Kevin Whitehead

Kevin Whitehead appears in the following:

Jazz Legend Sonny Rollins Revisits Past Performances With 'Holding The Stage'

Thursday, April 28, 2016

The 85-year-old saxophonist's new album features live recordings made between 1979 and 2012. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead calls Holding The Stage a "mixed bag" with a few "real gems."

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Henry Threadgill Doubles Up On 'Old Locks And Irregular Verbs'

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

The Pulitzer Prize-winning composer doesn't play on his new jazz album, but critic Kevin Whitehead says Old Locks and Irregular Verbs is nevertheless a perfect introduction to Threadgill's voice.

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Guitar Prodigy Julian Lage Finds His Sweet Spot With 'Arclight'

Monday, April 11, 2016

Lage mixes jazz, blues and swing on his new trio album with Scott Colley and Kenny Wollesen. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says that Lage really hits his stride in Arclight.

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Ortiz's 'Hidden Voices' Mixes Cuban Strains With Modern Jazz

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Pianist Aruán Ortiz grew up in Cuba and lived in Spain a few years before moving to the US in 2002. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says Ortiz's new trio music is fully bilingual.

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'All My Yesterdays' Captures The Beginning Of A 50-Year Engagement

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Music from Thad Jones and Mel Lewis' first and seventh Mondays at the Village Vanguard is out on a new two-CD set. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says All My Yesterdays explodes with creative energy.

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New Box Set Shows Off The Twisted Rhythms Of Jazz Pianist James P. Johnson

Tuesday, February 09, 2016

Johnson was one of the greatest pianists of his time. Critic Kevin Whitehead says the Classic James P. Johnson Sessions (1921-1943) "paints a portrait of a working virtuoso."

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The Riffs And Rhythms That Led To Jazz As We Know It

Monday, February 01, 2016

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band's first recording in Feb. 1917 is often cited as the first jazz record ever, but critic Kevin Whitehead says that the roots of jazz stretch a little further back.

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From Meditation Music To Whaling Songs, 2 New Records Showcase Berendt's Mashups

Monday, January 18, 2016

German producer and musicologist Joachim-Ernst Berendt was an early champion of so-called world music. Critic Kevin Whitehead reviews two cross-cultural rarities Berendt produced in the late 1960s.

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Saxophonist Scott Hamilton Harmonizes With The Jeff Hamilton Trio On 'Live In Bern'

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

For years, Scott Hamilton toured as a soloist. Recently he recorded a new album with drummer Jeff Hamilton's band. Critic Kevin Whitehead says the record showcases Scott Hamilton's ageless style.

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Jazz Master Kenny Barron Dazzles As A Soloist 'At The Piano'

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Barron, an official NEA Jazz Master, shines on his recently reissued 1981 solo album. Critic Kevin Whithead says the album is beguiling "no matter how fast or slow or loud or quiet [Barron] gets."

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Percussive Piano And Rollicking Swing Float Matthew Shipp's 'Conduct Of Jazz'

Monday, December 07, 2015

Shipp, a mainstay of New York's downtown free jazz scene, likes big blocky chords and loud piano sounds. Critic Kevin Whitehead says the new album by the Matthew Shipp trio is "heavy in a good way."

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'On The Way To Two' Offers A Snapshot Of A True Jazz Partnership

Thursday, November 12, 2015

The posthumous release of an album recorded 10 years ago showcases the interplay between the late trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and his longtime pianist John Taylor. Critic Kevin Whitehead has a review.

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The 'Complete Bee Hive Recordings' Buzz With The Energy Of '70s Mainstream Jazz

Monday, November 02, 2015

A new 12-CD box set by Mosaic features a number of superior musicians who aren't household names, like saxophonists Nick Brignola and Sal Nistico. Critic Kevin Whitehead has a review.

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'Tomeka Reid Quartet' Offers A Tightly Synchronized Mix Of Cello And Guitar

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Cellist Tomeka Reid was headed toward a career as a classical musician, but was drawn to jazz. Critic Kevin Whitehead says her band's new album, The Tomeka Reid Quartet, has good chemistry all around.

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Singer Blurs The Lines Between East And West On 'Sounds And Cries Of the World'

Monday, October 05, 2015

Singer Jen Shyu was born in Illinois, but spent years in East Asia, studying regional music, languages and literature. Critic Kevin Whitehead says that Shyu's research echoes throughout her new album.

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Revisiting The Intense Twists And Turns Of Garner's 'Concert By The Sea'

Monday, September 21, 2015

In 1955, pianist Erroll Garner's trio played in Carmel, Calif. A new complete edition of the Concert By The Sea album has just been released. Critic Kevin Whitehead has a review.

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A Working Jazz Band Shows Off Its Polish In 'Canada Day IV'

Monday, September 14, 2015

Eight years ago, jazz drummer and composer Harris Eisenstadt put together a quintet called Canada Day. Critic Kevin Whitehead says the group's new album shows the wisdom of sticking together.

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Jazz Vocalist Issues A Convincing Calling Card With 'Nothing But Soul'

Friday, August 28, 2015

In her debut album, Tiffany Austin puts her own improvisational, jazzy spin on songs by the late composer Hoagy Carmichael. Critic Kevin Whitehead calls Austin "a singer to keep an ear on."

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'The Thompson Fields' Mixes Prairie Dreaming With A Big-Band Beat

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Composer Maria Schneider draws on her rural Minnesota roots in her new album. Critic Kevin Whitehead says that while Schneider can do grandeur, "once in awhile, the majesty gets a little too purple."

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Trombonist Ku-umba Frank Lacy Brings 'Ernest Intensity' To 'Mingus Sings'

Wednesday, August 05, 2015

Ku-umba Frank Lacy provides vocals on the new record by the Mingus Big Band. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says the album, which is dedicated to the late Charles Mingus, is "worthy of the Mingus brand."

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