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Continue reading →: Vance Thompson: Lost and FoundMOONDO RECORDS (RELEASED JANUARY 16, 2026) The most interesting aspect of Vance Thompson’s newest release is the story behind the session. Thompson, a Grammy-nominated trumpeter and director of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, lost his ability to play the trumpet several years ago. Since that time, he found his new musical…
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Continue reading →: Bijan Taghavi: Cactus SessionsSELF RELEASED (RELEASED JANUARY 9, 2026) Twelve years ago, classically trained pianist Bijan Taghavi was captivated by the music of Oscar Peterson and Kenny Barron. His interest in jazz was further fueled by his studies with Fred Hersch. Phil Markowitz, Gerry Dial and Xavier Davis. You can hear those influences…
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Continue reading →: Ivo Perelman/Wadada Leo Smith: Duologues 5IBEJI (RELEASED JANUARY 2026) A new release from saxophonist Ivo Perelman is not that unusual. After all, since his first recording in 1989, Perelman has issued close to 130 records. What is unusual about his first release in 2026 — Duologues 5 — is the appearance of trumpeter and visionary…
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Continue reading →: Dave Stryker: Blue FireSTRIKEZONE 8828 (RELEASED JANUARY 9, 2026) Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, has been the site for its fair share of monumental recordings — everything from John Coltrane’s Love Supreme to Herbie Hancock’s Maiden Voyage and Don Cherry’s Complete Communion to Freddie Hubbard’s Red Clay. Guitarist Dave Stryker and…
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Continue reading →: Ted Brown: Just You, Just MeNEW ARTISTS 1079 (RELEASED NOVEMBER, 2025) Bassist Don Messina was lucky enough to play with tenor sax legend Ted Brown in the mid 1990s. He was even luckier when he began to play regularly with Brown in groups that included drummer Bill Chattin, saxophonist Jimmy Halperin or pianist Jon Easton.…
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Continue reading →: The Top Ten for 2025I was honored to be asked by Cadence Magazine to submit by top ten releases for 2025,many of which I have reviewed this past years. So, with the stream of new releases slowing up for the holiday season I though I would share my picks for 2025. NEW RELEASES:Eric McPherson:…
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Continue reading →: Christian Marien: Beyond the FingertipsMARMADE RECORDS (RELEASED DECEMBER 15, 2025) Imagine listening to a kaleidoscope? It might very well sound like the second releasefrom the Christian Marien Quartet. Shards of melodies, rhythms and harmonies are constantly in flux as drummer Marien, saxophonist/clarinetist Tobias Delius, guitarist Jasper Stadhouders and bassist Antonio Borghini let things take…
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Continue reading →: Things of This NatureMAHAKALA RECORDS (RELEASED DECEMBER 5, 2025) The pianoless quartet of sax, trumpet, bass and drums might have you thinking you are listening to the Ornette Coleman Quartet, but you are not. The intensity of some of the solos might have you thinking you are listening to Albert and Donald Ayler,…
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Continue reading →: Vancouver Jazz Orchestra: Meets Brian CharetteCELLAR MUSIC (RELEASED DECEMBER 5, 2025) There are some outstanding soloists on this debut recording from the newly formed Vancouver Jazz Orchestra (VJO). Organist Brian Charette is just one of them. VJO artistic director James Dandefer has fully integrated Charette into the band while showcasing the music written and arranged…
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Continue reading →: Joe Fonda: My Life in the World of MusicSELF PUBLISHED BOOK Much like his bass playing and compositions, Joe Fonda’s recent autobiography, My Life in the World of Music, is straight-forward and compelling. It chronicles the journey of a young electric bassist infatuated with the rock, R&B and blues of the late 1960s and early 1970s to a…
Hello,
Welcome to Papatamus Redux
I started reading Cadence in the early 1980s. Since that time, I have come to respect editor and jazz critic Robert Rusch for his intelligent, succinct and unbiased reviews. Over the past twenty years, it has been my pleasure to get to know Robert and his family, making frequent trips from our home in Iowa to New York’s North Country. Several years ago, I was honored to be asked to help edit Robert’s Papatamus column.
I was equally honored to be asked by his family to keep Robert’s legacy of intelligent, succinct and unbiased jazz reviews alive with Papatamus Redux. You can view older editions of Papatamus at papatamus.com.
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