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Interview

Interview: Irma Curry (Part 1)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
March 9, 2015

Irma Curry may not be a familiar name to you, but in the early 1950s she was a star vocalist in Lionel Hampton's band. In 1962, she recorded a superb album for Columbia called Love Is a Necessary Evil. The band arranged by Al Cohn and conducted by Don Elliot including Hal McKusick (as), Barry Galbraith and Chuck Wayne (g), Bill Crow (b) and Jo Jones (d). Irma also recorded several singles with Benny Carter in 1964 and with the Alan ...

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Interview

Interview: Slovak Bass Icon Juraj Griglak

Source: Eric Taylor
March 8, 2015

Q: When did you learn to play the bass? A: My father chose for me to play classical upright bass; he was a clarinetist in symphony orchestra. I went to conservatory for six years and then four years at university. After finishing my studies, I started playing in the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and have been playing there for 25 years. I started playing bass guitar when I was 16. I taught myself to play because there was no school at ...

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Interview

One Of Hawaii's Finest Jazz Artists: Jr Volcano Choy

Source: Eric Taylor
March 6, 2015

Q: I'm sure you receive this question numerous times. Your name - where did you get it? A: Almost 30 years ago, I was on a road tour for Columbia Records. After one of our performances, a music critic who was present mentioned that the “trumpet soloist” blew like an “erupting volcano” and so the other musicians on that tour jumped on it and began calling me “Volcano." At first I discouraged them from addressing me as “Volcano,” but they ...

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Interview

Bill Evans and Carol Stevens

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
March 4, 2015

Back in January 2014, I interviewed singer Carol Stevens (here and here), who recorded That Satin Doll for Atlantic in 1957. In 1959, she appeared in a TV pilot for a show called After Hours, featuring Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge among other top New York jazz musicians. At one point during my interview, I asked Carol who else she performed with in New York: “Many different pianists. I did several gigs with Bill Evans before he became really well ...

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Interview

Interview: Multi-Instrumentalist Paul Stafford

Source: Eric Taylor
March 2, 2015

Q: You received your first drum kit at the age of five. Did your family already know you had an interest in music? A: I would say yes. The drum kit was purchased based on the constant beating on shoe boxes. My mindset was drumming as one would do in a school marching band. Although not being my main instrument, it definitely played an important part of my younger years as a multi-instrumentalist on stage in my brother's band. Q: ...

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Interview

Why Lesley Gore Mattered

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 19, 2015

Lesley Gore, who died on February 16 of lung cancer at age 68, was best known for her hit, It's My Party, which went to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and R&B charts in 1963. But the teen singer stood for much more than adolescent anguish and the right to bawl at one's own bash. Gore was 16 when she recorded It's My Party, her first hit about a “friend" named Judy who ran off with her Johnny at a ...

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Interview

Interview: Saxophonist/Composer Tivon Pennicott

Source: Eric Taylor
February 11, 2015

Having played on two Grammy-winning albums, it was just a matter of time for saxophonist/composer Tivon Pennicott to explore his own artistry. With his band Sound Quartet, Pennicott has just released Lover of Nature, an album of sleek, sprightly jazz compositions that boldly showcases a brilliant new talent. In this interview, Pennicott discusses his musical origins and creative passions. Q: When did you learn to play the saxophone? A: I started playing saxophone at the age of 12. My dad ...

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Interview

Exclusive: Bill Evans Interview

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
February 10, 2015

A few weeks ago I received an email from two ardent Bill Evans fans. James Farber and Larry Goldbert wrote to say they had interviewed Evans back in 1976 for a radio station in Madison, Wis., and asked if I wanted to hear it. I said I'd be happy to and, if I loved it and the sound was clean, I'd be most interesting in hosting the clip and sharing their story at JazzWax. James and Larry are big JazzWax ...

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