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Continue reading →: Billy Lester: High StandardsULTRA SOUND RECORDS 342 (RELEASED SEPTEMBER 12, 2025) If he had not come under the tutelage of legendary pianist and Lennie Tristano disciple Sal Mosca, Billy Lester’s new recording would probably be like many other piano triosworking through a set of familiar standards. Thankfully, because of Mosca’s impact on Lester,…
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Continue reading →: Eric Alexander: Like SugarCELLAR MUSIC (RELEASED SEPTEMBER 10, 2025) Putting Stanley Turrentine’s Sugar on the stereo in my record store back in the early 1970s would assure me of a sale. The music was accessible, soulful and intoxicating. Much the same can be said about Like Sugar, the newest release from tenor saxophonist…
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Continue reading →: Neal Miner: InvisibilityCELLAR JAZZ (RELEASED SEPTEMBER 5, 2025) There is something very familiar with the music of bassist Neal Miner, saxophonist Chris Byars and drummer Jason Tiemann on Invisibility. Many of the tunes bear a striking resemblance to the music of jazz legends such as Charlie Parker, Horace Silver, Kenny Dorham or…
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Continue reading →: Timo Vollbrecht: Bremen/New YorkBERTHOLD RECORDS (RELEASED SEPTEMBER 5, 2025) Saxophonist, Doctor of Philosophy, Ivy League professor, and scholar Timo Vollbrecht is working on a book about ECM legend Manfred Eicher. So, it is no surprise that his new release, Bremen/New York, is a textbook example of what ECM is all about — meticulously…
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Continue reading →: Conrad Herwig: Reflections-Facing SouthSAVANT (RELEASED AUGUST 29, 2025) I’ll admit it, I am not a huge fan of Lartin jazz! Too often the sensuous and lyrical melodies are obliterated by blaring trumpets and overpowered by the incessant beat of congas, timbales and other drums. Thankfully, that is not the case with the music…
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Continue reading →: Miguel Zenon: Vanguardia SubterraneaMIEL MUSIC (RELEASED AUGUST 29, 2025) If you need further proof that saxophonist Miguel Zenón is an energetic and exciting player, listen to Vanguardia Subterránea. The energy comes from Zenón’s compositions which blend his Puerto Rican heritage with contemporary jazz, his note-after-note assaults and the explosive playing of pianist Luis…
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Continue reading →: Roberto Magris: Lovely Day(s)JMOOD 025 (RELEASED SEPTEMBER 1, 2025) What kind of pianist is Roberto Magris? This rare solo recording from the Italian jazz master answers that question. Roberto Magris is an investigative pianist. Unencumbered from a rhythm section and free from his outstanding arrangements for larger ensembles, Magris gets the opportunity to…
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Continue reading →: Anat Fort: The Dreamworld of Paul MotianSUNNYSIDE RECORDS (RELEASED AUGUST 15, 2025) Ever wonder what the DNA double helix might sound like if it were music? The answer is Anat Fort’s The Dreamworld of Paul Motian. Pianist Fort and guitarist Steve Cardenas are two linked strands that wind around each other as they explore the music…
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Continue reading →: Bruce Gertz: Octopus DreamsOPEN MIND JAZZ 017 (RELEASED AUGUST 15, 2025) The image of an octopus gracefully navigating through shifting currents is an apt description for the music on bassist’s Bruce Gertz’s Octopus Dreams. The quintet gracefully glides through the lyrical melodies, inviting harmonies and shifting rhythms of seven Gertz originals. The music…
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Continue reading →: Ivan Farmakovsky: Epic PowerSTEEPLECHASE RECORDS (RELEASED AUGUST 8, 2025) A jazz pianist born and raised in Russia dreams of recording with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jack DeJohnette. That dream came true in 2010, and the results of that encounter are now available on Ivan Farmakovsky’s Epic Power. This third release from Farmakovsky…
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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