Results for "Austin"

Estrella Acosta: Tierra - Songs by Cuban Women

by Katchie Cartwright
July 30, 2023

Cuban singer-songwriter Estrella Acosta invites us into her journey this way: “The smell of mangos and guavas brings back memories of my childhood and reminds me of the sound of Cuban country music playing on the radio. When it was time to leave my motherland, I took with me stories, poems, photos, and all the beautiful ...

Marco Antonio Santos: About: Silence

by Katchie Cartwright
May 5, 2023

Marco Antonio Santos grew up in Betim, an industrial city in southeastern Brazil. His father, an automotive tooling designer, listened to North American Top-40 radio (Bee Gees, John Denver). At family gatherings, Uncle Fabiano sang such Brazilian popular classics as Noel Rosa's “Com que Roupa?," accompanying himself on guitar and inspiring a twelve-year-old Marco Antonio to ...

Alex Coke & Carl Michel Sextet

Active since: 2021

Leading an ensemble whose members individually excel in several musical genres and, collectively, create a unique and memorable soundprint, saxophonist-flutist Coke and guitarist Michel bring together a group that includes Austin Symphony principal harpist Elaine Barber, pedal steel player Bob Hoffnar (Liminal Sound Series), double bassist James Suter, and percussionist Carolyn Trowbridge on vibes.

Marco Antonio Santos

Born: December 5, 1984

Marco Antonio Santos is a guitarist, arranger, composer, and music educator. Originally from Minas Gerais, Brazil, he is currently based in Austin, Texas.

Throughout more than fifteen years as a professional musician, Santos has performed extensively in Brazil and the United States, navigating freely between jazz, funk, pop, and Brazilian music. His singular style blends traces from his multiple musical influences, ranging from Radiohead and Pat Metheny to Maria Schneider and Brazilian legend Milton Nascimento.

In spring 2023, ears&eyes Records will release Santos’s debut album, About: Silence, a conceptual work that combines music, visual art, improvisational dance, and poetry to explore the various meanings of silence—introspection, grief, oppression, absence of sound, and more. Conceived during the forced solitude of the COVID-19 pandemic, when live musical performances all but ceased, and amid times of social upheaval and racial violence, About: Silence is a full-throated embrace of artistic expression across multiple dimensions. The album’s eleven compositions are brought to life by a jazz trio of guitar, upright bass, and drums, joined by a woodwind quartet on four tracks and a string quartet on five.

Steven Husted

Born: November 27, 1970

Steven began his musical journey at the ripe old age of 6. From there he was always involved in everything musical from school band to private instruction to playing local parties for friends. At age 15, Steven moved from CT. to San Francisco, where he jumped head first into the study of jazz. By the time Steven was 23, he was one of the top call bassists in the San Francisco Bay Area, including 6 years teaching at the acclaimed Stanford Jazz Workshop. Steven has played with many jazz greats including Kenny Burrell, Billy Higgins, and Vince Wallace. Now residing in Austin, TX, Steven remains an in demand bassist/composer and band leader

Carl Michel

Born: July 5, 1953

Composer and guitarist Carl Michel started playing music at a early age, initially inspired by rock and blues guitarists. After high school his interests shifted towards jazz, and after studying for a brief period at the West Bank School Of Music in Minneapolis, he eventually went to Berklee College of Music (1977-1979). In 1980, he moved to Austin, TX, with his brother, percussionist Robert "Booka" Michel, and—with Tina Marsh—became Co- founder of "The Creative Opportunity Orchestra," a large ensemble dedicated to performing new compositions. In 1985, he moved to Madison, WI, where he was actively involved with the Madison Music Collective

2022: The Year in Jazz

by Ken Franckling
December 29, 2022

Current events impacted the jazz world in significant ways throughout 2022. In its third year, the coronavirus pandemic continued to lurk in some settings, while others recovered in robust fashion. Russia's war on Ukraine was felt by musicians and triggered an outpouring of support for its victims. Initiatives to ensure greater equity in jazz advanced. The ...

Mitch Watkins

Born: 1952

Mitch Watkins career started at the age of 13, gigging with a surf band in McAllen, Texas. After beginning a choral conducting degree, followed by a stint on tour with a rock band, Watkins moved to Austin, studying composition for four years at the University of Texas and immersing himself in jazz guitar. Inspired by the blend of rock and jazz pioneered by Miles Davis, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, and Weather report, Watkins and his schoolmates formed Passenger, a cult favorite Austin band. "Through a strange series of events," says Watkins, Passenger became Leonard Cohen's backing band in 1979, touring with Cohen twice in Europe and Australia.

Watkins' guitar playing credits include work with Jack Walrath, Bennie Wallace, Barbara Dennerlein, Leonard Cohen, Joe Ely, K.T

Margaret Slovak

Born: January 8, 1962

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Margaret Slovak is a guitarist, composer and painter. She began playing the guitar at age 11, composing at age 14 and performing professionally at age 16. Margaret studied jazz and classical music and visual art, receiving her BFA in Jazz from the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. She also attended the Kansas City Art Institute, University of Missouri Conservatory of Music and the Banff Centre Summer Jazz Workshop in Alberta, Canada, receiving several scholarships for her studies. Margaret’s teachers included John Abercrombie, Dale Bruning, Hadley Caliman, Jerry Granelli, Jim Knapp, Art Lande, Gary Peacock, Dave Peterson, Julian Priester, Don Thompson, Ralph Towner and Kenny Wheeler.

Nori To Release Their Self-Titled Album On Vinyl This December 3rd!

October 14, 2021

Nori, the genre-bending Neo Jazz band has curated a collection of their favorite songs on their upcoming album. The self-titled release, Nori, showcases their diverse sound and pointed lyrics on the 10-song deep record due out December 3rd. The new album will be available on vinyl with two new singles to be released to streaming platforms ...