Sara Serpa: Intimate Strangers (Biophilia)
The vocalist Sara Serpa has a way with words. First of all, when she references a classic, it’s as likely to be John Steinbeck as … Read More “Sara Serpa: Intimate Strangers (Biophilia)”
Reviews
Dan Weiss’ Starebaby: Natural Selection (Pi)
Don’t let the title fool you. The second album from Starebaby—Dan Weiss’ malleable, metal-leaning avant-garde outfit—takes more cues from David Lynch than Charles Darwin. Feeding … Read More “Dan Weiss’ Starebaby: Natural Selection (Pi)”
Gordon Grdina: Nomad Trio (Skirl)
One trait of avant-garde jazz is that it often dispenses with niceties and throws you right into a shitstorm. On “Wildfire,” the first track here, … Read More “Gordon Grdina: Nomad Trio (Skirl)”
Matt Mitchell: Phalanx Ambassadors (Pi)
Matt Mitchell’s vision is a model of wonky brilliance. The magnitude of his personal and artistic ambition has been stated clearly enough on previous Pi productions … Read More “Matt Mitchell: Phalanx Ambassadors (Pi)”
Matt Mitchell: A Pouting Grimace (Pi)
Why has Matt Mitchell become the go-to pianist for so many jazz artists on the fringe? His output provides the best answers, by highlighting a … Read More “Matt Mitchell: A Pouting Grimace (Pi)”
Matt Mitchell: Førage (Screwgun)
When Tim Berne played Philadelphia in 2009, the opening act was Matt Mitchell, a then-obscure pianist who blew Berne away by performing an entire set … Read More “Matt Mitchell: Førage (Screwgun)”
Matt Mitchell: Fiction
Matt Mitchell’s name began popping up on jazz radar screens around three years ago. His sideman work is distinctive and strong on notable records like … Read More “Matt Mitchell: Fiction”