Articles by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
Tedeschi Trucks Band at the Vogue Theater
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
Tedeschi Trucks Band Vogue Theater Vancouver, BC November 8, 2013 Jazz has always taken from the pop music of its day and culturalized it, intellectualized it, added some soul or swing and for those who are capable, added the personalized artistic X factor that is unique to that artist's DNA. Not that simple by any means, of course. Today, the younger rock generation often wishes they were around when the Rolling ...
read moreNeil Young: Waging Heavy Peace
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
Neil Young Waging Heavy Peace502 pagesISBN: 9780339159466Viking2012An argument can be made that the three greatest artists in the history of contemporary rock music are Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Neil Young, in no particular order. The most controversial amongst the three would be Young. This of course comes from the fact that Young seems to almost purposely take the path that defies commercial success but it's also a ...
read moreJoe McPhee: Artistic Sacrifice from a Musical Prophet
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
He could have easily chosen a different path: a more successful one or, perhaps we should say, a more commercial one. But that has never been the style or the character of multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee. His saint-like humility reflects a gentle and wise creative spirit; his music and poetry are a mirror into the human condition. He has never catered to the shortsighted vision of industry trends, and he expresses himself with a language that is in tune within his ...
read moreAnoushka Shankar: A Celebration of Joy
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
Anoushka Shankar is one of the rare artists whose attitude and creativity reflects her love, respect and appreciation for all people and cultures in the world today. This is contrary to traditional teachings and beliefs, which have historically taught patriotism for one's country and culture specifically. But Anoushka Shankar is not your typical contemporary artist. Certainly growing up in the presence of Yehudi Menuhin, George Harrison and her father, Ravi Shankar--three of our greatest humanitarian artists--didn't hurt. But Shankar is ...
read moreWhitney Houston: A Final Look
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson will be forever linked as they brought the world together and made a nation cry. They were God's gift to us mere mortals and in a very brief period of time, they made us believe. They were able to capture through music, what leaders desperately try. And though tragedy would clearly define them, their life and death mirrored a dark poetic beauty that bordered on the mystical; and it would seduce us. And while they ...
read morePortland Jazz Festival 2011 - A Look Back
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
Portland Jazz FestivalPortland, OregonFebruary 18-27, 2011 Promoter Bill Royston and general manager Don Lucoff have once again pulled off a hat trick of significant proportions. With the arrival and guest appearance of perhaps the greatest “star" that jazz has welcomed since Wynton Marsalis, this year's Portland Jazz Festival had the makings to be extraordinary. Royston, always socially and culturally conscious, provided a theme surrounding this year's festival that celebrated the vast influence that ...
read moreCurtis Mayfield: After the Rain
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
Throughout the passageways of my youth, perhaps no other voice was as critically important. When I questioned my own existence in a predominantly white school and community, it was his voice and music that carried me through. During my saddest and most vulnerable moments, he filled me with hope and the strength to face another day. When I was locked inside the torments of my own mind, he would free me from the shackles of despair. The Reverend Andrew Young ...
read moreNeil Young and the 2010 Bridge School Benefit
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
The Bridge School Benefit has become one of America's most anticipated annual musical events. Promoted by Pegi and Neil Young, to assist children with severe physical impairments and complex communication needs, this year's two day benefit promised to be one of the most remarkable of its 24 year history. With the first reunion of Buffalo Springfield in 42 years, it didn't disappoint. In 1986, Pegi and Neil sought an education for their son, Ben who was born ...
read moreJohn Gilbreath: Within Earshot
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
Over the past 90 years, a music scene has been developing in the northwest corner of the US that has provided a fertile imprint on jazz. It may not be as critically important within a historical context as that of New York and New Orleans, but Seattle has a landscape that has been developed and nurtured by the caring and delicate hands of a diversity of creative individuals. It has developed its own abstract voice, its own individual personality and ...
read moreThe Spiritual Beauty of Marilyn Crispell
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
There have been a number of pianists within the classical and jazz genres whose work have remained majestic and timeless, but never has there been a pianist quite like Marilyn Crispell. Never has a pianist been able to reach such extraordinary depths of spirituality and complexity. Nevertheless, levels of creativity rarely equate to levels of popularity and therefore, it's not surprising that visionary works remain largely misunderstood and unappreciated during their own time. Such is the case with Marilyn Crispell.
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