Modern music has come a long way from the hand-illustrated sheet music and heavy shellac albums circa 1925. Our Jazz Age predecessors struggled no less than contemporary artists do concerning rights, permissions, “sampling” and myriad points of contention in protecting their creative expressions. A new book by Gary A. Rosen coming out in January 2020... Continue Reading →
Charles Williams’s new CD “Flavors of Jazz” tingles on the taste buds and proves this pianist can swing for sure. A musician who loves arranging, he leads a trio and performs in several bands with that fat, big band feel – the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, the Louis Neal Orchestra and his newest ensemble called... Continue Reading →
A sweet, thick layer of sax goes a long way over many years, and Joe Lovano and his tenor have trekked mountains, cities and countrysides. Recently he’s found himself at ECM Records with his newest work, “Trio Tapestry,” where there is mist and mystery, skin-tingling pathos and dancing on the edges of love. Forming a... Continue Reading →
He has a golden touch with pure tone and is one of those musicians who gets a point across with sweetness and light. Erik Truffaz’s music provides crystal clarity in a happy place. The common thread throughout his discography is the excellence of musicianship from his quartet paired with brilliant collaborations, like with rap artist... Continue Reading →
Flute player Bill McBirnie says he took everything he knows about being a musician and broke it down to the basics in his new book The Technique and Theory of Improvisation: A practical guide for flutists, doublers, and other instrumentalists. Just released in November 2019, it’s accessible, honest and conversational, covering topics like how to... Continue Reading →
Tenor sax player Kevin Blue Woods can serve up a sumptuous band of silky sound that hugs the soul and swaddles the spirit. In his latest CD “CityLife” that fat-and-happy sax sound presides over a collection of tracks that have bop and beat, soul and purpose. “Can’t Believe” is a tasty, bright song with a... Continue Reading →
A song starts out and you’re totally open, ready to get your mind around the rhythm of it, the main tune of it, and soon after, to identify where the harmonies lie and where the other textures will start to fit in. What happens if, within the first few bars, you get hit with an... Continue Reading →
Debbie Burke - jazz author 
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