JAGGED SPACES: AN ANTIDOTE TO ZOOM CALLS
In this odd season of pandemic-induced social distancing and assorted virtual encounters– “Zoom” world– there’s a palpable longing for the familiarity of group encounters, at a restaurant, a stadium, a church or, perhaps, a favorite jazz venue. Fortunately for those with an ear for jazz, recorded music provides a stopgap, recreating the sound if not the camaraderie of a jazz concert. | Read more>>
DRIVEN TO INNOVATE: TODD MARCUS’S NEW ALBUM, TRIO +
One of the great pleasures I take in being a participant in Baltimore’s jazz community is bearing witness to the endless stream of original and innovative projects produced by Baltimore’s exceptionally talented local musicians. Baltimore, and the Maryland-DC-Virginia area, in general, continue to be a remarkably consistent fertile ground for new musical ideas, easily equal to cities like New York, Philadelphia and Chicago . | Read more>>
Bright Moments – Ed Hrybyk
I finally cracked the debut album by Baltimore bassist Ed Hrybyk, Bright Moments — not sure what took me so long, but glad I got around to it. It’s an excellent recording of a bunch of good tunes, featuring some of Baltimore’s best musicians: Clarence Ward III, Samuel King, Daniel Wallace, Justin Taylor, Jim Hannah, Allen Bernard Branch, Sami Arefin, Matt Andrews, Shawn Simon, and of course, Ed Hrybyk on upright and electric basses. | Read more>>
Veronneau: Love & Surrender
A unique sound is a prized stylistic trait among jazz musicians. From the emergence of jazz in New Orleans cornetist Buddy Bolden’s music until now, all the jazz greats have had a sound that expresses their distinct musical personalities. A unique sound is one of the many pleasures of Veronneau, the Washington, DC-area jazz and world music group, which has recently released their fourth album, Love and Surrender. | Read more>>
On These Streets (Todd Marcus)
Shout out to longtime BJA member Todd Marcus on the release of another excellent album, On These Streets. Combining complex instrumental jazz, soulful vocals (courtesy of Eric Kennedy), and deep grooves, the music is as complicated and vibrant as the neighborhood it is written to reflect. | Read more>>