John Shand Posts

September 22, 2020 / Album Reviews - Archive

AGAINST EMPIRE (MOD Reloaded/Redeye Worldwide) 8.5/10 Can music itself be wise, or just the people who create it? Can it perhaps impart wisdom? Certainly some profundity is layered into this album’s compositions, choice of players, improvising and production, so that, while being breathtakingly innovative, it also feels mysteriously ancient. Ever…

September 21, 2020 / Features - Archive

The presiding doctor at his death assumed he was between 50 and 60. Four possible causes of death were given: perforated ulcer, advanced cirrhosis, pneumonia and heart-attack. In fact Charlie Parker was only 34. In his brief career he’d burned brighter than any comet in the jazz firmament, and this…

September 20, 2020 / Concert Reviews - Archive

The Joan, August 21 8/10 Why are Phil Scott and Jonathan Biggins getting two bites of the review apple only 54 days apart? Has a palm been greased with something more than hand-sanitizer? No, it’s because two months ago they were little people in a live stream on a screen,…