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Interview: Mahan Mirarab Of Sehrang
Source:
Eric Taylor
Q: How did Sehrang form? A: Sehrang was formed in early 2013 in Vienna. We three Iranian Europe-based musicians got together with an idea to make music that we love to listen to and play such as jazz/world/folk/Latin and combine it with our Iranian roots. Besides the very strong personal and musical connection we share, our desire is to blend all these elements. Because of all these possibilities and cultural depth we started a long, fascinating journey which is always ...
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"Mike Cuozzo Was My Dad"
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
In April, I posted on Mike Cuozzo, a superb, swinging saxophonist who recorded two swinging albums as a leader in 1955 and '56 and then stopped recording. Back in the spring, I called saxophonist Sol Schlinger, who told me that Cuozzo had owned a car dealership in New Jersey. And that was that—until several weeks ago, when I received an email from his son, Michael Cuozzo Jr., who offered a warm and informative portrait of his dad and sent along ...
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Last Interview: Joe Sample
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Back in March, when I was interviewing artists for my Wall Street Journal “Anatomy of a Song" column on Rock the Boat, I called Joe Sample, who played keyboard and led the rhythm section on what is widely considered the fist pure disco single. Joe had just finished undergoing chemotherapy when I called, which had miraculously pushed his lung cancer into remission. Sadly, the treatment's positive effects didn't last. Joe died September 12. He was 75. Like many superb musicians ...
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Jazz "Messengers" Spread The Word At 2014 Jazz In The Valley
Source:
Carolyn McClair Public Relations
By Charley Rosen On a glorious summer day in August, the fifth and final set of the 14th Annual Jazz in the Valley Festival was thrilling, nostalgic, even historic; transporting the seven musicians and hundreds of enraptured witnesses into Jazz Heaven. Six of the jazzmen had been members of various editions of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messenger, and they were all world-class artists. Calling themselves “The Message, ” the lineup had Javon Jackson playing tenor sax, Gary Bartz on either soprano ...
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Interview: Jan Lundgren
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Pianist Jan Lundgren is widely known in Sweden but a little less so in the States, though he tours here occasionally. Wowed by his two most recent albums—Flowers of Sendai and All By Myself—I reached out to Jan, 48, for an email chat. His playing is both lyrical and rich with mood, influenced by a Swedish background and extensive listening to Bill Evans and other masters of chord voicings: JazzWax: Where were you raised in Sweden—and when did you first ...
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Drew Nugent And The Midnight Society Performs At Paris Bistro & Jazz Café
Source:
Wendy Wolf
For Drew Nugent and the Midnight Society, playing a gig isn’t just about music. It’s about taking a step back in time. Led by pianist, trumpeter and vocalist Drew Nugent, his ensemble recreates the music of a bygone era—playing what has been coined HOT Jazz—which was popularized from 1897 to 1935. “In essence, it’s jazz in its original form,” says Nugent, “the original American pop music.” But the band does it in its own eclectic way. The tunes, the clothes ...
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Interview: Alex Mercado
Source:
Eric Taylor
Q: Did you receive any formal training as a pianist? Who taught you? A: I began studying classical music at age 13 with Jose Luis Arcaraz, a classical piano teacher who took me under his wing after discovering I had a special talent and predisposition for music. Through him I got thoroughly introduced to piano technique, dynamics, and the expressive range of the instrument. My passion for music allowed me to make quick progress through long practice sessions, achieving positive ...
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Interview: Wanda Stafford (PT. 2)
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Wanda Stafford's album In Love for the Very First Time was arranged by Bill Russo and recorded in June 1960—between Russo's School of Rebellion and Seven Deadly Sins for Roulette, with virtually the same band. One of the exceptions was the inclusion of Bill Evans, a quiet period for the pianist during which he played New York clubs with his trio while picking up sideman recording dates for extra cash. For her part, Wanda's phrasing and swing on the album—her ...
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