Another message the festival conveyed was that while in recent years, the jazz world has lost some of the giants of jazz such as Pharoah Sanders, Wayne Shorter, Ellis Marsalis and most recently Quincy Jones, jazz is being revitalised by players such Blanchard and harpist Brandee Younger, singers such as the innovative Jazzmeia Horn and Nicole Zuraitis, and drummers like Antonio Sanchez, who following his well-timed accompaniment to the film Birdman, showcased a dynamite solo.
“Don’t be fooled by what appears to be a conventional chordless quartet; this band sounds more like a deconstructed rock band in slow motion.”
Sounds Australia and the Australian Music Centre now host a dedicated Australian booth at jazzahead!, and coordinate a range of activities for Australian delegates who make their way to Bremen.
For DiMattina, Stella is a labour of love, and her fascination and admiration for Franklin show through.
Xani is a virtuoso musician who sees no boundaries in music. At times during the concert, she tapped a rhythm on her violin; other times, used her fingers along the strings to find the exact effect she wanted.
Jazzmeia Horn’s scatting is like nothing I’ve ever heard — her originality of interpretation transcends.
The audience was treated to Kurt Elling’s distinctive, creative vocalese, punctuated by the scintillating lyrical embellishments of guitarist Charlie Hunter as well as his masterful solos. It was a case of dual sheer artistry.
What makes Ally Hocking Howe’s EP ‘The Feather Came First’ a great listen is not the music itself, but the promise it carries: the promise of a great composer, and a great musician, who can mover through genres and blend elements from all sorts of sources to create something new
“Hilary Geddes is equally comfortable using her guitar to evoke ambient spacious soundscapes as she is weaving single note melodies through complex chord changes, generating raucous energy through angular lines and overdriven rock solos.”
With these two recent albums, one solo piano, another an ensemble project, Keyna Wilkins shows something of her style and musical imagination.
