Reviews

This is music designed to be reveled in, crossing the dividing line between tradition, novelty, adventure, and rebellion.

Forget about me recommending a favorite cut ’cause the more I listen, the more I like everything, but what really first caught my ear was the quirkily titled This Unmemorable Evening wherein Henry Hung plies his trumpet in exquisitely raw fashion, David Alt’s sax slinking around him, also enjoying a solo spot but in the shadow of Hung’s insouciant lines.

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This album is sweet. It gives me everything that I want in a jazz album, and then extra. Jazz Combustion Uprising really hits it out of the park. Give it a listen even if jazz isn’t your thing. Continue reading →

Love it, not least because it reminds me that jazz can look to the future without forgetting its past.
This isn’t just jazz of whatever persuasion it’s also jazz theatre and performed with the drama, passion, humour and emotion that comes with good theatre and this is good jazz theatre. This is one of those albums that came out of left field and sent me into orbit – seriously it is that good.
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As you might gather from the CD title, this one is H-O-T! David Elaine Alt’s reeds set the house on fire, no doubt! That’s totally evident on the scorching opener, “Oxtail Soup“… absolutely killer jazz! Continue reading →

Well-written structure. Good sectional contrast. The 6 minutes of the song are engaging throughout—it seems shorter. Continue reading →

The flying riffs of Alt’s saxophone traipsing across “Cupcake Flavor Profile” has a Charlie Parkeresque flapping as Grant Levin’s keys glide with an agility reminiscent of the glory days of jazz. The tightness of Jazz Combustion Uprising is illustrated in every track of Self-Immolation. Rekindling the knells of the past, the band has the melodic sensibilities of their forefathers and the ingenuity of a forerunner. Continue reading →

This is one astounding ensemble of jazz greats who have joined forces and talents to provide the spectrum of jazz as they interpret it. Continue reading →

This date gives you that back in the day yet modern jazz take bottomed by some killer playing from all involved. This would be at home with all those feisty 50s labels that were eventually swallowed up by Fantasy, Blue Note and Verve. Continue reading →