Welcome to December. Another year almost “in the can” and it’s been a doozy, to put it mildly. As we individually, and as a nation, gear up for whatever lies in store for 2025—mentally, politically, environmentally and otherwise—let’s go back to algebra class and try our best to focus on what is termed a “given.” Those sure and known things can keep us sane (enough) and hopefully, calm (enough)—and inspired, to press on. One such “given” that we can all rely upon, is that musicians will continue improvising and sharing their creations, regardless of what day it is or what time it might be. And as New Yorkers, we have an embarrassment of riches on that front, given (there’s that word again) there’s so much live jazz to choose from on a regular basis. It’s been said that musicians can be like magicians in their spur of the moment musical inventions. As listeners we continue to be in awe of their beautiful melodies, stunning harmonies, exquisite rhythms, and democratic sound conversations, as well as the positive effect their music brings to our reality.
Jazz is—or certainly can be—a listener’s dopamine. And it’s not too far-fetched to say that going to a live jazz show or listening to a great recording can be like going to the doctor’s office: though the doc’s prescription might say “take two pills and call me in the morning”, TNYCJR’s advice is to simply “Check out a live show, and sleep-in in the morning!” We would also like to take this opportunity to give a big shoutout to all those musicians whose good medicine inspired anyone with a set of ears this year.
Here’s to 2025: bring it on! With live music in our corner, we have a head start to put one foot in front of the other and carry on. As for your friendly TNYCJR doctor’s order regarding show suggestions, we kindly refer you to check out this month’s features: saxophonists Lotte Anker (Cover) and Eric Alexander (Interview), drummer Lesley Mok (Artist) and pianist vocalist Johnny O’Neal (Encore) all make numerous local appearances this month. And the Album Review and Event Calendar sections offer further night-out, head-clearing recommendations. Also, don’t miss out on TNYCJR’s “Holiday Gift Guide” Special Feature for gift suggestions—great for any last-minute jazzy presents, for someone close or…for yourself.
Happy holidaze and see you out at the shows….Onwards and outwards.
(by Sophia Valera Heinecke; photos by Luciano Rossetti and Heike Liss)
Reaching back to her early work, Danish saxophonist Lotte Anker recalls the importance of Primi Band, a significant all-female group in Denmark led by veteran drummer-percussionist Marilyn Mazur, which included dance as well as instrumentalists additionally contributing percussion and vocals. But being categorized as “a woman in jazz” and feeling like an outlier in the improv scene because of gender were issues Anker had to rise above. “It’s no accident that Denmark now has three dozen outstanding female saxophone players, all of whom have interacted with Lotte,” says frequent collaborator, drummer Kresten Osgood. Anker is at Roulette Dec. 7 (with Fred Frith) and Dec. 8 (part of Catalytic Sound Festival), as well as at The Stone at New School Dec. 11 and 13 (both with Ikue Mori).
(by Jeff Cebulski; photo by William Brown)
At 56, Illinois-born tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander has become a staple on the NYC jazz scene, closely associated with Smoke Jazz Club, and with a long-running association with a cadre of musicians who began their careers in New Jersey via William Patterson College (now University), which led to the formation of the noted One for All sextet (as well as countless performances and recordings with his mentor, the late pianist Harold Mabern). This month Alexander is at The Django Dec. 7, and Smoke Dec. 18-22 (part of Smoke’s monthlong “Countdown 2025 Coltrane Festival”).
(by John Sharpe; photo by Gerhard Richter)
Having moved to NYC in 2017, drummer Lesley Mok has quickly consolidated their place on the adventurous jazz scene. The Bay Area native offers an intriguing blend of surging rhythm and textural savvy, which has made them an in-demand side person in such blue-chip ensembles led by pianist Myra Melford and saxophonist-flutist Anna Webber, as well as performances with bassist William Parker and vocalists Fay Victor and Jen Shyu. In addition, the drummer’s The Living Collection was not only one of last year’s best debut albums, but it also revealed Mok’s burgeoning talent as a composer. Mok presents The Living Collection and performs with Yuko Fujiyama, Robert Dick and Miki Orihara at Roulette Dec. 20 (part of the Contemporary East series).
(by Jim Motavalli; photo by Roberto Cifarelli)
The pianist-vocalist Johnny O’Neal built a resume that included working regularly with such greats as Clark Terry, Art Blakey, Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Brown, Kenny Burrell and Joe Pass. But he credits singer Joe Williams with the emergence of today’s singing pianist: as O’Neal fondly recalls, “He came up to me and said, ‘You sing really well—you should make it a bigger part of your act.’ This month O’Neal is at Zinc Bar Dec. 24-25, Mezzrow Dec. 28-29 and Smalls Dec. 31.
(by Sylvia Levine; photo by Roy Esmonde)
Louis Stewart (January 5, 1944 - August 20, 2016) is widely touted as Ireland’s greatest guitarist, and for a generation, its only full-time jazz artist. He continues today to be revered for his brilliant bebop-infused playing, his unrelenting standards of excellence for himself and his bandmates, his humility and his kindnesses to young Irish musicians seeking advice and instruction—all despite difficult encounters brought on by his legendary sensitivity, shyness and struggles with inner demons.
TNYCJR's customary two-page spread of gift suggestions for jazz lovers of discerning tastes, including albums, books, boxed sets and various trinkets, will help you find that perfect jazz gift for the jazz lover in your life (and/or for yourself!).
Album Reviews: In Print, On Screen, Boxed Set, Drop The Needle Reviews, Globe Unity…
Art Farmer - Portrait of Art Farmer |
(Contemporary-Craft) |
Artie Shaw - Time Is All You've Got by Brigitte Berman |
(Rialto Pictures) |
Betty Bryant - Lotta Livin' |
(Bry-Mar Music) |
Booker Little - Booker Little 4 & Max Roach |
(Blue Note Tone Poet Series) |
Brian Landrus - Plays Ellington & Strayhorn |
(Palmetto) |
Caleb Wheeler Curtis - The True Story of Bears and the Invention of the Battery |
(Imani) |
Caroline Davis - Portals, Vol. 2: Returning |
(Intakt) |
Chet Baker & Jack Sheldon - In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album |
(Jazz Detective/Elemental Music) |
Christian Sands - Christmas Stories |
(Mack Avenue) |
Day Dream - Duke & Strays Live (Works by Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn) |
(Corner Store Jazz) |
Dominick Farinacci, Christian Tamburr, Michael Ward-Bergeman - Triad |
(Ropeadope) |
Emil Viklicky/Imogen Ryall - Songs |
(Rubicon Jazz) |
Enrico Pieranunzi, Marc Johnson, Joey Baron - HINDSIGHT |
(CAM Jazz) |
Eri Yamamoto Quadraphonic - Fly With the Wings |
(Mahakala Music) |
Eric Alexander - NYC Institution by Way of Chicago |
WILLIAM BROWN (Courtesy) |
Franco Ambrosetti - Sweet Caress |
(Enja) |
Fred Frith – Guitar Solos / Fifty |
(Week-End) |
Hot Toddies Jazz Band - Triple Step |
(Prohibition Productions) |
If Only We Knew by John Rogers |
(s/r) |
Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey - Brink |
(Intakt) |
Ivo Perelman/Nate Wooley - Polarity 3 |
(Burning Ambulance Music) |
Jay Jay Johnson - The Quintessence |
(Fremeaux & Associes) |
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis - Big Band Holidays III |
(Blue Engine) |
Jim Shearer - Cloud Bowling: Music for Tuba and Jazz Trio |
(Summit) |
Ken Peplowski - Live at Mezzrow |
(Cellar Music) |
Leslie Pintchik - Prayer for What Remains |
(Pintch Hard) |
Louis Stewart & Jim Hall - The Dublin Concert |
(Livia) |
Luisa Muhr - TEUFLIN/SHE-DEVIL |
(Boomslang) |
Mark Turner, Lage Lund, Matt Brewer, Tyshawn Sorey - The Fury |
(Giant Step Arts) |
Mathilde Febrer - Milou En Mai (Hommage à Stéphane Grappelli) |
(Fremeaux & Associes) |
Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O - Tree Jazz: The Shape of Christmas To Come |
(Palmetto) |
Miles Davis Quintet - Miles in France 1963 & 1964: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8 |
(Columbia-Legacy) |
Niklas Fite/Günter Christmann - Insisting |
(Corbett vs. Dempsey) |
Oscar Peterson - City Lights (Live in Munich, 1994) |
(Mack Avenue/Two Lions) |
Paco de Lucía/Pepe de Lucìa - Pepito y Paquito |
(BMG) |
Patricia Brennan - Breaking Stretch |
(Pyroclastic) |
Prince Lasha Quintet (featuring Sonny Simmons) - The Cry! |
(Contemporary-Craft) |
Rick Bogart - Sings Mr. Paganini |
(Arabesque) |
Ron Carter & Art Farmer - Live at Sweet Basil [LP!] |
(Arkadia) |
Roy Hargrove's Crisol - Grande-Terre |
(Verve) |
Sivan Arbel - Oneness |
(Adhyâropa) |
Steve Baczkowski - Cheap Fabric |
(Relative Pitch) |
Steve Millhouse Cinema Trio - Music on the Way: The Music of Henry Mancini |
(s/r) |
Sylvie Courvoisier - To Be Other-Wise |
(Intakt) |
The Modest Jazz Trio (Jim Hall/Red Mitchell/Red Kelly) - Good Friday Blues |
(Pacific Jazz-Blue Note) |
The Williamsburg Avant Garde by Cisco Bradley |
(Duke University Press) |
Tomeka Reid/Taylor Ho Bynum,/Kyoko Kitamura/Joe Morris - Geometry of Phenomena |
(Relative Pitch) |
Tower of Power - It's Christmas |
(s/r) |
Transatlantic Trance Map - Marconi's Drift |
(False Walls) |
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra - Centennial: The Music of Thad Jones |
(BCM+D) |
Wadada Leo Smith/Joe Morris - Earth's Frequencies |
(Fundacja Słuchaj) |
William Parker & Ellen Christi - Cereal Music |
(AUM Fidelity) |
Zeena Parkins - Dam Against The Spring Tide |
(Relative Pitch) |
Look for other sections like Festival Report, NY@Night, Label Spotlight, VOXNews, In Memoriam, Recommended New Releases and our invaluable Event Calendar.
Thanks so much for reading The New York City Jazz Record, the city's only homegrown gazette devoted to the music.