Interview News

Free Jazzers Klaus Kugel and Mark Tokar Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz
January 14, 2009

Bassist Mark Tokar is a key person in the Ukrainian free jazz scene. The same could be said about German drummer Klaus Kugel, who is a frequent guest at different jazz venues in the Ukraine. Their group with Lithuanian saxophonist Petras Vysniauskas already has some history behind it but only recently was christened Buchkys (which means kiss in Lithuanian).

Besides Buchkys both musicians play with prominent Ukrainian saxophonist Yuriy Yaremchuk in a trio called YATOKU.

AAJ Contributor Alex Martynov spoke ...

Continue Reading...

B.J. Jansen Interviews, Jerald Miller, Founder and President of Nu Jazz Entertainment

Source: JM Creative
January 13, 2009

B.J. Jansen interviews, Founder and President of Nu Jazz Entertainment, Jerald Miller. Subscribe to The Jazz Life PODCAST. The Complete Interview was broadcast on WPSC 88.7 FM, January 11th, 2009 during Jansen's exploration of the Jazz Industry during the month of January. B.J. created his show, The Jazz Life", to bring audiences to the Next Generation of Jazz Artists, who generally would receive little or no airplay in the United States. The programming format of The Jazz Life" features 100% ...

Continue Reading...

Pianist Elio Villafranca Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz
January 12, 2009

Cuban born pianist Elio Villafranca has spent a lifetime observing the space between different worlds. He spent his childhood in the small Piñar de Rio region on the Western coast of Cuba and then jumped into the centralized bustle of Havana. He went through a broad and varied musical education that not only focused on the piano, but also included intensive investigations of the guitar, percussion, and composition. He immersed himself in the complex musical constructions of Havana's academic classical ...

Continue Reading...

Interview: Jimmy Cobb (Part 4)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
January 9, 2009

After recording Quiet Nights in 1962, a Gil Evans session Miles Davis detested because of its light bossa nova feel, drummer Jimmy Cobb spent much of the 1960s recording with pianist Wynton Kelly in small group settings. In the 1970s, Jimmy recorded extensively with Sarah Vaughan and with jazz groups of varying sizes. In more recent years, Jimmy has toured and recorded with his group, Jimmy Cobb's Mob.

Late last year, Jimmy completed a ballad album with trumpeter Roy Hargrove ...

Continue Reading...

Interview: Jimmy Cobb (Part 3)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
January 8, 2009

By 1960, drummer Jimmy Cobb was recording with different ensembles led by Miles Davis and John Coltrane.In between, Jimmy recorded with a range of singular artists, including pianist Bobby Timmons, whose cured funk-gospel sound would have a liberating effect on piano playing and jazz in general.

During the months between 1959 and 1961, Jimmy's reputation as a consummate jazz drummer grew and his sound became even more confident and refined. He also had a front row seat to many of ...

Continue Reading...

Interview: Jimmy Cobb (Part 2)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
January 7, 2009

Jimmy Cobb has always been in the right place at the right time. As a drummer in the 1950s who could drive big bands, invigorate quintets and sextets, and stir up trios, Jimmy's reputation for being a consummate jazz musician was established early. His concentration and easy-going nature won the respect of leading artists of the period.

Making luck came easily to Jimmy. His work with Earl Bostic in 1951 led to years with Dinah Washington, which in turn led ...

Continue Reading...

Tribal Leadership Interview Part 2: Building a Tribe

Source: HypeBot
January 7, 2009

Part 2 of Kyle Bylin's interview with John King. the author of Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization. (read part 1 here) Tomorrow author John King lays out his own thoughts on the various stages of fans and the bands themselves.

Bylin: Throughout the music industry when we look for true examples of tribes, we often come up with examples like The Grateful Dead and The Kiss Army. Bruce Springsteen, The Boss, is a leader ...

Continue Reading...

Interview: Jimmy Cobb (Part 1)

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
January 6, 2009

There's a moment on Miles Davis' Stella by Starlight in 1958 that crystallizes drummer Jimmy Cobb's brilliance. It happens in a flash as Davis holds the final note of his trumpet solo and John Coltrane comes in on tenor saxophone. Typically, drummers don't get a chance to make that much of a difference on jazz recordings, save for keeping time and egging on soloists. But in this case, Jimmy's seamless change from wispy brushes behind Miles to solid wood rim ...

Continue Reading...