By Mitch Myers

“Officially established in 1979, the annual Copenhagen Jazz Festival ran from July 5-14. That’s 10 days, over 100 different venues and approximately 1,000 concerts in the thriving Danish city during the peak of summer. Unlike some of the other international jazz festivals these days the fest adheres to a strict but expansive jazz program, and rather than following one guiding light, the fest is driven by multiple programmers resulting in a variety of different music series conceived independently from one another. As a result jazz was being presented all day long in restaurants, bars, small cafes, large auditoriums, authentic jazz clubs, outside stages, museums and art spaces alike. It should be noted that none of this would be possible without ample support from Denmark’s Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs.”

“Naturally, there’s a preponderance of European jazz but also an impressive mixing of American and Danish musicians and some mainstream events featuring imported American artists such as bassist Marcus Miller, the jam-band Medeski Martin & Wood and singers Diane Reeves and Cassandra Wilson. One highlight from the Concert Hall series was the David Murray Infinity Quartet with Macy Gray; with several live shows under their belt they’re finally hitting stride. Mixing tunes from Murray’s new CD, Be My Monster Love with Ellington’s “In My Solitude,” a Butch Morris composition and a couple of Macy favorites, this revue mixed soulful singing and progressive jazz in fairly equal doses, making Gray and Murray the Billie Holiday and Lester Young for the next generation.”

Read the whole review at: www.jazztimes.com