The great blues singer Bessie Smith is getting a revival at St. Luke’s Theatre, an intimate Off-Broadway venue on West 46th Street, thanks to a powerhouse performance by Miche Braden in The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith. With no more than a pointed look and a swish of the hips, the Drama Desk Award-nominated Braden commands the room the minute she enters. And it doesn’t hurt …more…
Arts America Blog
Jazz Spotlight: Vocalist Rose Colella
April 29, 2012 by 1 Comment
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…
To Berkeley with Fury: Seun Kuti and Egypt 80
April 20, 2012 by
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…
Jazz Concerto Premiere – An Interview With Lewis Porter
April 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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…
SFJAZZ Spring Season Underway
March 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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…
From the Vault – Stan Kenton’s “Journey into Capricorn”
March 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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…
Chicago’s Iconic Experimental Jazz Scene
March 25, 2012 by 3 Comments
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…
The State of Jazz Clubs: Chicago and New York
March 23, 2012 by 7 Comments
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…
Pianist Johnny O’Neal takes the stage at Smalls
March 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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...
Jovino Santos Neto joined Santos at Yoshi’s
March 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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...
Jazz Spotlight: Sarah Marie Young
February 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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…
Kate McGarry “Girl Talk”
February 25, 2012 by
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…
Saving Humanity One Dance At A Time
February 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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...
Vocalese
January 30, 2012 by
I wanted to take a moment today to highlight one of the most under-appreciated sub-genres in jazz (in my incredibly biased vocalist opinion). ...more...
“The Artist”?…Try Seven Artists!
January 29, 2012 by
Recently, my wife and I went to the movies to see “The Artist”. The film (which is silent) is a love letter to grand old cinema, with references to Welles, Chaplin, Wilder, and many more. The theater was packed with people watching from the stairs in rapt attention without a peep from a soul in the audience.
Why?
There is something fantastic about a work that wittily references the past and exudes …more…
Top attraction this weekend: Alfredo Rodriguez
January 27, 2012 by
Saturday night’s Treasures from the Archives presentation by Mark Cantor of rare, fascinating jazz film clips was, as expected, another memorable occasion. This was no tiny, peripheral jazz society splitting hairs over minutiae and obscure musicians lost to history; Cantor’s presentation was informative, fun, and, above all, well-attended! The screening occurred in Kanbar Hall in The Jewish Community Center of San Francisco with an appreciative audience of probably 300 fans …more…
Identical Twins Jazz Up San Diego
January 20, 2012 by
Photo courtesy of Andrew Paynter
Identical twin jazz duo, the Mattson 2, have been taking the San Diego jazz scene by storm with their contemporary take on the genre. The pair, namely Jonathan and Jared Mattson, are crossing boundaries with their distinct sound and even more distinct fashion sense.
The duo has been on the jazz scene for a few years now under the Indie label, Galaxia …more…
JAZZ IN FILM NEWS
January 15, 2012 by 1 Comment
One of the most intriguing jazz news stories of recent years was revived when Don Cheadle recently confirmed that his plans to make a film about Miles Davis were developing. The proposed project, which Cheadle would both direct and star in, was announced two years ago but had scarcely been mentioned by the Oscar-nominated actor since. Cheadle, of course, has been busy starring in films like Iron Man 2 and …more…
Fat Cat
January 14, 2012 by
I paid a visit last week to Fat Cat down on Christopher Street with a few friends. I’d forgotten how great this place is!
With some of the best pool to be played in NYC and a really swingin’ after hours jam session every night, what’s not to love? ...more...
Jazz at Jacks Brings Soul to the Heart of Downtown Denver
January 7, 2012 by
Whether you are a visiting tourist or a Denver native, you’d be hard pressed to find a more accessible jazz venue than ‘Jazz @ Jacks,’ conveniently located in the center of Downtown Denver, in the Denver Pavilions on the bustling 16th Street Mall. ...more...
Jimmy Mak’s – Love Song to a Hometown Haunt
January 3, 2012 by
Greetings from the West Coast! I’m on a quick trip home and I thought I would step in as a guest blogger for Portland – my almost hometown! ...more...
2011 Top Musical Discoveries (a personal list)
January 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Many critics, reviewers, and bloggers end the year with a top ten list of the year’s best recordings, best performances, top news stories, etc. For my record of San Francisco and Bay Area jazz happenings, I want to offer a list of top musical discoveries of 2011. Admittedly, this is a highly personal list and I offer it in the hopes that readers respond with their own discoveries:
Early Music scene …more…
New Orleans Museum of Art turns 100 with a party
December 15, 2011 by
In most any other major North American city an art museum would commemorate an anniversary with a dry, stuffy affair consisting of a string quartet quietly playing Haydn or Brahms while hor d’oeuvres would be passed along to attendees by a wait staff in thick-starched black and white uniforms.
New Orleans Museum of Art (Photo courtesy of NOCVB)
But this is New Orleans and when the New Orleans Museum of Art …more…
The Best Holiday Jazz Recordings – Part II
December 3, 2011 by
Staring at Christmas from this side of Thanksgiving feels somehow more daunting. To combat your Winter Wonderland Woes (fingers crossed that the Snow Gods treat us kindly here in New York this year), I bring you the second and final installment of my favorite holiday jazz classics. ...more...
GIVE THANKS… FOR JOHN SANTOS
December 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment
This November many of us carved out time to appreciate the people in our lives and give thanks. We Bay Area jazz fans, in particular, had much to be thankful for. Although the SFJAZZ Festival is still winding down, the past months have been filled with some outstanding shows including those by Esperanza Spaulding, Robert Glasper, and McCoy Tyner. Alongside the established jazz artists were legendary Bollywood playback-singer Asha Bohsle, R&B …more…
