#reuben rogers

[mostlymonk]

In Walked Bud

Helen Sung Quintet

John Ellis – sax Marquis Hill – trumpet Helen Sung – piano Reuben Rogers – bass Rudy Royston – drums

[mosaicrecords]

Charles Lloyd in London

The London Jazz News’s Geoff Winston reviews Charles Lloyd’s August 1 opening at Ronnie Scott’s Club in London. His unrelenting innovation and improvisational spirit seem unstoppable and that’s a good thing. This quintet with regulars Reuben Rogers on bass and Eric Harland on drums, now features the guitars of Marvin Sewell and Julian Lage and Lloyd seems to love the textures. Let’s hope he records with this configuration.

-Michael Cuscuna

Read from London Jazz News… Follow: Mosaic Records Facebook Tumblr Twitter

[gottahavesoul]

Joey Alexander: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

“Born in Indonesia, Alexander learned to play by listening to his father's jazz albums. When he was just 10-years old, Wynton Marsalis invited him to play at a Jazz at Lincoln Center gala, and the young Alexander set the jazz world buzzing. He made his mark covering classics by Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane, but he's now recording and performing more of his own compositions. He showcased that original work during his Tiny Desk performance. Alexander's vigorously rhythmic playing was playful in the opening "Eclipse" (from his latest album of the same name), which he described as "spontaneous playing." "Bali," also from Eclipse, followed, while "City Lights" (from his 2016 album Countdown) closed a set that ranks among the year's finest jazz performances at the Tiny Desk.”

[nxtgencats]

Joey Alexander

Faithful

Joshua Redman – saxophone Joey Alexander – piano Reuben Rogers – bass Eric Harland – drums

[treat-your-ears]

Trios Live

"Trios Live" by Joshua Redman Trio

Recorded live in concerts at Jazz Standard, NY in 2009 and Blues Alley, Washington D.C in 2013

Nonesuch Records (2014)

Musicians:

Joshua Redman -- tenor and soprano saxophones

Gregory Hutchinson -- drums

Matt Penman -- acoustic bass (track 1, 5-7)

Reuben Rogers -- acoustic bass (track 2-4)

Track List:

1. Moritat (Mack the Knife) / 2. Never Let Me Go / 3. Soul Dance / 4. Act Natural / 5. Mantra #5 / 6. Trinkle, Tinkle / 7. The Ocean

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As a jazz fan, I am always interested with (and perhaps unfairly judging every jazz musician in) the performance of trio setting. There is a different aura with a trio performance: just one melodic instrument supported with rhythm sections consisting of only acoustic bass and drums. It is pure simple expression of art, but very tricky to get right. It requires the right amount of technique, improvisation skill, and interactions between the band members. Get these ingredients mixed well, and the possibilities are endless. Only great musicians can tackle this 'trio challenge'.

Speaking of a trio performance, it's always a blast to experience Joshua Redman Trio in a live setting. I had a great luxury to witness his trio back at Gateshead Jazz Festival 2014 in Newcastle and it was one of the most fun nights for me as a jazz connosieur. He interacted very closely with the audiences, both with his straight-talk and improvisations together with his band members. Right from the very first note, I knew it was an absolute belter.

Therefore, it is a gift to have a CD like Trios Live to document the essence of Joshua Redman Trio live performance. Like I described earlier, it is a blast. Redman twisted and turned, showcasing his great skill in saxophones, and expertly interacting with his fellow players and (importantly) with the audiences.

The CD opener, Moritat (Mack the Knife) gets listener into the mood right away. His intro is concise which then follows to the tributaries of the song. Penman and excellent Hutchinson knit together the body of the improvisation -- in which Redman danced on the floor of melody. The song gets you moving which you would always expect from Redman's setting.

Every track is so energetic, even when he tackled a beautiful ballad Never Let Me Go. He skillfully thread a careful balance of ballad story-telling with his saxophone, engaging with the audiences, and exchanged lovely improvisations with his trio members.

The peak of the album may be the Act Natural tune. A pure gem and real burner, in which the three musicians explored every inch of the note with great abandon. The song expands, turns, and presents an extraordinary opportunity for the listeners to pick the right moment to put a meaning on it. From the first bar of this song, we know we are in treat for pure, straight-jazz exploration.

Aptly, Redman closed this set with a fiery encounter interpretatiton of Led Zeppelin's classic, The Ocean. He navigates the tunes expertly to radiate the spirit of party, as if dispelling the backward-looking statement of 'you cannot have fun party with jazz'. Turn this tune in and let Redman guides you in the ocean of free improvisation. An absolute pleasure to listen to.

I read a comment from Amazon's reviewer that this tune needs careful and repeated listening to enjoy it. I am not sure about this. If you love jazz, the very first note will immediately get you moving. This is the album to enjoy jazz with abandon -- and it's not a necessarily bad thing, with hands like Joshua Redman and his trio.

[nonesuchrecords]

Look who's on the cover of Jazz News in France! Joshua Redman Quartet—"les quatre mousquetaires"—and songs from their new album, Come What May, were also the focus on France Musique's Open Jazz.  Écoutez encore ici.

[nonesuchrecords]

Happy birthday, Joshua Redman! 🎂 Here's his "How We Do," from his Quartet's new album, Come What May, due March 29. Download the song now when you pre-order the album in the Nonesuch Store, where you'll also get an exclusive, limited-edition print signed by the group while they last.

[nonesuchrecords]

Joshua Redman Quartet’s new album, Come What May, is due March 29. This is the first recording in almost two decades for this group—Redman, pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Reuben Rogers, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. Pre-order in the Nonesuch Store to download the track "How We Do" now and get an exclusive, limited-edition print signed by the group.