Jazz News

Revolutionary Snake Ensemble's Ken Field Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz
March 10, 2009

Saxophonist/composer Ken Field describes the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble as a “funk and street beat brass band playing New Orleans and other modern improvised celebratory styles." Playing original compositions and those of artists as diverse as Billy Idol and Ornette Coleman, the RSE was formed in 1990 to entertain a at a pagan women's ritual celebration. The project continued and today RSE is a fixture on the Boston, New York and New Orleans musical scenes. RSE's two discs-- Year of the ...

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Melody Gardot to Release "My One and Only Thrill" on April 28

Source: Muse Media
March 9, 2009

With her debut album Worrisome Heart, Melody Gardot displayed her instinctive gift for transforming the traditions of jazz and blues with her personal kiss of life.

But even her most ardent admirers will be amazed at the giant creative leap forward she has taken with the follow-up, My One And Only Thrill.

Mixing Latin rhythms, finger-snapping blues and deep, smoldering torch songs, it’s an album that seems to have been shaped from several lifetimes of love, loss and longing. Though ...

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Leonard Cohen Adds Second Show L.A.Live UPDATES: TX,Boston and more

Source: All About Jazz
March 9, 2009

Leonard Cohen plays L.A. Live and Now you’ve got two chances: Even before his April 10 gig at Nokia Theatre goes on sale.

Leonard Cohen has added a second date at the L.A. Live venue, April 11. Both shows go on sale Monday at 10 a.m.

Love Leonard Cohen and desperately want to see him during his coming tour but just don’t think you can brave the triple-digit heat in Indio for his Coachella appearance? You’re in luck.

The 74-year-old ...

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First YouTube Symphony Orchestra Picked

Source: All About Jazz
March 9, 2009

The auditions are over. The first YouTube Symphony Orchestra — selected by viewers of the Web site — will consist of more than 90 musicians from some 30 countries.

More than 3,000 videos were submitted by amateur and professional musicians from 70- plus countries. Musicians from professional orchestras including the London and San Francisco symphonies and the Berlin, Hong Kong and New York philharmonic orchestras picked 200 finalists.

The winners were then selected by voters on YouTube. “We are ...

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Desperately Trying to Quit Twitter

Source: All About Jazz
March 9, 2009

Twittering away ones own life Twitter is an online service you can use to send out short (140 characters or less) notes to the world via the Web, IM and text-messaging.

People use it to issue updates about what they're doing, eating, seeing, feeling, etc., to their family, friends and whoever else might be following them. ("Following" is Twitterspeak for signing up to receive somebody's “tweets," which is what the individual updates are, adorably, called. Tweets are a ...

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Obama Leads Salute to Ted Kennedy

Source: All About Jazz
March 9, 2009

President Barack Obama led a Kennedy Center crowd in a performance of “Happy Birthday" Sunday night, capping a star-studded musical birthday tribute to ailing Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

The Massachusetts Democrat was honored at the Kennedy Center at an event hosted by comedian Bill Cosby. Actresses Lauren Bacall and Bernadette Peters, singer James Taylor and conductor John Williams were among those who performed.

Toward the end of the gala, Cosby introduced Obama to loud applause from the performers and the ...

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Jimmy Boyd Singer of 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus' Dies

Source: Michael Ricci
March 9, 2009

Jimmy Boyd, a singer best known for recording the Christmas novelty hit “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” in 1952 when he was 13, died Saturday. He was 70.

Boyd, who also was a child actor, died of cancer at a Santa Monica convalescent hospital, said Eleanor Pillsbury, a longtime friend.

Three weeks after the yuletide kiss-and-tell was released, the song was No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It sold 2 million records in less than 10 weeks. Tens of ...

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Grand Ole Opry Member Hank Locklin Dies in Ala

Source: All About Jazz
March 9, 2009

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