Work
The Adderleys and "Work Song" at NPR's A Blog Supreme.The disgruntled jazz critic says...Okay, okay. I know Nat and Cannonball are two of jazz's greatest dons. Believe me. I know. I know this because...
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High-Profile Distraction
The disgruntled jazz critic says...This morning, Sonny Rollins, the ancient legend of the tenor saxophone, tweeted this:Literally three minutes later, I saw this:Ah, the Jazz Video Guy. Making me go,...
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The Feeling Of Elation That Comes After A Good Bull-Fight
I review J.D. Allen's latest record, The Matador And The Bull, for Nextbop.com. Read the piece here.
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RTB Rerun: Collier & Ellington
This post was originally published on Rehearsing The Blues.*A note on terminology: In the interests of continuity between quotations and the main text, I have used the term "Negro" throughout this...
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Sometimes A Cigar Is Just A Cigar
This post places to the side many important aspects of Armstrong's career, like his later pronouncements on racial inequality. Instead, it focuses on one period of his career to make an oft-neglected...
View ArticleBetter Late Than Never
I review Joris Roelofs' latest album, which was released last September, at Nextbop.com. Read the piece here.
View ArticleGreetings From Asbury Park
The disguntled jazz critic says...I recently saw (via Ted Gioia) another article bemoaning the fact that fancy-schmancy jazz can get its act together and make some music the average listener can relate...
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Under It All (CD Review)
Kurt Rosenwinkel doesn't raise much of a ruckus. In fact, the last ruckus I remember him raising was a Facebook plea with musicians to stop raising ruckuses and get on with their music. Kurt's...
View ArticleThe Future Is Now
"Jonathan Wertheim, who calls himself, with cause, The Disgruntled Jazz Critic." Huh.Doug Ramsey mentions Tuesday's JJA webinar, "Up & Comers," in which I participated (with Angelika Beener, Alex...
View ArticleAll Or Nothing At All
The disgruntled jazz critic says...In that past, I've done the lists. Come on, don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about (or, conversely, shut up, I've already heard it). Come December (and...
View ArticleBest Of 2012: Kurt Rosenwinkel
It isn't easy to choose the best album of any given year. Besides the usual handicaps - I didn't listen to every new album, for example, so my choices are pretty subjective - there's the fact that my...
View ArticleBest Of 2012: Brad Mehldau
Brad Mehldau has done something very bold this year. He's released two full albums with his trio of Larry Grenadier and Jeff Ballard - one of originals, and one of covers, jazz and otherwise. This is a...
View ArticleNothing Is Objective
I've contributed short words of praise to nextbop's ongoing best-of list, both jazz and non-jazz. The first installment of non-jazz records is here. I disagree with everything except for what I picked;...
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The Best Of 2012: Frank Ocean
I'm sure there are hundreds of super rich kids walking around humming Frank Ocean's "Super Rich Kids" - maybe the best track on his breakout Channel Orange - without any idea that the song is about...
View ArticleCheck It Out
Just realized that I was remiss in not adding John Weatherman to my blogroll. He's a guy (based in Albuquerque, New Mexico) with a low internet presence and a great blog, The Head In. Basic premise:...
View ArticleHappy New Year
Ring it in with my ballot for Francis Davis's 7th annual jazz poll. My results are here - scroll down.2012 was a bad, bad year. Let's hope 2013 is, for once, as good as we always expect a new year to be.
View ArticleGood Beef Soup: Joe Lovano's "Cross Culture" (CD Review)
The disgruntled jazz critic says...On one episode of The Bob Newhart Show, psychologist Bob Hartley (played by Newhart) is asked to try the first cup of coffee from his waiting room's new coffee...
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