- courtesy of the artist
- David Berkman
Pianist, bandleader, and composer David Berkman has been one the most interesting, gracefully swinging figures on New York’s jazz scene for a couple of decades, but his lack of flash and his tight fit within the postbop tradition (although he regularly pushes against the seams) have made him easy to overlook. There’s nothing wild or weird about him—he’s just a great musician, which is sometimes not enough when it comes to attracting attention. In a couple of weeks he’s releasing a terrific new record called Old Friends and New Friends, the title of which reflects his career’s longevity and the cast of collaborators he’s worked with over that time—the drummer Brian Blade (Berkman has always privileged rhythm in his music, employing a great assemblage of percussionists that has included Blade, Nasheet Waits, and Johnathan Blake), as well as some new ones like the bassist Linda Oh. The album’s title also refers to Palmetto Records, which has worked with him since releasing Handmade in 1998 (and is releasing Old Friends and New Friends).
Thomas Savy, French Suite (Plus Loin Music)The Cramps, Songs the Lord Taught Us (Capitol)Bobo Stenson Trio, Very Early (DIW, Japan)Erköse Brothers, Köcekce (Kalan)Ihsan Emiki, Al-Samaa: Ecstatic Spiritual Audition (Institut du Monde Arabe)
