Contributors' Corner - Feature Stories
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Esperanza Spalding
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Billboard’s Faces To Watch DVD series provides background information about burgeoning artists who are on the cusp of coming of age. The company’s DVD on singer/songwriter/upright bass player, Esperanza Spalding is an honest account of this young musician’s rise to become a bona-fide solo artist, told in her own words. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, her mother played...
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Viewpoint by Susan Frances
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JT's Clef Notes
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TJ – Tangria Jazz Group (Self 2008)
In an excursion that has brought this trio to their third spin, Tangria Jazz Group has proven to be bold in approach, precise in composition, and progressive in method. Leader Sheryl Mebane (Drummer) has come together with a vision, evolving her multi-directional craft. The result is seven imaginative cuts all with position and...
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Viewpoint by Karl Stober
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Jazz Flourishing at Bull's Head, Barnes
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Visitors to London interested in hearing good jazz are greeted by a rich and diverse scene. There are, as in the US, too many good musicians chasing too few gigs, but while this may be bad for musicians it provides many good choices for jazz fans. Tourists tend to gravitate towards Ronnie Scott's club (www.ronniescotts.co.uk) and Pizza Express (www.pizzaexpresslive.co.uk)...
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Concert Review by Peter Westbrook
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T. S. Monk Sextet at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco
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The T. S. Monk Sextet is making its first-ever San Francisco appearance at the Great American Music Hall. Its bandleader, the ebullient and loquacious drummer T. S. Monk, is the son of legendary pianist Thelonious Monk who would have been ninety years old this year. He last performed the previous year, together with pianist Jason Moran, in a tribute...
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Concert Review by Harry S. Pariser
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The Message Is Clear On Jazz As A Tradition
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One of jazz’s most enduring artists is guitarist Pat Metheny. In the minds of some, he is one of the genre’s premier musicians. As a fusion practitioner, Metheny has been on the cutting edge of his craft for more than 30 years. Since 1975, he has recorded and collaborated on more than 45 albums. In addition, he has toured...
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Concert Review by Sheldon T. Nunn
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Jazz In The Garden Concludes With Bang
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Miami Gardens, Florida came alive for the third year in a row when the City welcomed an average of ten thousand patrons for the two-day festival Jazz In The Garden. Jazz In The Garden is not just a concert, over the past three years it has vastly become a major stop for old school and new school artists and...
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Concert Review by Alice Meikle
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John Lennon All-Star Tribute at Jeff Healey's Roadhouse
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There was an all-star musical tribute to the one and only John Lennon – Beatle/painter/music icon, at Jeff Healey’s Roadhouse in Toronto on Sunday, December 9, 2007. This is the second great Lennon Tribute show this writer has attended, hosted by all-time Beatle fan and rock/blues artist extraordinaire Greg Godovitz (Goddo/ex-Ronnie Hawkins). This show also featured Godovitz's Rock Talk radio program broadcast live...
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Concert Review by Joe Curtis
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Race Continues to Undermine Jazz’s Future
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IS JAZZ BLACK MUSIC?, “Where does jazz come from, to whom does it ‘belong’ and is this important?,” as advertised publicly by Jazz at Lincoln Center (now on Columbus Circle), polarized some and infuriated many attendees of this “JAZZ TALK,” a presentation of the Irene Diamond Education Center, January 31, 2008. As Moderator Lewis Porter, a Professor of Music...
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Viewpoint by Dan Kassell
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Wilson Heats Up S.F.
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Cassandra Wilson stood on stage and confessed that she wanted to sing in one place for a year.
The audience answered by making the case for San Francisco to be just the spot to realize that wish.
The acclaimed singer had the crowd from her opening tune, “Caravan.” Known for her adventurous repertoire, Wilson performed a stellar, although short,...
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Concert Review by Donna Kimura
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Sunshine In Toronto
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There is something fresh and exciting about the Tierney Sutton band and it is captured on their new recording On The Other Side a Telarc release for 2007 and one of my favorites of the year. I jumped at the chance to come out and see the band at one of the most intimate nightclubs in Toronto, The Old...
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Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
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My Best of for 2007
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The following lists are some of my favorites of this past year, listed in no particular order and with no particular preference.
2007 CD’s:
David Virelles Quintet Motion (Justin Time), Joel Miller Tantramar (Artist Share), Chembo Corniel For The Rest Of Your Life (Chemboro), Mike Barone Big Band By Request (Rhubarb Recordings), Mark Weinstein Con Alma (Jazzheads), Freddy Cole...
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Viewpoint by Paul J. Youngman
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Fish Out of Water
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Influenced by the sound of Benny Goodman and the Stray Cats, the Neo-Swing Jazz style of The Rock and Rule Swing Band is a fusion of big band swing, rockabilly, and even SKA. They appeared like fish out of water at this years annual San Pedro Country Music Festival in San Pedro Argentina … and stole the show. The...
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Concert Review by Brie Austin
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Poncho Sanchez
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His new CD is titled Raise Your Hand, and the members of the audience
at Demitriou’s Jazz Alley in Seattle Washington did just that on Friday,
December 28th, as they were feeling the Latin vibes of percussionist Poncho
Sanchez and his band. Although Jazz Alley does not have a dance floor, that did
not stop the crowd from getting...
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Concert Review by Joe Montague
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New Years Eve 2007– “Let’s Dance”
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The cheers go up on recognition of the first song of the concert, “Don’t Be That Way” a huge sound fills the concert hall, with a gorgeous clarinet tone leading the way and sounding as sweet as can be. The orchestra is playing with passion, layer upon layer of fine silky like tones radiate out towards the smiling faces....
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Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
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Michael Kaeshammer
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From the moment that Michael Kaeshammer took to the stage at the Center in Vancouver for the Performing Arts, on the evening of December 13th, you knew this was going to be a fun and entertaining evening, filled with great music. Kaeshammer possesses uncanny stage presence, an abundance of charisma—oh and did we happen to mention that he is...
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Concert Review by Joe Montague
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Sophie Milman
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From the moment that Sophie Milman hit the stage at the Center in Vancouver for the Performing Arts, on Canada’s west coast, December 13th, you knew she was into her music. As she started to sing the first few lines of “Spring Fever,” her body swayed to the music. Earlier this fall, Milman received high marks from New York...
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Concert Review by Joe Montague
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Superband Shine In Flushing
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While many regard New York as the jazz capital of the US, few people would think of Flushing Town Hall as part of that picture. Yet through a program developed in co-operation with the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts--a member of the Cultural Institution Group of New York City and an Affiliate Member of the Smithsonian Institution--the...
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Concert Review by Peter Westbrook
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Further Evolutions: Dana Leong, Downtown, Loft and Nu-Jazz
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There is a tradition as old as jazz itself of musicians finishing a gig, and then instead of going to bed, finding a little club or party where, safe among their fellow musicians and the equally appreciative faithful, they cut loose. Aside from providing a type of release, these after hour jam sessions sometimes allowed them to work out...
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Viewpoint by Maxwell Chandler
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Matthew Shipp Live at Yoshi's
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Some years back, I turned on KUSF, the San Francisco iconoclastic radio station located at the University of San Francisco, to find myself in the middle of an interview with pianist Matthew Shipp. I was so struck by what he said that I went down to Bruno’s, a bar and restaurant on Mission Street which was programming inventive jazz...
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Concert Review by Harry S. Pariser
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Apollo Premier’s 'The Blueprint of a Lady'
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Subtitled “The Once and Future Life of Billie Holiday,” a concept of vocalist Nnenna Freelon in collaboration with choreographer, Dancer Ronald K. Brown and his Evidence Dance Company at the Saturday night November 10th, 2007 opening event Jonelle Procope, President of the Apollo Foundation announced this to be “the first Art & Soul presentation of The Apollo Performing Arts...
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Concert Review by Dan Kassell
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New Music from Harvie S
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Long recognized as one of the premiere bass players of his era, Harvie S is also an accomplished composer. His most recent release on the Zoho label, Funky Cha, is testament to his prowess in this regard. However, his most recent live performance at the magnificent Kitano Hotel featured brand new material composed over the previous year.
After opening...
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Concert Review by Bryan Zoran
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A Jazz Hot Venue
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Saxophonist Ernest Dawkins in town from Chicago along with his New Horizons Ensemble for two engagements at the Trane Studio, as part of the clubs ongoing artistic extravaganza, Afrikan Millennium & Cultural Arts Fest (Oct 1, to Dec 31, '07) put on a performance of high art. The New Horizons Ensemble consisting of Ernest Dawkins, alto and tenor saxophone,...
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Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
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Drums Live III
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The stage is set; drums align the stage - stretching from stage right to stage left, colorful, glowing, large sets with glistening chrome hardware, varying size cymbals of all manner of design and lots of percussion accoutrements. At the front of the stage a hi-hat, a snare and a bass drum are set up, spaced evenly apart with a...
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Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
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Da Camera of Houston Celebrates 20 Years
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Thinking outside the box when the subject of jazz is discussed has become increasingly difficult during the last 20 years, especially so when examining the genre as an American art form. What has transpired in that amount of time has been a transitory attitude having little if any historical significance. In Houston, Texas, Da Camera of Houston an arts...
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Concert Review by Sheldon T. Nunn
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Wave Day 5 Hits Another Milestone
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A major milestone has been achieved by KHJZ 95.7 “The Wave” in Houston, Texas. The radio station celebrated five successful years of smooth jazz programming with a concert entitled “Wave Day 5” featuring Fourplay, Boney James, Roberta Flack, Michael McDonald and Houston’s own saxophonist Dean James. In that amount of time, KHJZ has annually celebrated their success with a multi-faceted array of...
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Concert Review by Sheldon T. Nunn
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