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Jazz's Stephan Crump Creates Thrilling Interaction with His Rosetta Trio on 'Outliers'

Stephan Crump's Outliers sounds like a great ECM record that forgot to lull you into too much easy beauty. It earns its loveliness from thrilling interaction.

Music

Vijay Iyer Sextet: Far From Over

The everywhere-at-once pianist has recorded with his sextet, using a bank of horns for the first time and touching several different modes. An album of surprise, tradition, and exploration. But it grooves too.

Music

No Piano, Please!

Four recent releases demonstrate the stylistic range and power of jazz that isn't hemmed in by chords.

Music

Liberty Ellman: Radiate

Liberty Ellman's first album in nine years makes the case that he should be composing and recording more often.

Music

Bassist Stephan Crump, from Pop to Avant-Garde and Back Again

Bassist Stephan Crump makes pop with his wife Jen Chapin, experimental improvisation with guitarist Mary Halvorson, and he's a great mainstream player, too. What can't he do well?

Music

Vijay Iyer Trio: Accelerando

Pianist Vijay Iyer gave us jazz masterpieces in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Looks like this will be his year yet again.

Music

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Jazz's Stephan Crump Creates Thrilling Interaction with His Rosetta Trio on 'Outliers'

Stephan Crump's Outliers sounds like a great ECM record that forgot to lull you into too much easy beauty. It earns its loveliness from thrilling interaction.

Vijay Iyer Sextet: Far From Over

The everywhere-at-once pianist has recorded with his sextet, using a bank of horns for the first time and touching several different modes. An album of surprise, tradition, and exploration. But it grooves too.

No Piano, Please!

Four recent releases demonstrate the stylistic range and power of jazz that isn't hemmed in by chords.

Liberty Ellman: Radiate

Liberty Ellman's first album in nine years makes the case that he should be composing and recording more often.

Bassist Stephan Crump, from Pop to Avant-Garde and Back Again

Bassist Stephan Crump makes pop with his wife Jen Chapin, experimental improvisation with guitarist Mary Halvorson, and he's a great mainstream player, too. What can't he do well?

Vijay Iyer Trio: Accelerando

Pianist Vijay Iyer gave us jazz masterpieces in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Looks like this will be his year yet again.

Stephan Crump: Rosetta

Not loud, not simple, not rebarbative, not monotonous, not short on linear, harmonic or textural imagination.

Liberty Ellman: Ophiuchus Butterfly

A unique guitarist from the young New York scene plays funky, angular music with a sextet grounded in tuba and reeds.

Friend Within Brings Sunshine to the Dancefloor on "Space Jam" (premiere)

With "Santa Baby", Emergency Tiara Updates a Classic Just in Time for the Holidays (premiere)

Tyler Boone Dodges Cliches With "Jealousy" (premiere + interview)

The Pedaljets Celebrate Contentment With "Sleepy Girl" (premiere + interview)

Aiming for Enrike's Minimalistic Dance Is on Full Display With "Flat Beats" (premiere)

Dankrupt Explore Romance's Darker Side With "Drowning" (premiere)

Andrew Deadman Faces Himself Down in "Silent Scream" (premiere)

Lady Lazarus' "I Recall July" Is a Bittersweet Look Back on Love (premiere)

Banjolectric's "Another Thing For Pain" Is a Raw Reflection on Substance Abuse (premiere)