Kenny Barron seems to have built his career incrementally--through hard work, recording a vast number of albums as a leader and sideman, by extensive touring, unending dedication to the creative potential of jazz piano, years of work as a jazz educator, and through decades of experience with some of jazz' leading legends. The result is Barron has deservedly attained recognition, especially within the past decade, as one of the most highly regarded jazz pianists of his generation. He is …

The Columbus Jazz Orchestra has developed a comprehensive plan to "raise the bar" and become a premier arts organization with the Columbus, Ohio community, as well as a premier jazz orchestra on a national basis. As one of the few full-time jazz orchestras in the United States, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra tapped trumpeter Byron Stripling as artistic director to inspire the organization to rise to a higher level, both artistically and financially. For the CJO has been profitable for most o

One of the busiest drummers in jazz, and one of its most important, Jack DeJohnette appears to be even busier than usual in 2005. DeJohnette is involved in a number of high-profile projects, including significantly the launch of his own record label, Golden Beams, which will release two percussion-based albums in April. And of course, he continues to tour worldwide with the Keith Jarrett Trio, as he has for more than 20 years. DeJohnette has premiered his own quartet that includes Danilo

You’ve got to forgive me. I didn’t take notes during the Hammond B-3 summit in Columbus, Ohio because I went there solely to enjoy the music. But if you can spare a few minutes to read this, I’ve got to tell you what happened. Local jazz organist Tony Monaco continued his mission of bringing to Columbus the B-3 masters of the previous generation...actually, the greatest generation of jazz organ innovators. Perhaps Monaco is fulfilling a wish to perform side by side with them. Perhaps

On October 16, Barry Manilow came to Columbus, Ohio with his politics of feelgoodism. The U.S. presidential election is scheduled to take place just two weeks after the concert, and the bitter national debate is causing stress in a great number of ways. However, Manilow proved himself to be politically prescient, and he probably wasn’t even aware of it. Stopping freeway traffic on his way to and from the same venue, George W. Bush also had performed in Nationwide Arena several weeks prio