Interview News

Interview: Helen Shapiro

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
July 27, 2011

Helen Shapiro and Amy Winehouse had a few things in common. In my interview with Helen in today's Wall Street Journal (go here), we touched on what life was like for her at age 14 in 1961, when she had two No. 1 hits and a No. 3 hit on the British pop charts. In 1962, more hits followed along with two teen movies, a world tour and an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show that October. Then came a ...

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Georgie Auld in the Late '40s

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
July 26, 2011

Georgie Auld should be better known today, but he isn't. In his prime, he was a furiously swinging tenor saxophonist and leader of some pretty hip bop bands of the '40s. Today, the late reedman is probably best known for appearing in Martin Scorsese's New York, New York (1977) as bandleader Frankie Harte, working as a consultant to help Robert De Niro with his sax fingering and dubbing all the sax solos. That is, if you remember this marginal film. ...

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Something Else! Featured Artist: Supertramp

Source: Something Else!
July 24, 2011

Supertramp was many things over its too-brief period of hitmaking—art-rockish proggers, post-Beatle popsters, kinda-classical rockers, memory-defining radio monoliths. There was much to love as they moved, over the course of the early-1970s to the early-1980s, from the esoteric to the very top of the charts—something perhaps hastened by the core group's relocation to the shiny sunscape of Los Angeles in 1977. What Supertramp never was, at least back then: Forgottable. Which only makes their slide into relative obscurity in the ...

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Daniel Bennett on Creating a Truly Unique Musical Statement and More

Source: Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever.
July 22, 2011

Generously lauded in publications such as The Village Voice, The Boston Herald, The Boston Phoenix, and the Boston Globe, it's obvious that Daniel Bennett is the toast of his former town (he is now based in New York City). With a list of teachers that includes Jerry Bergonzi and George Garzone, it's easy to see why Daniel exhibits a unique voice and ninja-like control over his instrument.

Sharing concert billings with artists like Bill Frisell, Charlie Hunter, Greg Osby, James ...

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UYS: Aki Takase interview

Source: underyourskin
July 21, 2011

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Something Else! Interview: Steve Smith, of Journey and Vital Information

Source: Something Else!
July 21, 2011

Drummer Steve Smith is in the midst of a flurry of activity in advance of the 30th anniversary of his jazz group Vital Information. The first VI album appeared in 1983, even as his tenure with the melodic rock band Journey reached its chart-topping zenith. Smith eventually left Journey to pursue jazz, his first true love, and will commemorate that with the release of three albums over a two-year period. The initial 30th anniversary VI album will be an unreleased ...

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Topspin's Ian Rogers Launches "This Week in Music" Interview Series

Source: HypeBot
July 21, 2011

Jason Calicanis' This Week In Startups is so popular with the tech tribe that it's spawned its own online network and Topspin CEO Ian Rogers is hosting its newest offshoot, This Week In Music. “It's a pivotal time in the music business and my intention is to explore that with some of the best minds in the business," states Rogers; and he's off to a strong start. In the inaugural episode, Rogers hosted Beastie Boy Mike D and Fenway Recordings' Mark ...

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Interview: Gerald Wilson

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
July 20, 2011

In today's Wall Street Journal (go here), I write about the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra and a fabulous new box set from Mosaic Records: The Complete Jimmie Lunceford Decca Sessions, featuring material recorded between 1934 and 1945. What makes this box special is that you get to hear swing's  ascension before Benny Goodman gave it a mass-market spin in 1935 with the help of arranger Fletcher Henderson. With this new box, you also get to hear the maturation of an astonishing ...

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