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Sonny Rollins Makes a Monumental Mark on Music
When a jazz icon has a handful of words to say about a storied and stellar career, you listen. Especially if it’s the inimitable Sonny Rollins. I first heard him on 1978’s “Don’t Stop the Carnival” and was nothing short of stunned. Recorded live at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall, it was the first... Continue Reading →
Inventive, agile, the beauty in the notes: Mary Louise Knutson
There’s a special vibe that comes from a pianist who travels the keyboard like an old soul with a refreshing approach. Mary Louise Knutson is at one with the piano and evokes humanity-affirming moods and atmospheres. You may know “Bluesette” as a jaunty and dense romp, but it’s thoughtful and sweet in Knutson’s hands, adding... Continue Reading →
Pure Pulse Delivered in Delicious Layers: Michele Bazzani
When a percussionist can add a bit of swirl and funk (but lightly) to a classic like “Naima” that serves the song in a surprisingly new and pretty way, it’s true instinct. Drummer Michele Bazzani has a sixth sense, providing a voice that belongs in the foreground. Largely influenced by the Afro-Latin vibe, Bazzani’s drums... Continue Reading →
It Hugs You Like It Should: “First Christmas Loving You” by John Korbel
What are the ingredients to an instant classic, especially in a subgenre with so much existing material like Christmas jazz? A sultry pace, heavy on the brushes, lyrics that make it seem like the song was written only for the listener, and vocals that are comfortable, warm and evoke time together by the fireplace. Who... Continue Reading →
Mark Christian Miller is in the pocket with new CD Music in the Air
When all the components are just right, the “music in the air” is a delightful and immersive breeze. Mark Christian Miller shows skills in pacing, punctuation, scat and melody. It’s all there in his new album, where he and the band swing like a gate in a hurricane. A thoughtful and multi-colored tonal experience in... Continue Reading →
West Coast Talent Breezes In: Betty Bryant
Betty Bryant has a long career of gracing the air with beautiful music. With a voice that’s powerful when it needs to be, at turns delicate, forlorn, and brazen, by all accounts she is the quintessential professional, a quiet giant of vocal jazz. What lends a unique authenticity is that she describes her sound as... Continue Reading →
Book Review – Ain’t But a Few of Us: Black Music Writers Tell Their Story by Willard Jenkins
The paucity of Black journalists who write about jazz has been tackled with insight and honest observations by journalist and author Willard Jenkins in a new book that comes out December 2 called Ain’t But a Few of Us: Black Music Writers Tell Their Story (Duke University Press). Some of these issues have been discussed... Continue Reading →
Sunshine Pours Down: New EP from Ellis White “Keeping It Real”
With a background in blues and soft rock and a deep appreciation for the urban smooth jazz vibe, guitarist Ellis White (now in Florida, originally from Maine) sings through his instrument in spectacular style in his latest EP, “Keeping It Real.” The song is an instant transport to easy beats wrapped up in a warm... Continue Reading →
Kristin Berardi Knows How to Navigate Nuance in New CD “The Light and the Dark”
Kristin Berardi has a voice that lilts, rises and falls, all stepping-stones and light movements. Her new CD, The Light and the Dark, is a full-course meal of storytelling and melodic finesse. “He Was a Loaded Gun” takes you on a trip with a guy her heart should have avoided but the pull was inevitable.... Continue Reading →
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