The third solo release from singer-songwriter Rondi Charleston was a challenge to make as well as a celebration of her life. She entreats audiences with a CD/DVD set entitled In My Life, produced by Suzi Reynolds and featuring a number of jazz standards, classic pop tunes, and two original tracks, "Ancient Steps" and "Telescope," both inspired by her daughter, Emma who sings background vocals on "Telescope." The bonus DVD contains footage taken from her show, "Live at Lincoln Center Prese …

Milwaukee born and New York City-based singer, Andrew Suvalsky has a voice that strums pizzazz in his scat-streaks and chic-bluesy intonations in his crooning. His vocals caress the follicles of the tympanic membrane with the buffed shimmies of Ella Fitzgerald, the crisp indentations of Mel Torme, and the debonair flare of Dean Martin. His latest release, A World That Swings from LML Music Label, takes audiences on an adventure through the realm of old-fashioned swing with a number of …

The life of jazz vocalist Meryl Romer would inspire the staunchest pessimist to believe that dreams are possible. Albeit, they manifest at their own pace, but they know intuitively when to come to fruition. All their maker needs to do is simply have the guts to believe in them. Meryl Romer is proof that not everything has to be accomplished by the time one turns 20 years olds, like releasing her debut recording So Sure and becoming a world famous singer. Romer’s journey begins i …

Aspiring artists can take music lessons and they can learn from other musicians, but nothing can prepare them to be live performers, which is what makes saxophonist Seamus Blake special. Normally, musicians build their reputations based on their recorded works, but Blake’s reputation is solidly built on his live performances, which captured the attention of John Scofield early in Blake’s pursuit of becoming a professional saxophone player. Blake recounts, "I met John Scofield when he …

There is only one avenue that someone with jazz singer Marge Notte’s natural born gifts can pursue. With a face that radiates warmth as brightly as actress Marisa Tomei and a register that permeates of passion in every cell so emblematic of Eydie Gorme, Margie Notte has no choice but to seek a life in show biz. Her debut album, Just You, Just Me & Friends was recorded live in April 2008 at Cecil’s, the jazz club owned by drummer Cecil Brooks III that is located in West Orange, New …