Aidan Levy has written a just-released book on living legend Sonny Rollins that deftly chronicles the life and music of the great tenor player and does so with an honest eye. Perhaps its greatest strength is evoking the times he has lived (and continues to live) through and actually himself had a huge hand in... 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 →
Sam Thornton’s Intergalactic Brasstronauts Leave Scorched Earth in “Music for the People”
Imagine a vibe that evokes dubstep, reggae, Dixieland and big band and you have a sliver of a glimpse of the Intergalactic Brasstronauts. Leader and sax player Sam Thornton and his band have a new CD called “Music for the People” which is best described as a huge, screaming heap of fun. An incredible 16... Continue Reading →
A True Leader Lets the Light In: Ariel Glassman Big Band
Taking a page from big band’s heyday and running full throttle with it takes courage and strength. Both are apparent when listening to Ms. Ariel Glassman’s Big Band, whose full, soaring sound immediately tells the listener that he or she is about to be treated to some serious jazz. Recently appearing at the Fulton Street... Continue Reading →
Songs that Penetrate the Heart and Stay There
Maria Schafer’s debut vocal album “To Know Love…” comes out in January, 2018. Written in an astounding five weeks squeezed between road performances with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the new album is mindful of all the types of love we feel and the mistakes we make. Maria’s voice is full of nuance, strong in character... Continue Reading →
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