Contributors' Corner - Feature Stories
Page
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
[next]
[ff]
|
Art of Jazz - Day 3
|
The final day of the Art of Jazz, Global Jazz Village - Italian Style, started off a little late. A combination of bad weather, a little rain and a cold front rolling through town caused a minor delay. Spirits were not dampened, a large gathering of people were in and around the Trinity stage checking out the Cuban element,...
|
|
Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
|
 |
Art of Jazz - Global Jazz Village
|
A full day of jazz at the Distillery Historic District beginning bright and early at 12 p.m. The jazz starts with a workshop by Roberta Gambarini, by all accounts a tremendous educational workshop, carried out by Ms. Gambarini with pianist Don Thompson and bassist Neil Swainson in support. A trio performance at an outdoor patio in front of the...
|
|
Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
|
|
The Early “Parker” gets the “Frank”
|
The early what, gets the what? The riddle is simply to make a point. The early Parker (Charlie Parker as in the BIRD) gets the Frank Sinatra (as in CHAIRman of the Board). From the first downbeat, 8:30pm on Monday June 1st, until the final notes went silent, Cafe290 was standing room only. Why? The crowd came to hear Big Band...
|
|
Concert Review by Bruce Pulver
|
|
Art of Jazz - Global Jazz Village - Italian Style
|
The fourth annual Art of Jazz celebration just managed to melodically squeak by this time around. The Toronto Italian community and major sponsor Mario Romano are deserving of thanks for keeping the celebration alive. The free out door shows all had good turn outs in spite of some cooler temperatures rolling in from the north on Sunday. The first...
|
|
Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
|
|
Dakota cooks with the Delfeayo Marsalis quintet
|
On Tuesday, May 12th, Delfeayo Marsalis appeared with his quintet at the
Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The quintet included: Delfeayo
Marsalis (trombone), Richard Johnson (piano), Marion Felder (drummer), Dean
Hewlett (bass), and Mark Gross (saxophone).
Marsalis who has a unique improvisational style says that when he is
performing in Japan or in South America people often come...
|
|
Concert Review by Theresa Crushshon
|
|
Swinging with soul
|
On Sunday, May 17th, piano maestro Marcus Roberts performed at the The Dakota Jazz Club. Located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, the Dakota is one the best clubs in the Twin Cities to visit for live jazz. Showcasing the talents of nationally renowned jazz pianist, Marcus Roberts, is just one example to their commitment to the culture and...
|
|
Concert Review by
|
|
Sax For Stax in Las Vegas
|
The Railhead located inside the Boulder Station Casino was the scene of a sold-out soul drenched spectacle when the Sax for Stax tour paid a visit to Las Vegas. The magnificent show featured the pairing of two of contemporary jazz’s elite saxophone players, Gerald Albright and Kirk Whalum. These two titans, who have always endeavored to play with abundant...
|
|
Concert Review by Randall Parrish
|
|
Regardless of context, Scheinman shines
|
In a strange way, violinist/composer/singer/songwriter Jenny Scheinman is something of a throwback to an older American epoch. For as long as America has had borders and divisions, there’ve been people crossing/flouting them with abandon. Bing Crosby, the man that defined pop singing in the first half on the 20th century, recorded Irish ballads, Tin Pan Alley tunes, jazz, Hawaiian...
|
|
Concert Review by Mark Keresman
|
|
Habib Koite Live at Zellerbach
|
Although I’ve long listened to his music, I’ve never seen Malian guitarist Habib Koite and his band Bamada perform in person. So his performance at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall this evening promises to be a real treat.
Habib and Bamada take the stage attired in Malian shirts and pants — ones dyed using plangi and other resist techniques —and...
|
|
Concert Review by Harry S. Pariser
|
|
Joshua Redman Live at Yoshis
|
Residing as I do in San Francisco, I’ve long had connected the surname “Redman” with jazz. Joshua’s late father, Dewey, was a well known jazz musician, and I was aware from him through his dates with Ornette Coleman, his membership in the band Old and New Dreams, and his occasional gigs here.
Dewey’s star has been eclipsed by his...
|
|
Concert Review by Harry S. Pariser
|
|
Susan Boyle’s Beautifully, Angelic Singing
|
Many of us have dreamed of being onstage performing in front of a huge audience, and having the whole crowd love us. Maybe sitting in with a major rock, blues or jazz star, and having everyone go "Ooh … ahh …!!!"
Well, dreams like that do sometimes come true, as the late great and thoroughly magical Walt Disney commented decades...
|
|
Viewpoint by Joe Curtis
|
|
The Dylan Tree
|
The Dylan Tree is a band of seasoned pros who only play songs written by folk/blues/roots icon Bob Dylan, and do them to perfection. The band includes guitarists Richard Kahl (Champagne Boys) and Paul Martin (Blushing Brides), bassist Matt Greenberg (The Jitters), drummer Doug Inglis (ex-Ronnie Hawkins; Goddo), and keyboard player Martin Alex Aucoin (The Lincolns).
The whole band takes...
|
|
Concert Review by
|
|
Blue Note Seven
|
By Theresa Crushshon
The Blue Note Seven
Blue Note Records, America’s premier jazz label, celebrates their seventieth anniversary with Blue Note Records On Tour featuring: Bill Charlap (piano), Peter Washington (bass), Lewis Nash (drums), Steve Wilson (alto saxophone, flute), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Nicholas Payton (trumpet) and Ravi Coltrane (saxophone).
Performing Sunday, March 25th at Minnesota Orchestra Hall, the talented Blue...
|
|
Concert Review by Theresa Crushshon
|
|
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra at Kennedy Center
|
For some reason, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra always fill me with a profound ambivalence. What they do is always excellent. It is what they leave out that troubles me. So it was March 16th when they appeared at Washington DC's Kennedy Center as part of the Washington Performing Arts Society's 2008/2009 Season.
The concert...
|
|
Concert Review by Peter Westbrook
|
|
Steve Wilson at Clarice Smith Performance Center
|
Ever since its opening in 2001, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland, College Park, has developed a unique program that, in their words, "fully integrates the University's academic performing arts departments into its programming. This commitment to creative collaboration, uncommon among university presenters . . ." includes programs for the departments of music, theater,...
|
|
Concert Review by
|
|
Lee Konitz Quartet Uptown
|
On March 21st, 2009, Lee Konitz was improvising at Creole Restaurant, Third Avenue at 116th Street in Harlem’s Barrio.
Mickey Bass intro’ed the Quartet, as part of his Brownstone Entertainment Complex’s “Jazz Legacy Series,” beginning with a joke not worth repeating. Mr. Konitz responded by telling one of his own about a guy at a bar who ordered three scotches...I...
|
|
Concert Review by Dan Kassell
|
|
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
|
On national tour, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis appeared at Minnesota Orchestra Hall Friday, March 6, 2009 and presented a dynamic show featuring the music of jazz pianist, Thelonious Monk. Monk was one of the most brilliant jazz musicians of all time who was known for his highly syncopated and distinctive percussive style of playing the...
|
|
Concert Review by Theresa Crushshon
|
|
Evan Parker Somewhere There
|
Somewhere There, a comfortable performing arts studio in the west end of Toronto, an area known as Parkdale. A forty seat room, located up a steep flight of stairs, no windows in the studio, no extra’s of any kind, the bare necessities. Just enough to get the music out and sometimes recorded. Improvised music. Jazz comes to mind when...
|
|
Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
|
|
Vijay Iyer’s Mehndi Trio enchants Palermo
|
Intention, tension, extension. These three words may represent the show of Vijay Iyer’s Mehndi trio and its music too. Organized and produced by Darrell Shines’ Intersection Studios, and held in teatro Nuovo Montevergini, Palermo, on February 3rd 2009, the concert programme mostly develops the compositions included in “Tragicomic”, Iyer’s album in trio. Voted the #1 Rising Star Jazz Artist...
|
|
Concert Review by Antonio Terzo
|
|
Top Ten of 2008
|
As one year slowly fades into memory (sort of--still some unfinished business, alas), lots of writers like/need to share their views on the best (and sometimes worst) of 2008...the following is my take on the jazz/creative music of the year that was:
In no particular order:
1. Saxophone Summit, Seraphic Light Three of the (arguably) finest American jazz tenor sax guys...
|
|
Viewpoint by Mark Keresman
|
|
Angels Among Us
|
Christmas came early for me – a glorious performance by the duet of Tuck Andress and Patti Cathcart. A performance that was as a gift from heaven. Actually we must thank the good folks at the TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival for bringing this amazing duet to town. Originally slated for the Diesel Playhouse, the venue changed on...
|
|
Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
|
|
Elling - A Sell Out In Toronto
|
Kurt Elling performed one extended set a the intimate Diesel Playhouse, a sold out show, standing room only. Thankfully the organizers of the show did their best to find chairs for everyone. Audience members also shared tables and chairs so that the concert became a warm, friendly and comfortable experience.
Kurt Elling came out on stage, standing midway between...
|
|
Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
|
|
It Was A Very Good Year
|
Singers unlimited could be a more descriptive title for this group of high energy singing sensations under the direction of media mogul Jaymz Bee. Jaymz made mention of the fact that he had a very limited role in leading this group, “I made sure to pick people in the orchestra who are all leaders of their own groups, that...
|
|
Concert Review by Paul J. Youngman
|
|
Best Of 2008
|
The following lists my favorites of this past year. The criteria to make it on the list, it must be a memorable performance, it must feature some soulful playing and as for a CD, it must be one that I want to hear over and over again. The lists of my top picks for 2008 are in no particular...
|
|
Viewpoint by Paul J. Youngman
|
|
Songs of Love & Longing
|
A sneak preview of a future vocal star and for me a current singing sensation. My first experience with Brazilian vocalist, guitarist and composer Luanda Jones was at Lula Lounge, a Latin club in Toronto. She was the guest artist of a Brazilian Dance company, The Dance Migration, a fantastic show that blended many elements of Brazilian culture, not...
|
|
Viewpoint by Paul J. Youngman
|
|
JazzReview.com
