Excellent news from (and for) the jazz microcosm: trumpeter and Berklee graduate Takuya Kuroda is back with Fly Moon Die Soon, his fifth album.
Piri Piri (from his album The Rising Son) was our first encounter with Takuya Kuroda’s musical expression. This was already six years ago. As his album releases go by, we are delighted -but definitely not surprised- by the fact that Takuya didn’t lose any of his former spice along the way.
Out of Dust is a rare tailor-made jewel, as our interview with Laila Biali already suggested. The eleven tracks comprising this album are uplifting stories you can’t miss.
We took our time to review Out of Dust. Intense laziness? No. Lack of time? No. Blank page syndrome? We don’t think so. We at Slow Culture write with the aim of highlighting impressive work the best way possible. Laila Biali’s album is such a showcase of generosity and talent that we couldn’t allow ourselves to write hurriedly.
Already critically acclaimed, Out of Dust is here to stay. Let us tell you why!
Jazz has always been Slow Culture’s forte. That being said, vocal jazz never really got our full attention. But that was before Laila Biali’s single Sugar hit our inbox on a rainy morning.
At that time, we din’t believe that the whole album would stay in our playlist for long. Little did we know! We will review ‘Out of Dust’ – Laila Biali’s eighth album – next week.
To cure our wait (and hopefully, yours!), we’re delighted and honored to publish today the interview we did with The Artist Formerly Known As Laila Biali.
Almost two years after the enchanting Case-fitter album, Chicago-based guitarist and composer Jeff Swanson comes back with Fathoms (BACE Records). In case you missed the aforementioned album, we’d advise you to listen to his versions of Graham’s before pursuing, it’s worth the half hour.
The notion of conversation is essential in Jeff Swanson’s compositional style, and Fathoms do not escape the rule, for the listener’s greatest pleasure. Gaussian, the first single (listen below) is a perfect illustration of that fact.
Be prepared: this album is heavier than what Jeff Swanson accustomed his audience to. Heavier, but also more colorful and nuanced. Let’s talk about it!
Michel Legrand (1932 – 2019) is one of the most respected composers in the history of modern music, alongside Igor Stravinsky, Frank Zappa and Quincy Jones.
After having benefited from the tutelage of the famously severe Nadia Boulanger, Michel Legrand composed thousands of pieces and songs for various industries.
His legacy is still influencing the whole world, from the cinema studios of California to Paris to New York’s most whisky-fueled jazz clubs.
Fact: the jazz world is essentially difficult to read. John Coltrane has been one of the first jazzmen to introduce us to this major movement of music. Did you know that jazz is the oldest form of music that is still active and evolving? You should. Worry not: you will soon learn much more with this guide.
Let’s have a few minutes with The Wise One’s short but impressive career and discover your next rudiments.