So far my focus at OnTheListen has been exclusively jazz. But, with this post, I'm excited to begin writing about other genres. More on that later... Sentry is an up and coming high-energy, three-piece band, for those who are still sentimental about rock music of the past but want to... Continue reading

The Noah Preminger Quartet Live at Clark University Worcester's contribution to jazz is seems pretty small considering that it's New England's second largest city. Jaki Byard grew up there, though, and Mechanic's Hall has attracted Aaron Parks to record a solo record, and Brad Mehldau will be performing with the... Continue reading

The true emanation of a song, then, isn’t the structure itself but the process of finding new ways to tap into its essence through self-discovery. Patterns are not just patterns, chords not just chords, new sounds are not just sounds, they are ways to illuminate the “pure state” of ourselves to ourselves. They are “the best of what we are." Continue reading

The main thing a musician would like to do is to give a picture to the listener of the many wonderful things he knows of and senses in the universe. -John Coltrane It might seem like difficult music -- and it is -- but to us it's like we're just... Continue reading

This post is two things: first, a review of nine sets of Kurt Rosenwinkel’s New Quartet (Aaron Parks, piano; Eric Revis, bass; Justin Faulkner, drums) I heard in March; second, a preview of the material of his upcoming record (not the actual recording, but the songs), entitled “Star of Jupiter,”... Continue reading

Being a listener has always required some kind of performance aspect; in all musical contexts, it incorporates some form of reciprocal performance, of response. Dancing, for example, is the listener performing through movement the experience of listening. At jazz clubs, avid listeners bob their heads, make faces, and call out... Continue reading

I am pleased to announce the creation of my very own blog, On The Listen. This blog is dedicated to the philosophy that writing about music is a way to enrich the musical experience. Reviews, analysis, essays, listening lists - even simply attempting to put music into words - provide... Continue reading

Review of the Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet Live At The Regattabar (Cambridge, MA) March 11 - 12, 2011 I’ll begin my review with a preface. Dear reader: I usually write long reviews, but this one’s by far the longest. I had a lot to say, and with the way the writing... Continue reading

Review of Rebecca Martin, Larry and Phil Grenadier Live at the University of Maine Augusta March 9, 2011 March 9th was a homecoming of sorts for Rebecca Martin. As the acclaimed vocalist and Maine native recalled that night, the last time she performed at the University of Maine Augusta she... Continue reading

The guitar seems to be a technically limited instrument. Think about it: there are only six strings, and you can use only one hand to cover them — the other is busy with the mere task of making sure those notes get played! The piano has 88 keys on which... Continue reading

Review of Bird Songs (2010) Joe Lovano Us Five One thread that runs throughout jazz history is the conflict between maintaining the tradition and expanding beyond the tradition, adding new ideas, crashing down the current structure and rebuilding a new one. These forces can be thought of as internal and... Continue reading

Review of the Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet at the Village Vanguard (January 4-9, 2011) Continue reading