Interview News

Photographer William Ellis Interviewed at All About Jazz

Source: John Kelman
August 4, 2010

Black and white photographs of jazz legends taken by the likes of Leonard Feather, William P. Gottlieb and William Claxton have gained iconic status over the years. Decades on, their photographs of Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, Chet Baker and Miles Davis adorn countless walls of jazz aficionados around the world. These photographs may owe their status, at least in part, to the fame of their subjects. Back in '89, as a photographer struggling to build a ...

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Drummer Dan Weiss Interviewed at All About Jazz

Source: Sunnyside Records
August 3, 2010

The first time drummer/composer Dan Weiss is heard, there can be a perception of something inherently wrong with the music. It slowly creeps up--like a chill on a cool morning, just as the sun is rising over a misty ridge. Waves of lush pastel colors pass over and around in impassioned washes of rhythm and elements of time. The slow intensity of his cymbal work is similar to tones on a keyboard connecting with all aspects of a quiet and ...

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Kees Hazevoet: Holland's Uncommon Observer

Source: Ni Kantu by Clifford Allen
July 29, 2010

Pianist, multi-instrumentalist and improviser Kees Hazevoet was born in Amsterdam in 1948, and grew up in a family situation that welcomed both musical expression and an appreciation of nature. Hazevoet began his studies on piano quite young (his mother played the instrument as well). “I liked to play in the open air, so I bought myself a trumpet and a few years later a clarinet. We lived on the edge of town and there was still plenty open space around. ...

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Paul McCartney: From Wings to the West Wing

Source: Something Else!
July 29, 2010

Tonight's “Paul McCartney: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in Performance at the White House"--premiering at 8 p.m., and then repeating all week on PBS stations--had us digging through the stacks, looking for favorites from throughout his career. (Click through the titles for complete reviews.)GOOD EVENING NEW YORK CITY (2009): There are plenty of live favorites here, but McCartney mines deeper into a catalog stuffed with great music, too--underscoring his easy command of the substantial ...

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Latin Jazz Conversations: Zaccai Curtis (Part 1)

Source: The Latin Jazz Corner by Chip Boaz
July 29, 2010

A childhood immersed in great musical experiences sets the stage for the emergence of a great musician. Listening can be a powerful way to peek interest in a young person, and the more time they spend hearing music, the more it will resonate with them. The more interested a child becomes, the more likely that they will find their way to an instrument. They need large amounts of encouragement and opportunity at this point, but once they have it, they ...

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Interview: Gary Burton (Part 3)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
July 29, 2010

By the time Gary Burton left the George Shearing Quintet to join Stan Getz in 1964, he had perfected the art of the short, concise solo. But while a compact solo was essential for Shearing's group, Gary needed a completely different approach that rested more heavily on comping--the art of accompanying a soloist--for Getz. [Illustration of Gary Burton by Joshua de Leon]

Working with Getz also presented Gary with a range of other challenges. Getz was notoriously acidic and mercurial, ...

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Remembering Sal Maida, Sam Farkas

Source: RJ on Jazz by R.J. DeLuke
July 28, 2010

With a busy June and early July, this log edition was delayed. But by no means should it be ignored or dropped by the wayside.Two Capital District jazz musicians died within days of one another in June and both were significant to this region of New York State and to me.Pianist Salvatore Maida, 77, of Gloversville, NY, was a longtime jazz pianist in the area. Extremely talented, he played with some heavy hitters and could probably ...

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Interview: Gary Burton (Part 2)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
July 28, 2010

Between 1960 and 1963, Gary Burton went from a kid who practiced the vibes with a tape recorder to a musician who recorded with established jazz artists. Gary came of age at just the right moment. Many of these artists were seeking a cooler, more contemporary sound, and Gary, in his late teens, represented the future. 

After recording for RCA with Nashville guitarist Hank Garland in the summer of 1960, Gary was gearing up to start music school that fall. ...

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