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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Winter/spring 2018 jazz preview, part 1
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
With 2017 winding down, it's time for StLJN's winter/spring preview, offering a look via video at the jazz and creative musicians who will be coming to perform in St. Louis in the first part of the new year. Going, as usual, in chronological order, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman will be the first well-known jazz visitor to St. Louis in 2018, checking in with his quartet for four nights of performances from Wednesday, January 3 through Saturday January 6 at Jazz ...
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Videos: Oscar Peterson Live
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Oscar Peterson was an exceptional jazz pianist, especially in front of a live audience. His rousing playing style and robust sense of swing swept up everyone in a concert hall. My favorite live period for Peterson is from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. Here are three recently posted videos from this era: Here's Peterson with Ella Fitzgerald, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jo Jones featured in a 24-minute clip of concert footage from Amsterdam in ...
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Billy May: The Transcriptions
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
Something happened in the 1950s. Actually two things did. The generation that grew up during the Depression and fought in World War II turned 40 in 1955. Just as they blew out the candles, the long-playing album expanded from 10 inches to 12. Both trends set the table neatly for Frank Sinatra's recording comeback. By the time Columbia producer Mitch Miller had finished with Sinatra in 1951, he was a washed up novelty singer. What's more, the syrupy Columbia ballads ...
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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Bonerama puts low brass on top
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week, StLJN's video spotlight shines on Bonerama, who will be back in St. Louis to perform on Saturday, December 16 at The Bootleg at Atomic Cowboy. The New Orleans-based band puts the low brass on top, thanks to a three-trombone front line plus a sousaphone standing in for electric bass. Formed in 1998 by trombonists Mark Mullins and Craig Klein, both veterans of Harry Connick Jr.'s big band, they've forged a distinctive sound that incorporates their hometown musical traditions ...
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John Plonsky: Cool Man Cool
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JazzWax by Marc Myers
The 1950s are a gold mine of lost trumpeters. No matter how many times I comb discographies, I come across another solid horn player whose name is likely unfamiliar to many jazz fans. On Monday I posted about Johnny Glasel and his Brasstet. Today, I'm looking at John Plonsky and his sole leadership album, Cool Man Cool (1957). First, a little background on Plonsky. Little is known about the tumpeter, but here's what I could piece together from a bit ...
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StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Meet the Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week, StLJN's video spotlight shines on the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, an NYC-based ensemble that will bring their show “Salsa Navidad" to St. Louis next Friday, December 8 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Bandleader Oscar Hernández is well known in New York City Latin music circles, with a long list of credits including performing with salsa greats such as Tito Puente and Celia Cruz during the 1970s, serving as pianist and arranger for singer Rubén Blades in the 1980s, and ...
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