Category Archives: Reviews

Arturo O'Farrill and Dr. Cornel West

CD Review “Four Questions” by Arturo O’Farrill feat. Dr. Cornel West

Arturo O'Farrill Artist: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Title: Four Questions
Label: ZOHO Records
Genre: Latin jazz/Spoken word
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle

One of the most important hallmarks of jazz is its focus on social consciousness. Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” Sonny Rollins’ “Freedom Suite,” Charles Mingus’ “Fables of Faubus,” Max Roach’s “We Insist! Freedom Now Suite,” John Coltrane’s “Alabama,” and many others all used jazz to address social injustice, and a call to action.

After releasing Four Questions, Arturo O’Farrill now stands side by side with these giants.

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CD Review: Vapor Vespers “One Act Sonix”

Vapor VespersArtist: Vapor Vespers
Titele: One Act Sonix
Label:  Bad Egg Records
Genre:  “Triptastic Slam of Storytelling and Genre-Skipping Sounds” – Sal Cataldi

CD Review by Dawoud Kringle

What happens when Sal Cataldi (a New York City / Woodstock / Hudson Valley based multi-instrumentalist who’s known as Spaghetti Eastern Music; and member of MFM) joins forces with Mark Muro (Alaskan actor, poet & playwright)? The result is Vapor Vespers.

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CD Review: Sylvain Leroux & L’école Fula Flute

Sylvain Leroux & L'école fula flute Artist: Sylvain Leroux & L’école Fula Flute
Title: TYABALA
Label: Mulatta Records
Genre: trad. West African Music/ Guinée
Buy here: https://ecolefulaflute.bandcamp.com/

Review by Dawoud Kringle

In 2013, MFM member Sylvain Leroux began working on an alternative arts education initiative with the students of the Centre Tyabala, in Conakry. This was an experimental education project based on the “chromatic tambin” patented modification of the traditional Guinean Fula flute. After six years, the students have become competitive and committed musicians, with new generations of music students following their example.

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Scottish Jazz and Beyond

Scottish Jazz and Beyond…. 

Scottish Jazz and BeyondVenue: The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
Date: July 13, 2019

Review by Fiona MacTaggart

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a huge and culturally multi-colored creature and tonight’s show, which was part of Creative Scotland’s Made in Scotland mini-festival within the Fringe, constituted somewhat of a Scottish celebration of cross-cultural music. Organised and MC-ed by local drummer Tom Bancroft, three bands were showcased, all primarily jazz bands but bringing significantly more than jazz to the table.

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