Author: Kevin Burns Sullivan

This is Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon Man. I think it’s a pretty good performance of the tune. The bari solo and and first alto solo were super virtuosic. I feel like they were all playing off each other really well. For example, the alto sax mirrored some of the bari sax’s playing. (1:58 similar to 1:21)…

  This is Down to the Bone at the EFG London Jazz Festival.  The trombone is the first solo and my favorite of the set. I thought he emitted a good flow of energy and I liked the vibe. The piano/synth solo was one I was very unfamiliar with, since I am so used to traditional…

This is a clip of ‘New York Tendaberry’ performed by Billy Childs. It’s slower in comparison to what I normally post and listen to, and there’s a lot of open sound and space since it’s just solo piano.  A lot of the playing I found to be very chordal or arpeggiated.  I like how Childs…

    This is a performance of C Jam Blues by Wycliffe Gordon.  I was completely unfamiliar about soprano trombones until now. Gordon seems to have mastered them. I really like the brassy edge – It’s a very unique sound, especially with the split tones/raspy tonality he plays the instrument with. Tons of energy in his solo.…