By: Edward Blanco Legendary Bop pianist Barry Harris once cited Larry Vuckovich as “one of the premier West Coast pianist” in the jazz world today. On this new release, Vuckovich pays tribute to the classic Blue Note label bringing back the soulful swing jazz that made its recordings so historic. …
by: Geannine Reid Renditions of Cole Porter’s classics have been explored on many jazz albums throughout the ages. So how does a musician take this concept and make a standout concept. The answer is exhibited in the latest release by veteran pianist David Leonhardt. Cole Porter’s music is clearly a …
Glenn Astarita Chances are, and perhaps unknowingly, you’ve heard guitarist Chuck Loeb performing on TV scores and commercial jingles amid his comprehensive career, spanning jazz-fusion, contemporary jazz and music productions. As a first-call session ace, Loeb has been in the thick of matters, hearkening back to the 70s. As a …
By: Edward Blanco Platinum-award-winning vocalist/lyricist Mark Winkler presents his tenth album as leader and follow up to his critically-acclaimed 2009 release, Till I Get It Right, with the sugar-coated twelve-piece Sweet Spot. Winkler surely “Gets it right” with this new album, where he offers a host of new material and …
Gary Burton’s debut release on Mack Avenue Records, Common Ground, is Burton’s first studio album since 2005, and introduces his latest band, the New Gary Burton Quartet, featuring guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Antonio Sanchez. The group performs during the closing night concert of the 2011 Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival. Burton, the Grammy-winning pioneer of …
As Washington DC welcomes the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial — and with “The Help” now dominating at the box office — Americans are reflecting upon the nation’s turbulent racial history, MLK’s contributions to the civil rights movement, and life under segregation. For author Renatta DeBlase, these events seem …
Announces Mr. Bill Cosby Master of Ceremonies The Project supports the Dizzy Gillespie Memorial Fund, which helps underwrite the costs of hospitalization, diagnostic tests, and a full range of surgical and medical care for jazz musicians who are uninsured and without the ability to pay.A stellar cast of musicians and …
By Bill Donaldson Make no mistake about it: The musicians on Larry Vuckovich’s most recent CD, Somethin’ Special, are jazz professionals with years, well decades, of experience shaping their techniques into means of expression that effortlessly emerge as the music flows. Vuckovich himself started in the late fifties as a …
Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Segal: ‘Chamber Music’ Mamani Keita: ‘Gagner l’argent français’ Albums in Stores August 23, 2011 Giving voice to renowned French label Nø Førmat (Gonzales’ Solo piano, Nicolas Repac’s Swing Swing…), Spectra Musique will be releasing two of its albums on August 23rd: Chamber Music by Ballaké Sissoko …
Acclaimed Berklee College of Music ensemble Dayramir and Habana Entrance are headed to the Detroit Jazz Festival, recently voted one of the top three jazz festivals in North America in a Jazz Times Critics’ Poll. Led by rising Cuban pianist Dayramir Gonzalez, the group, a six-piece band that mixes Latin …
