Elmo Hope: Five Classic Albums

Al Haig | Art Taylor | Buddy Rich | Charlie Parker | Curley Russell | Dizzy Gillespie | Don Lamond | Hank Jones | Kenny Dorham | Max Roach

The reason for the distinctive title of this particular AvidJazz compilation is that, instead of the usual four 12-inch LPs,...

Reviewed by Brian Priestley in issue: May/2020

Andreas Varady

Andreas Varady | Brian Bromberg | Dave Weckl | Greg Phillinganes | Gregory Porter | Harvey Mason | Paulinho da Costa | Paulinho Da Costa | Roy Hargrove

That the Slovakian-born guitarist is only 17 and a precociously gifted technician is the hook here. It starts promisingly with...

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: November/2014

Joe leader: Seductive Sax

This is one smooth jazz cliché after another: a live date at the Pheasantry, for the Dave Koz-recommended saxophonist....

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: September/2012

Joe Farrell: Penny Arcade/Upon This Rock/Canned Funk

Don Alias | Herb Bushier | Herbie Hancock | Jim Madison | Joe Beck | Joe Farrell | Ray Mantilla | Steve Gadd

When Corea replaced Joe Farrell in Return to Forever with Bill Connors’ rock-angled guitar, it changed not only jazz (fusion)...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: Dec/Jan/2018/2019

Dave Douglas: The Complete Remastered Recordings On Black Saint & Soul Note

Alan Silva | Andrew Hill | Ben Riley | Clifford Jordan | Freddie Waits | Rufus Reid

A wiser man than I on the Jazzwise crew has already named this as one of his top archive releases...

Reviewed by Andy Robson in issue: February/2016

Lee Ritenour: Overtime

Swift reissue for this 2004 session by the fusion guitarist with some fine collaborators including Ernie Watts, Dave Grusin and...

Reviewed by Alyn Shipton in issue: March/2012

Gary Smulyan: Smul's Paradise

Ex-Woody Herman/Dave Holland baritone sax specialist in combination with an organ trio here plays consummate straightahead....

Reviewed by Selwyn Harris in issue: April/2012

Mark Edwards: In Deep

Andrew Cleyndert | Ben Castle | Carleen Anderson | Claire Martin | James McMillan | Liane Carroll | Mark Edwards | Martin France | Priscilla Jones-Campbell

Fans of Liane Carroll's superb Ballads album will recall that pianist Mark Edwards was a key presence. Liane returns the...

Reviewed by Peter Quinn in issue: February/2014

Tia Fuller: Diamond Cut

Adam Rogers | Bill Stewart | Dave Holland | Jack DeJohnette | James Genus | Sam Yahel | Terri Lyne Carrington | Tia Fuller

The inclusion of giants among men in the personnel for this fourth album by alto-saxophonist Fuller is newsworthy. But the...

Reviewed by Kevin Le Gendre in issue: August/2018

Bill Evans: Empathy + Pike's Peak

Bill Evans | Cannonball Adderley | Connie Kay | Dave Pike | Herbie Lewis | Monty Budwig | Percy Heath | Shelly Manne | Walter Perkins

This is relatively minor Evans, but interesting nevertheless. Dating from the year following Scott LaFaro's death, it avoids his new...

Reviewed by Brian Priestley in issue: May/2013