Ordinarily, I don’t use words to describe a musician’s physical appearance. My assignment is to describe the elements and the quality of the universally inspiring art form of music, the potentially eternal purity of which exists at a level higher than the finite characteristics of the human body. However, Orrin …
In 1987, Tom Graf co-wrote, “Yes,” as performed by soul great Merry Clayton, for the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, which sold more than 32 million copies worldwide. Now, over 35 years later, he presents Struttin’, his 8th release as a Jazz Songwriter and first since 2020. Tom credits his local Bay …
Bassist/composer Bruno Råberg convenes a stunning and versatile Tentet for his far-reaching new album ‘Evolver’
Zev Feldman’s reputation preceded him. When, serendipitously, Frank Marshall found in his garage a fifty-year-old tape recording of Chet Baker and Jack Sheldon, he realized its significance. Yes, he is the Frank Marshall. The producer of the Indiana Jones movies, the Bourne movies, Schindler’s List, the Back to the Future …
In his early thirties, Yusef Lateef converted to Islam, changed his name from William Emanuel Huddleston, and began his studies of music without boundaries. Dr. Lateef disliked the word “jazz” to describe his music because he believed that its connotations didn’t encompass the spiritual nature of music. He developed the …
For more than 50 years, the fervent B-3 organ jazz musician, Tony Monaco, has remained unwaveringly dedicated to the instrument’s soulful tradition. In 1975, none other than NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Smith called the 16-year-old Monaco to provide encouragement. In 1979, Smith invited Monaco to perform at his supper club …
“I think jazz needs to expand. It needs to continually evolve,” said producer Gregory Howe in DownBeat’s article about his determinedly independent label, San Francisco-based Wide Hive Records. Avoiding commercialism and limitations about the boundaries of jazz, Howe has developed organically a coterie of musicians, known as the Wide Hive …
Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo, Milt Jackson, Terry Gibbs, Roy Ayers, Bobby Hutcherson, Peter Appleyard, Jay Hoggard, Gary Burton, Joe Locke, Steve Nelson, Stefon Harris, Warren Wolf, Joel Ross. The list of major jazz vibraphonists is brief, but their jazz contributions to the instrument’s status progressed through the generations as their …
Chopin’s famous Prelude Op. 28 No. 4 in E minor is the composition he wanted to be played at his funeral. Juan María Solare releases his recording of this heartbreaking miniature promptly on the composer’s 214th birtday.
The follow-up to Pillow’s critically acclaimed 2018 release contains an added section of French Horns to bring different colors to yet more relatively unknown 70’s era Miles’ music. The band features soloists from a who’s who of NYC musicians including tenor saxophonist Jimmy Greene, trombonist Alan Ferber and trumpeters Scott …
