There are no fewer than 20 top-notch musicians in Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. Founded in 1999, Goodwin’s idea was to assemble a band to record an album “and nothing more.” It wasn’t his intention to get gigs for the band but that’s what happened; first, on the request of his alma mater, and then... Continue Reading →
Composer/pianist/teacher Phillip Keveren, who earned his musical pedigree from Cal State U and the University of Southern California, was driven to re-interpret the fugues and cantatas of Bach into jazz. Sample it here: Why morph JSB into jazz, one may ask? Phillip says to blame it on the Swingle Singers. This early acapella group from... Continue Reading →
“Cease and desist or I will have my lawyer contact you!” These are the words that froze my heart and sucked the breath from my lungs. Moments later, when I regained composure, I read the rest of an email that was curt, poorly composed and just plain stupid. Legally speaking. My first book was a... Continue Reading →
Bob Bernotas might not be a jazzy household name, but he’s been writing about the genre for many years. With a successful monthly newsletter and as the host of a show by the same name on an East Coast college radio station, he’s dabbled in clarinet and sax but holds a soft spot for the... Continue Reading →
