Articles by Gregg Akkerman
The Last Balladeer: The Johnny Hartman Story
by Gregg Akkerman
[Editor's Note: The Last Balladeer: The Johnny Hartman Story (Scarecrow Press, 2012), by Gregg Akkerman, is the long-overdue biography of a singer who, amongst other things, achieved considerable fame for his classic collaboration with intrepid saxophonist John Coltrane, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (Impulse!, 1963).] Several years ago I was riding in a car to a jazz gig with a few cohorts when “Lush Life" from the iconic John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman album began playing on ...
read moreSachal Vasandani: A Deep Thinking Jazz Singer
by Gregg Akkerman
Even with a few albums behind him, vocalist Sachal Vasandani is still considered a member of the younger generation of jazz musicians. What sets him apart from many of his contemporaries or predecessors is his keen intellectualism when it comes to his musicality and career aspirations. He does not just get by with a gorgeous tone and attractive stage presence and assume the details will take care of themselves. This is a man that still hones his craft and pursues ...
read moreJon Hendricks: Still Creative, Still Outspoken
by Gregg Akkerman
Jon Hendricks is still swinging madly and looking forward to upcoming projects--not only in New York, but all over Europe. Having interviewed the creator of vocalese once before, he was the first name I thought of when considering the maiden edition of this Jazz on the 90th Floor column (the name comes from the lyric to Cole Porter's “Down in the Depths" by the way). When I realized Hendricks is 90 years old, the match was too much to resist. ...
read moreTish Oney: Sweet Youth
by Gregg Akkerman
In previous offerings from singer Tish Oney, she surrounded herself in the trappings of traditionally sized jazz combos, but on Sweet Youth she eschews safety in numbers for the nowhere-to-hide texture of voice and guitar. This baker's dozen of standards and original songs dispels any doubts that the recently doctored Oney (University of Southern California, Jazz Studies) is better suited to academic settings rather than the recording studio. The artful playfulness of her scatting on several tunes (highlighted on “Waltz ...
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