Articles by Marcia Hillman
Denise Donatelli: Songbird With A Grammy Nomination
by Marcia Hillman
Los Angeles-based vocalist Denise Donatelli won a Grammy nomination with her third CD, When Lights Are Low (Savant Records, 2010). An East Coast native and a recipient of classical piano training, she turned to singing jazz, wound up relocating to the West Coast and has since pursued her performance and recording career. This interview was conducted shortly after her Grammy weekend experience. All About Jazz: Talk a little about your musical background. Denise Donatelli: I was ...
Continue Reading15th Anniversary of the Litchfield Jazz Festival
by Marcia Hillman
Litchfield Jazz FestivalKent, ConnecticutAugust 6-8, 2010 The green hills of Kent, Connecticut resounded once more with the sound of jazz as the 15th Anniversary of the Litchfield Jazz Festival settled in from Friday, August 6th through Sunday, August 8th. This year the main stage was again indoors in the newly air-conditioned hockey rink with a secondary tent stage outdoors. And this year, the weather cooperated with two beautiful sunny days and three starry, starry nights.
Continue ReadingCarolyn Leonhart: Tides of Yesterday
by Marcia Hillman
Vocalist Carolyn Leonhart and saxophonist Wayne Escoffery are a young husband-and-wife team, and Tides of Yesterday is their second recorded partnership. And a partnership it is, because this CD (as the liner notes say) is not about a “vocalist with a band or a band with a guest vocalist." Leonhart's sultry and expressive voice acts, at times, as another instrument, contributing scatting and wordless vocals. Both have worked with the band members--Toru Dodo (acoustic and electric piano), Hans Glawischnig (bass), ...
Continue ReadingBlue Music Group
by Marcia Hillman
Blue Music Group (BMG) is a record label that has positioned itself for the 21st century. Not only does it fulfill the demand for instant gratification and portability, but also it has succeeded in filling the gap created by the loss of many retail record store outlets due to the recession. As a matter of fact, the company has been able to do well because of and in spite of the negative economy. Keeping up with the ...
Continue ReadingCatherine Russell: Inside This Heart Of Mine
by Marcia Hillman
Singer Catherine Russell covers a lot of jazz territory on her new CD--performing material from vaudeville, Tin Pan Alley, New Orleans, Delta blues, the Swing Era and the Django-esque '30s. Accompanying her on this journey is a full battery of musicians that replicate the sounds of each of the styles covered: musical director Matt Munisteri (guitar and banjo), Mark Shane (piano), Lee Hudson (bass), Brian Grice (drums), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), John Allred (trombone) and Dan Block (saxophone and clarinet) complete ...
Continue ReadingAntoinette Montague: Behind The Smile
by Marcia Hillman
Antoinette Montague shows what is Behind the Smile--eclectic taste and strong delivery. She is joined by choice company on this outing: Mulgrew Miller (piano), Bill Easley (saxophone, clarinet and flute), Peter Washington (bass) and drummer Kenny Washington, who doubles as producer. Montague's programmatic choices are a varied mix, including blues, soul, the Great American Songbook, two Motown numbers and the original title track. She travels through these different genres without being tied down to any of them, ...
Continue ReadingMike Longo Trio: Sting Like A Bee
by Marcia Hillman
Sting Like A Bee is pianist Mike Longo's follow-up to his well-received Float Like A Butterfly (Consolidated Artists Productions, 2008). Bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Lewis Nash join him, and this CD is so laidback and relaxed that it comes as no surprise to read in the liner notes that there was no need to listen to any playbacks. This offering is a tribute to two mentors: Oscar Peterson, with whom he studied for a time as a private student, ...
Continue ReadingBunky Green
by Marcia Hillman
Vernice “Bunky" Green (born Apr. 23rd, 1935) is a product of Wisconsin, where he was raised and learned to play the alto saxophone. His first big break came when Charles Mingus briefly hired him in the '60s--an association that left a lasting influence on Green's own style. Green left Mingus to relocate in Chicago where he performed regularly, appearing with such players as Sonny Stitt, Yusef Lateef and Louie Bellson among others. His style was ever-evolving and ...
Continue ReadingMadeleine Peyroux: Bare Bones
by Marcia Hillman
Bare Bones, is vocalist Madeleine Peyroux's third in the last four years and most personal, since she was involved in the writing of all 11 tracks and providing lyrics that are highly introspective. Peyroux also accompanies herself on acoustic guitar throughout. Her core band is Jim Beard (piano and Wurlitzer), Dean Parks (electric guitar), Larry Klein (bass) and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, with additional instrumentalists on some of the tracks, including Larry Goldings (both Hammond and Estey organs), Carla Kihlstedt (violin) ...
Continue ReadingBrenda Earle: Songs For A New Day
by Marcia Hillman
Brenda Earle has a well-trained, sweet-sounding, pure voice and piano and songwriting skills that are displayed ably in this, her fifth album. The New York-based Canadian native is abetted by Ike Sturm (bass), Jackie Lewis (guitars) and Jared Schonig (drums), as well as guest appearances of one track each by saxophonist Joel Frahm and cellist Lauren Riley-Rigby. The material is an array of standards, original compositions and covers of songs by Top 40 artists ranging from Crowded House ...
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