Field mix freely improvised tracks with very loose versions of standards like “Melancholy Baby” and “Out of Nowhere.” Field’s free playing (especially on the standards) is very coherent and eminently lyrical, using the tune’s melodic contours as a guide, while straying somewhat afield of the traditional harmonies. Liebowitz as much as ignores the changes completely. I imagine that she’s playing off the melody as interpreted by Field, probably keeping the harmonic rhythm in mind to a degree, but relying mostly on her musical instincts, which are usually fine. The totally improvised cuts (especially the title track) are an unqualified success, though I wish they’d stretched them out a little more. The tunes are rathertoo familiar in their original form to stand up to this kind of treatment; the weight of historical expectation lies heavy on every note, which can be a distraction. I suppose had one never heard “All of Me,” however, he orshe could easily accept Liebowitz and Field’s rendering as definitive. Quite an unusual album, and one worth hearing. — Chris Kelsy, Jazz Now (on line jazz magazine, New Sounds page, Oct. 1995) Continue reading
However this is a great example of musicians ridding the music of all pretenses favor of creative interplay and living in the moment. On the closer, “Over The Rainbow”, Levine’s lazy reading of the melody is supported hand-in-glove by Littman’s guitar. Click is a testament to approaching music with a sense of humor and fearlessness, and duo has achieved some fine results. — Joe Knipes,Jazz Improv Magazine November 2006 Continue reading
The Duo delves deep into the throes of cerebral celebration . . . intriguing dialogues . .” – John Murphy, June 1999 Jazztimes Continue reading