Jazz Articles

Janine Gilbert-Carter: A Song for You: Live

by Michael P. Gladstone
September 29, 2007

There are some albums that you like for their virtuosity and planning, and others that you appreciate because everything falls into place, regardless of the individual pieces. Recorded live at the 15th Annual FMJS East Jazz Festival in the Washington D.C. area, singer Janine Gilbert-Carter leads her combo through a dozen well-worn tunes that have everyone popping their fingers for an album's worth of soulful jazz vocals.

Technically, there is nothing really new or innovative about this session. ...

Janine Gilbert-Carter: A Song For You: Live

by C. Michael Bailey
June 11, 2007

Jazz can only endure so many vocal performances that take the art to some interesting and even ground-breaking outer reaches before things must correct themselves with a release or two that are straight down the middle, reminding us how we got there to begin with. Janine Gilbert-Carter fills the bill with a no-nonsense recital of standards that should help any jazz listener understand what Miles Davis was trying to say when he played, “On Green Dolphin Street. ...

Paul Carr: Just Noodlin'

by Michael P. Gladstone
June 30, 2006

Growing up in Houston, saxophonist Paul Carr was rasised in the tradition of the Texas Tenors. His local heroes included Don Wilkerson and Arnett Cobb. Carr started his musical education at Texas Southern University and completed it at Howard University in Washington, DC. He has since spent more than twenty years as a dynamic part of the DC jazz scene.

Since Carr's debut album came out in 1993, he he has participated on over 25 other recordings. As ...

Paul Carr: Just Noodlin'

by Jack Bowers
May 8, 2006

Saxophonist Paul Carr is far too modest. If he's Just Noodlin', I'd love to hear what he could do if he ever buckled down and started playing in earnest. Carr and his front-liner partner, trumpeter Terell Stafford, remind me of the Brecker brothers, saxophonist Michael and trumpeter Randy--purposeful post-boppers with tons of technique and plenty of interesting things to say.

This is only the second album as leader for Carr, who has been gigging around the Washington, DC area since ...

Ronnie Wells: Live at 10th Annual East Coast Jazz Festival

by Dave Nathan
July 20, 2002

This album captures two related events. The first seven tracks are Ronnie Wells' concert at the 10th Annual East Coast Jazz Festival which is a source of funds for Wells' Fish Middleton Jazz Scholarship Fund, which she has been active with for years. On this portion of the program, she is backed by some of Washington, D. C.'s top musicians with Aaron Graves taking the place of long time piano confederate, Ron Elliston. The last four tracks are a part ...