The music had started sounding the same to me, and I feared that I could not listen—or hear—anymore. Then, within a week or so, I came across these five albums—from John Lurie, American Patchwork Quartet, Alexvndria, the Yes! Trio, and Allison Burik—that sound nothing like one another. Thank goodness. Here are five short (mostly) reviews to whet your appetite.
Further proof, if any were needed, that jazz is a global music is delivered by these new releases from people who are not from the United States. On New York Paradox, the Moroccan/Yemenite bassist Omer Avital offers original compositions inflected with the vibes of Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East, and his quartet grooves them beautifully. From Canada comes multireed player Dennis Kwok, heading a well-disciplined big band of millennials playing his original suite, Outward Bound.
Various preoccupations have slowed my listening and reviewing, so to pick up some of the slack, “Something for Everyone” features short reviews of six groups, covering a wide range of styles and sensibilities. Featured artists in part 2 include H M C, the Yes trio, and the Matt Slocum trio.
