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Interview

Grover Washington, Jr.

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
December 13, 2013

Grover Washington, Jr., was born on this day in 1943 and died on December 17, 1999. He was a tenor, alto and soprano saxophonist who had huge success as a popular artist, in great part because his 1974 album Mister Magic was high on the pop, soul and R&B charts for weeks. He followed with additional best-selling albums and singles. Predictably, his ability as a hit-maker had critics reaching for their sharp knives, but far from being a sellout, Washington ...

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Interview

Interview: Keith Richards

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
December 12, 2013

One of Keith Richards' favorite Rollings Stones songs is Street Fighting Man. I learned this two weeks ago after pitching him on an interview for my “Anatomy of a Song" column in The Wall Street Journal. He loved the examples I had sent over and agreed to do it (go here for a free read—or pick up Friday's paper). For Keith, talking about music was welcome relief from the endless interviews he has to do where writers start by asking ...

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Interview

Dave Brubeck: One Year

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
December 5, 2013

Today, one year following Dave Brubeck’s death, a new website celebrates his life and music. And, we relay an announcement that one of the finest jazz repertory orchestras will broadcast a program of Brubeck compositions. As John Bolger’s DaveBrubeckJazz.com debuts, the Irish Brubeck maven has unveiled an impressive site. In the “About” section, he outlines his ambitious goal: The primary purpose was to detail the entire catalogue of Dave‘s music, recorded over eightdecades, so that fans, music lovers, collectors, musicians ...

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Interview

Nancy Wilson: Jazz Scene USA '62

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
November 20, 2013

In 1962, Nancy Wilson was still being positioned by Capitol Records as a jazz-pop singer. In the years after she signed with the label in 1959, her first five albums were examples of this hybrid: Like in Love, with Willie Smith on alto sax, Something Wonderful (1960) with Ben Webster on tenor sax, The Swingin's Mutual (1961) with the George Shearing Quintet, Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley (1962) and Hello Young Lovers (1962). Nancy's pure pop breakout would come in ...

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Interview

Interview: Alysa Haas

Source: Eric Taylor
November 20, 2013

Q: What started your love for music, and how old were you at the time? A: I have always been surrounded by music. My grandmother, who unfortunately passed before I was born, was a Yiddish folk singer. My mother Bira Rabushka is a violinist; my father Georges Haas was a world famous oboist; and my stepfather Joseph Rabushka is also a violinist. I was raised listening to classical music. I was lucky enough to be able to attend and sit ...

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Interview

Alex Skolnick: The 1st Artistshare Profile Interview

Source: Brian Camelio
October 29, 2013

We are pleased to announce the launch of the ArtistShare Profile series featuring exclusive interviews with ArtistShare artists focusing on inspirations, current projects, and the creative process. The first interview in the ArtistShare Profile series features acclaimed guitarist Alex Skolnick. Check out Alex's interview here. This series is part of our 10-year anniversary celebration. On October 15, 2013 ArtistShare, the pioneer of crowdfunding, celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the launch of its first project - Maria Schneider's Concert in the ...

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Interview

Interview: Ginger Baker

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
October 8, 2013

Ginger Baker is not a rock drummer. His words, not mine. In today's Wall Street Journal (go here or please buy the paper), I profile Ginger, who, as a founding member of Cream in 1966, revolutionized rock drumming with lengthy, poly-rhythmic solos. In two short years, Ginger put the drums on par with the electric guitar and bass, casting himself as a manic, wild-eyed beat-keeper. [Photo of Ginger Baker above by David Levene] My interview with Ginger took place at ...

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Interview

Who Was Doc Pomus?

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
October 4, 2013

Few white pop-rock songwriters of the 1950s and '60s started out as miserably as Jerome Felder. Polio-stricken at age 7, Felder was placed in body casts and then an iron lung before he wound up in leg braces and crutches. Stuck in bed for years, Felder spent a lot of time listening to the radio, which is where he discovered Big Joe Turner belting out Piney Brown Blues. Felder identified with the blues, which spoke to his own misfortune. One ...

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