Jazz News

Howard Fishman's Brass Band Celebrates

Source: Michael Ricci
December 15, 2008

Howard Fishman and his brass band, Etienne Charles, Howard Fishman, Jordan Perlson, Roland Barber and Jose Davila, perform in the Big Apple.

Howard Fishman has a fondness for old things and a knack for restoring them. A decade ago that combination of traits led to his first big New York engagement, at the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel. Leading a spry quartet, he dusted off the cameos and curios of a vanished era, drawing no distinctions among Dixieland, bluegrass ...

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Music is More Than Kids Stuff to Jazz Phenom

Source: All About Jazz
December 15, 2008

While some kids idea of making good music may still be limited to an afternoon session of Guitar Hero, 14-year-old Chase Morrin is building a reputation as a master of the piano. Be it performing alone or in a group or composing his own tunes, this Canyon Crest Academy sophomore is making his own brand of noise. With his trademark black hat on his head, he plays smooth and effortlessly on the piano, fingers flying and creating cool sounding riffs. ...

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John Lennon: The Rolling Stone Interview

Source: All About Jazz
December 14, 2008

The Beatle on Bob Dylan and his band's breakup. A look back at Lennon's 1971 Q+A on the 28th anniversary of his death. This interview took place in New York City on December 8th, shortly after John and Yoko finished their albums in England. They came to New York to attend to the details of the release of the album, to make some films, and for a private visit. Those who aided in the transcribing and editing were ...

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Tribute to Tommy Dorsey and More Around L.A.

Source: All About Jazz
December 14, 2008

Benny Golson, Jazz Summit II, Cecelia Coleman nad other jazz around L.A.

Benny Golson still sounds fine, too, and hes finishing up his umpteenth Jazz Bakery stand this Friday and Saturday. And check out Catalinas on Tuesday, where theres a Tribute to Tommy Dorsey. Getting that utterly perfect, sweet trombone will be Bill Watrous; indeed, hell nail it, even on the valve. To really nail it he could beat someone up, fire a player on the stand, chase your wife ...

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Oberlin to Premiere New Jazz Opera

Source: All About Jazz
December 14, 2008

From Off the Streets of Cleveland Comes Leave Me Alone!, a Jazz Opera by Harvey Pekar and Dan Plonsey.Premieres at the Oberlin Conservator of Music and via webcast Jan 31, 2009.

American Splendor Icon Pekar Focuses His Sardonic Wit on the Everyday Struggles of Avant-Garde Artists, with Music from Cleveland-born Composer and Saxophonist Plonsey.

The iconic underground comic book author Harvey Pekar will make his operatic debut at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Leave Me Alone!, an ...

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How the Munchkins Came to Sing

Source: All About Jazz
December 14, 2008

“We slowed down 'D-i-n-g-d-o-n-g-t-h-e-w-i-t-c-h-i-s-d-e-a d. I had all these so-called Ken Darby singers there, (adult professional singers) and when we played them back at ninety feet per minute, it was what you hear in the picture. According to vocal director Ken Darby.

How the Munchkins Sang

Now as to the sound track-- Some of the little people could not sing on key. Others spoke English poorly and MGM wanted something unique for the sound ...

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Leonard Bernstein's 'Peter Pan' Flies Again

Source: Michael Ricci
December 14, 2008

Leonard Bernstein's Peter Pan.... Did you hear that right? Almost 60 years after its premiere, an almost forgotten play with music gets its definitive hearing.

Albert Ihde and Ellen Pasternack's nuptials involved much more than the union of two souls -- there was also the ritual joining together of their record collections, which ran a close second for the founding couple behind Santa Barbara Theatre. And when Pasternack first heard Ihde's original recording of Leonard Bernstein's ...

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Lindsey Brier to Release "Waiting For the Sun" on February 10, 2009

Source: Muse Media
December 14, 2008

Here’s a popular truism about extraordinarily talented musicians: They begin as child prodigies and then blossom into their full artistry as young adults. Think composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, cellist Yo-Yo Ma or fictional character August Rush. Real-life jazz singer/pianist Lindsey Brier, whose extraordinary album, WAITING FOR THE SUN, will be released on Golden Thread Music February 10, 2009, took another path. Brier didn’t even think seriously about becoming a jazz musician until he was 25 years old. Life, as they ...

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