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142
Live Review

XL - Largely Visual Show

Read "XL - Largely Visual Show" reviewed by Anthony Shaw


Louhisali Espoo, Finland November 15, 2003

You don’t have to be Sting to know about walking on the moon – any concertgoer will tell you that. But exiting from the concert hall with giant steps that carry you deep into the far reaches of the neo-artic night is an experience only to be had regularly above latitude 60°, and to do it on the back of a concert stunning in musicianship, visualisations and effects in your ...

113
Album Review

XL: Visual

Read "Visual" reviewed by Anthony Shaw


Orchestral rock has come a long way since Keith Emerson and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and one of the bands which keeps pushing the genre forward is Helsinki's XL. Over the past eight years the group has released four CDs, including one live cutting. The latest offering features more celestial anthems and coruscating choruses, as well as intentions to spread beyond the cognoscenti of Scandinavia.

Track titles range across the post-industrial horizon, reflecting the styles lurking behind the ...

236
Album Review

XL: Surreal

Read "Surreal" reviewed by Matthew Wuethrich


A refreshing musical breeze has blown in from the north, characterized by strong melodies, subtle electronica, and unashamed love for grandiose themes and arrangements. Finland's XL has been developing for 10 years and on their latest release Surreal they make an intrepid statement. In a musical era obsessed with introspective abstraction, XL prefers exuberance and clarity. XL creates bold 21st century fusion, carrying on the broad-minded tradition established by 70s fusion giant Weather Report.

Like Weather report, XL ...

153
Album Review

XL: Jukola

Read "Jukola" reviewed by Scott Andrews


A four piece band from Finland, XL's second album Jukola showcases a breathtaking depth of sonic collage in eleven songs of melodic, instrumental rock. Jukola mixes throbbing dance beats with rock and jazz passages, spacey ambient sections with driving rock riffs, live instruments with electronics and processing, all framed in eccentric arrangements with dynamics that range from whisper quiet to rock clamor.

Jukola sounds immaculate, with sonic textures ranging from traditional guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards, to electronic percussion, effects, ...

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1

Interview

Interview: Judy Wexler

Interview: Judy Wexler

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

It's tricky business jazzing up the music of 1960s singer-songwriters. Most efforts either wind up a pale reproduction or they try too hard to swing the originals. Every so often, however, an album comes along that hits the tone just right. Vocalist Judy Wexler's new Back to the Garden (Jewel City) is one of these just-right albums. Out today, the recording breathes fresh life into songs and gives them a jazz feel with the elegance and sensitivity they deserve. Much ...

6

Recording

On Her 5th CD, 'Crowded Heart,' Vocalist Judy Wexler Presents New Jazz Standards For The 21st Century

On Her 5th CD, 'Crowded Heart,' Vocalist Judy Wexler Presents New Jazz Standards For The 21st Century

Source: Mouthpiece Music

On Crowded Heart, vocalist Judy Wexler presents an anthology of ten jazz compositions by current songwriters that she feels deserve a place in the “new jazz standards repertoire.” Arranged by piano great Alan Pasqua and featuring a band that comprises some of the finest, first-call musicians in Southern California, these tunes are the perfect vehicle for Wexler’s warm, soulful voice and highly personal interpretations. This is Wexler’s fifth CD since her 2005 release of Easy on the Heart. Each of ...

Video / DVD

Wexler's Blues Picks: 1950

Wexler's Blues Picks: 1950

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

I was doing some research recently for a project I'm working on and happened to read an article that Jerry Wexler wrote for the Saturday Review in June 1950. Wexler, who would become a partner in Atlantic Records in 1953 and emerge as one of the top R&B producers in the 1950s and '60s, had just convinced his bosses at Billboard magazine to change all mentions of “Race Records" in its charts to “Rhythm and Blues." In the article, entitled ...

Recording

Vocalist Judy Wexler Releases New Cd - What I See - On Jazzed Media

Vocalist Judy Wexler Releases New Cd - What I See - On Jazzed Media

Source: Judy Wexler

Judy Wexler’s fourth and newest CD, What I See (Jazzed Media, September 10, 2013 drop date) follows her acclaimed 2011 release, Under a Painted Sky (4-star review in Downbeat, top 10 on JazzWeek radio chart), and 2008’s Dreams & Shadows (profiled on NPR, debuted at #2 on JazzWeek) with another stunning, out-of-the-box collection of tunes. Since releasing Easy on the Heart in 2005, Wexler hasn’t wasted a moment establishing herself as one of the music’s most incisive and engaging vocalists. ...

Performance / Tour

Jazz Vocalist Judy Wexler Announces East Coast Dates In October

Jazz Vocalist Judy Wexler Announces East Coast Dates In October

Source: Judy Wexler

Los Angeles vocalist Judy Wexler, whose 3rd CD, “Under a Painted Sky," was released last year to glowing notices, will be singing in New York at the Kitano Hotel on Wednesday, October 17th and at An Die Musik in Baltimore on Thursday, October 18th, 2012. Appearing with her will be pianist Mark Soskin, a stellar NYC player who has performed or recorded with such a diverse group of musicians such as Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Tony Williams, Sheila Jordan, New ...

60

Performance / Tour

L.A.-Based Jazz Vocalist Judy Wexler Announces May Dates in New York and Boston

L.A.-Based Jazz Vocalist Judy Wexler Announces May Dates in New York and Boston

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

Los Angeles vocalist Judy Wexler, whose third CD Under a Painted Sky was released last year to glowing notices, will be making a rare East Coast foray in May. Her Boston debut will take place on Wednesday 5/9 at Scullers, and she's scheduled a return visit to New York City, where she's performed on several previous occasions, for a performance at Birdland on Thursday 5/10 (6pm set). Appearing with her at both shows will be pianist Jeff Colella, a stellar ...

64

Performance / Tour

Judy Wexler East Coast Tour | New CD, "Under a Painted Sky"

Judy Wexler East Coast Tour | New CD, "Under a Painted Sky"

Source: Judy Wexler

Judy Wexler East Coast Tour in support of her new CD, “Under a Painted Sky" Judy's latest CD, “Under a Painted Sky," released on the Jazzed Media label, charted at #9 in national jazz airplay, and remained on the JazzWeek chart for three months since its release in June 2011. “Under a Painted Sky" marries Judy's expressive storytelling and out-of-the-box song selections with the richly harmonic arrangements of pianist Alan Pasqua. Her most personal and compelling release to date, John ...

104

Performance / Tour

Portland Sax Phenom Plays Boxley's in North Bend

Portland Sax Phenom Plays Boxley's in North Bend

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene

Twenty-one-year-old saxophone phenom and Portland native Hailey Niswanger, who won the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival saxophone competition three years ago, brings her quartet Monday to Boxley's, the lively North Bend restaurant and showcase for Seattle's Pony Boy Records. A stone swinger, Niswanger plays alto with a burly, broad tone and a trace of the cry reminiscent of John Coltrane's tenor saxophone sound and gets around the horn with the alacrity and sophistication of a veteran. Niswanger, whose ...

145

Recording

Singer Judy Wexler's "Under a Painted Sky" Debuts June 14 (Jazzed Media)

Singer Judy Wexler's "Under a Painted Sky" Debuts June 14 (Jazzed Media)

Source: Michael Bloom Media Relations

Singer Judy Wexler's UNDER A PAINTED SKY (Jazzed Media, June 14 release) follows her acclaimed Dreams and Shadows (profiled on NPR, reached #2 on the JazzWeek Radio Chart) with another marvelous, out-of-the-box collection of tunes. Once again the band is anchored and organized by piano great Alan Pascua. With contributions fromtop tier musicians like Bob Mintzer, Bob Sheppard, and Alex Acuna, the music here shows what happens when some of the best, most creative forces in jazz work together. Judy ...

140

Recording

David Bixler and Arturo O'Farrill - The Auction Project (2010)

David Bixler and Arturo O'Farrill - The Auction Project (2010)

Source: Something Else!

By Mark Saleski Over the years, there have been a lot of musical hybrids that have surprised our ears by revealing hidden commonalities in melded musical genres. For instance, I'm fairly certain that my only exposure to hip-hop back before the mid-1980's was with Sugar Hill's “Rapper's Delight," and Blondie's “Rapture." The idea of Run-D.M.C. teaming up with Aerosmith was probably met with a blank stare and naughty thoughts about Debbie Harry. But then that cover of “Walk This Way" ...

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Visual

Pohjola Records
2003

buy

Surreal

Pohjola Records
2002

buy

Jukola

Pohjola Records
2001

buy

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