Lucy Khanyan Quartet – Komitas Through the Eyes of Lucy Khanyan Quartet

Soghomon Soghomonian, the priest, ethnomusicologist and arranger who would be later known to millions of Armenian music aficionados as Komitas (Vardapet), is a figure who looms large in the history of the country’s music scene.  Avant-garde pianist Lucy Khanyan does great justice to some of the works of Komitas, interpreting Continue Reading

Various Artists – Hip Holland Hip : Modern Jazz In The Netherlands 1950 – 1970

The Netherlands is a country so incredibly rich with music, yet they do an awful jon promoting it.  Welcome, then, to the wild world of Dutch jazz, courtesy of Belgian label Sdban Records. From the release’s Bandcamp site: “Delve into the Dutch jazz scene of the 1950s and 1960s with Continue Reading

Cathrine Legardh, Sigurdur Flosason – Stilhed & Storm

Nordic jazz tends to be very warm in my experience.  This collection of original tunes by Danish singer Cathrine Legardh and her sparring partner on this album, alto saxophonist Sigurður Flosason, make an album with songs of love, live and even dogs.  It’s a mellow listen, something hotter than cool Continue Reading

Pray For Your Prey – Pray For Your Prey

At least as I understand it, there is a magnificent label out of Greece, Defkaz,  releasing some really fine free jazz and world music.  This particular album features one name whose work I’m very familiar with – the Hungarian drummer Balázs Pándi, who is magnificent.  After hearing him work with Continue Reading