CD Reviews

[Photo portrays the Ravita Group: Left to right: Greg Small, Phil Ravita, Deirdre Jennings, Mark Leppo, Luc Vega. In front: Paul Carr] While jogging under a beaming afternoon sun for his daily cardio, bassist/composer Phil Ravita approached an abandoned building disfigured with shattered windows. | Read more>> Read More

Sun Ra, the legendary composer, bandleader, and cosmic pioneer of improvisational might, continues to captivate audiences decades after his passing, thanks to the ongoing excavation of his vast archival material. Lights on a Satellite: Live at the Left Bank (2024), released by Resonance Records, is a newly unearthed gem from one of his most electrifying performances, captured at Baltimore’s Left Bank Jazz Society on July 23, 1978 [see related article]. | Read more>> Read More

[Photo credit: Leo Howard Lebow] n their delightful new album, Next of Kin, Mark Osteen’s Cold Spring Jazz Quartet (CSJQ) takes listeners on a rhythm-driven journey dedicated to the band’s loved ones for inspiring the music on the album.  But the definition of “loved ones” goes beyond immediate family to include all living things on the planet. | Read more>> Read More

[Photo credit: Efrain Ribeiro] Baltimore percussionist Mike Kuhl has a new release entitled Diverging Passages.  Kuhl has been a fixture in the Baltimore jazz scene for decades in many different bands, and many different styles.  From straight-ahead, to free jazz, to the avant-garde to Venezuelan jazz, and many more, Kuhl has held down the rhythm section.  | Read more>> Read More

For fans of his groovy, rhythm-oriented jazz, Lafayette Gilchrist’s latest album Undaunted is a welcome addition to a growing catalog of great, diggable music by one of Baltimore’s most recognizable pianists. For non-fans, what’s the hold-up? Time to get on board! | Read more>> Read More