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Interview

The Doobie Brothers: A Brighter Day

Source: JamBase
November 13, 2010

By Dennis Cook When most bands hit their 40th anniversary they make a big deal about it, issuing grand statements, box sets and generally making sure folks take note. Not so with The Doobie Brothers, who hit the four decade mark this year and have chosen to focus on their first new studio album in 10 years, a European tour, festival appearances and their usual steady gigging around the States. Today's Doobies—original members Tom Johnston (vocals, guitar) and Pat Simmons ...

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Interview

Interview: Phil Ramone (Part 5)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
November 13, 2010

Phil Ramone is known among musicians for his artistic sensibility, his confidence and his cool. When tension runs high at recording sessions—either because musicians can't seem to pull the music together or time is running out—Phil is always the deep voice of reason. His take-charge style and patient tone usually puts everyone at ease and back on track. As a musician, he can empathize with the artist. As a technician, he has the sensitivity needed to capture all of the ...

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Interview

Interview with Indie Ambassador Founder Ben Maitland-Lewis

Source: We All Make Music
November 11, 2010

Over the past couple of years, as digital services and tools for musicians have proliferated, the search for the perfect tool has given way to a search for the perfect toolkit. As companies jockey to provide the perfect brand of analytics data or social media or digital distribution, everybody from private platforms (Indaba) to unions (the American Federation of Musicians) to major labels (Warner Brothers) are all looking to group these apps and services together into compelling one-stop shops. And ...

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Interview

Happy Birthday, Hampton Hawes!

Source: Riffs on Jazz by John Anderson
November 14, 2010

Hard bop pianist Hampton Hawes was born in Los Angeles on this date in 1928. His father was a Presbyterian preacher and his mother was the church's pianist. His interest in piano may have first begun as a toddler as he listened to his mother rehearsing, and he was already plunking out tunes by the age of three. When he was only in his teens in the 1940s, Hawes was playing with the likes of Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, Shorty ...

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Interview

Trumpeter Jay Phelps Interviewed at All About Jazz...and More!

Source: John Kelman
November 16, 2010

At the age of 28, trumpeter Jay Phelps already has a broad range of musical experiences under his belt, including co-founding the award-winning jazz group Empirical. Releasing his debut album as a leader, Jay Walkin' (Specific Records, 2010), seems like a natural next step. But Phelps is clearly not a man to be rushed. The album title is not just a pun; it also reflects Phelps' considered and studious approach to his own personal musical development. He's a bright, engaging ...

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Interview

Trombonist Josh Roseman Interviewed at All About Jazz

Source: John Kelman
November 15, 2010

Josh Roseman is a busy man. Extremely busy. He's also an extremely bright one, which is good because otherwise one might pause to consider whether, with all those activities, he is wearing himself too thin. Turns out he is spreading wide, but nothing about him or his many pursuits is thin. Especially not his creativity. Trombonist/composer/arranger/cosmic thinker Roseman also has a production studio and venue space in Brooklyn. He heads five bands that play different kinds of music, two of ...

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Interview

Blues, Touch, Bop and Rhythm: In the Hands of Kenny Barron

Source: JazzINK by Andrea Canter
November 14, 2010

In the midst of a tour of America's Heartland, NEA Jazz Master pianist Kenny Barron took time to address a Saturday morning gathering of students and miscellaneous enthusiasts in Iowa City, a prelude to the evening's concert with his trio and special touring partner David Sanchez. The billing information suggested a more formal presentation, but Barron was anything but didactic. Rather, he was both personable and humble, entertaining and thoughtful. A lot like his playing. For the first half hour ...

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Interview

Ethan Iverson Revisits

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland
November 12, 2010

Ethan Iverson has updated his original post that listed his favorite jazz albums from the years 1973-1990. When his first list came out in 2006, it ignited an excellent conversation about albums in that period that have been overlooked by fans and scholars. His update expands this idea further, focusing on post-bop jazz from the 1970's and 80's. There are some really interesting choices here, definitely food for thought in re-assessing an era that is often overlooked in jazz history. ...

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