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The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books
Help! I’ve fallen into an Ella black hole and I can’t get out! (Neither can my roommates.) I made it a goal of mine to listen all the way through the The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books and I’m almost done! So I’ve decided to give you the low-down. Feel free to listen along at home:
I discovered Ella somewhere back in the dark ages …more…
Buster Williams (from Bass Musician Magazine)
I’ve written about how much I love Smoke, the relative newcomer to the club scene at the lower edge of Harlem, but I just want to reiterate what a fabulous job I think they do not only of being a first-rate venue to see live music, but what great acts they bring through.
Take, for instance, this Friday/Saturday night (May 4th & 5th). The indomitable …more…
As one steps back and takes a good look at all of the jazz that is out there, all the different musical directions that have developed and are developing right now, it can be overwhelming. To boot, much jazz music is quite serious in nature (don’t get me wrong, much of that serious music is quite inspiring) but when one is listening to a jazz suite composed over the John …more…
In the age of American Idol, singers are often unfortunately graded on how hard they can belt. Rose Colella sings with understated nuance in a way that brings to mind Blossom Dearie, Shirley Horn, and Billie Holiday. Colella does not use a song’s lyrics as a “show off” vehicle, she massages each lyric with deep musical sensitivity and emotional maturity. She uses a gentle whisper to caress a melody or …more…
From http://www.gilevansproject.com
An incomparable composer, arranger and bandleader, the importance of the great Gil Evans could not be overstated. Instrumental in the development of modal jazz, jazz fusion and a number of other sub-genres, Evans and his collaborators forever changed the face of America’s art form.
On a new disc to be released on May 13th, producer Ryan Truesdell explores some quite extraordinary newly-discovered Gil Evans works. Truesdell is the first …more…
Last night in UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall, Seun Kuti had the crowd on its feet and dancing in the aisles to his version of Afrobeat, the music pioneered by his legendary father, Fela Kuti. While Fela! The Musical has brought new attention and perhaps a new audience to Fela’s music and story of protest, the late Black President’s legacy also survives in the music of his son, Seun (pronounce Shay-oon). …more…
On April 19, 2012, at 8:00 p.m. in Paine Hall on the Harvard University campus, jazz pianist, composer, educator, and author, Lewis Porter’s Concerto for Saxophone will receive its world premiere with jazz icon Dave Liebman as the soloist (event site). Dr. Porter was kind enough to answer some questions about the piece and his collaborations with Liebman:
Your achievements as a scholar and educator are tremendous: You have been a …more…
Kaissa at Zinc Bar
I find hybrids endlessly compelling. And when you really stop to think about the origins of jazz, combining it with African traditions seems like an exceptionally easy match. Every Friday at Zinc Bar in the Village is African Jazz night and I would be willing to bet that the clubs who have a recurring night of African Jazz are few and far between.
This Friday, April 13th, …more…
The Spring season is well underway at SFJAZZ, but there is still plenty to look forward to in April, May, and June. Starting the month on a particularly strong note, the presenting company’s namesake combo, the SFJAZZ Collective, is playing Yoshi’s in Oakland on this weekend, March 31 – April 1. As great as they are, you may want to wait and catch them on Sunday so that you don’t …more…
Journey into Capricorn – Stan Kenton
For this week’s lecture, class, I want to delve into the past. And by the past, I mean the 90′s. I remember in the early-to-mid days of CD players in cars (my parents were far from early adopters of this luxury), we would all load into the van and head off to some mosquito-ridden campsite in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest.
The soundtrack of …more…
I was recently attending the annual conference for the International Society for Improvised Music and I got into a conversation with trombonist, Jeff Albert. First of all, Jeff is a pretty awesome dude: he is currently working on his Ph.D in Experimental Music, experimenting with the possibilities of computers and improvised music, and was recently named a Rising Star in the Trombone category for Down Beat Magazine… plus, Jeff is …more…
I was attending a wonderful show by vocalist Arlene Bardelle and I reflected on the unique perspective that my wife and I (as well as a few others) have from observing the jazz scenes of both the windy city and the big apple. As jazz clubs continue to financially tread water, refine their lineups to fit more popular tastes, or simply close down, many in the jazz community question what …more…
I recently spent an evening with some good friends, enjoying a terrific paella and a few bottles of Cabernet. The conversation turned to music, and the host said something to the effect that jazz must be the most liberating and fun type of music to play, because jazz musicians are able to make everything up as they go along. Although she isn’t a professional musician, she is substantially better-informed than …more…
From http://devingraymusic.com/
I would be the first to admit that free jazz is not really my strong suit. My tastes tend to run more toward straight ahead or vocally-driven jazz. However, anytime I’ve dabbled in what you might consider “avant garde”, it always seems to come back to drummer-driven music. (Think Jack DeJohnette, etc.)
So it’s surprising and not at all surprising that I’ve been seriously enjoying NYC drummer Devin Gray‘s …more…
It was not at all difficult to imagine pianist Johnny O’Neal as Art Tatum in the 2004 film, “Ray” (one of my favorites). Mostly because Mr. O’Neal is easily just as prodigiously talented as Mr. Tatum. ...more...
The top Bay Area jazz happening of recent weeks was surely John Santos Sextet’s two-night stand at Yoshi’s in Oakland. While Santos is always a notable attraction in these parts, his engagement at the famous East Bay club on March 2 & 3, 2012, was one of those not-to-be-missed events whose auditors were glad they had made the trip. Upon entering the room for the first set on Friday night, it was clear that the evening was going to be a fun and collaborative one. ...more...
What is there to say about Nellie McKay? Mostly just that as soon as you try to define what it is that she actually does, she goes and does something so out of left field that you’re left bereft of descriptive ability. ...more...
The history of the tenor saxophone runs as deep as it does wide in jazz, from Bean to Brecker, to the extent that one can almost question what else can possibly be done on the instrument. Fortunately for the skeptics, the jazz community does continue to turn out unique tenor saxophone stylists and among them is Chicago-based tenor player Chris Madsen. The first thing one notices about Madsen is his …more…
With the eclectic nature of Chicago’s music scene, filled with the blues, jazz, gospel, and R & B, it is a real joy to check out the vocal stylings of Sarah Marie Young. An alumni of Columbia College’s heralded vocal jazz program, Young has been impressing Chicago audiences since 2004.
One aspect of Young’s singing that really amazes is her ability to sing jazz, R & B, as well as her …more…
I first heard Kate McGarry when she stopped by The Kitano to perform a gorgeous cover of Neil Young’s “Old Man” with Moss bandmate, Peter Eldridge (of New York Voices). I was taken by her beautiful, smoky voice and stunning song interpretation.
Kate’s got a new record out called Girl Talk, inspired by some of her idols (Carmen McRae, Betty Carter, and many others).
“Girl Talk” is a wonderfully intimate record that …more…
This week, NYC-based jazz guitarist Rick Stone answers some of my burning questions! Rick’s album Fractals with the Rick Stone Trio came out in 2011 and has been getting some great notice out on the interwebs, including a great review on AllAboutJazz.com. You can catch The Rick Stone Trio in at the Bar Next Door at La Lanterna in NYC on February 25th. More info at RickStone.com ...more...
The 2012 Grammys are almost here and the entertainment world is all abuzz with that annual affliction “Grammy Fever.” What exactly do these awards mean for the winners and nominees? Well, for an increasingly shrinking list of players the awards will continue to mean big-time money and exposure. But this year the field has shrunk and numerous artists who previously enjoyed access to modest pieces of the Grammy pie will find themselves among the industry’s equivalent of the 99%. Last April, The National Academy of Recorded Arts and Sciences (NARAS) elected to reduce the number of awards by eliminating 31 different categories from award contention, ostensibly to foster greater competition in fewer categories. ...more...
Each year the Foundation for Entertainment Development and Education, known colloquially as the “Big Easy Entertainment Awards foundation,” honors the musicians, dancers, conductors and singers who contribute to the classical arts of opera, ballet and dance and music.
The affair a luncheon held at the Hotel Monteleone is an opportunity to honor these artists, patrons and teachers who contribute to the classical arts in significant ways and enrich the culture of …more…
Pablo Malco, choreographer and director of The Hip Hop Symphony, the dance performance extravaganza hosted by the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on January 29, 2012, tells us about how he got into dance, the making of The Hip Hop Symphony and the dance company turned foundation (www.pablomalcofoundation.org) that brings the art of dance into the community. ...more...
I have a soft spot in my heart for Esperanza Spalding. I used to catch her on OPB on whatever local arts show she happened to be playing that month. It was shocking and amazing when she won the Grammy for Best New Artist. Life changing. ...more...
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