Jazz News

Future of New Zealand Jazz in Good Hands

Source: All About Jazz
October 20, 2008

A line-up of talented young musicians from around New Zealand gave their all in the finals of the AJ Hackett Bungy JumpStart competition, part of the ASB JazzFest Queenstown, at Rydges Queenstown last night (Sunday October 19). Three bands, four solo vocalists and six solo instrumentalists played to an appreciative audience and three judges for the finals, after being selected from dozens of entries from around the country. Taking the risk of playing one of his own original piano compositions, ...

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Texas Jazz Musician Publishes 8 Books in 2008

Source: All About Jazz
October 20, 2008

Author and well-known member of Houstons music community, Eddie Lewis has released eight music books this year. The titles cover a variety of trumpet music topics in both the classical and jazz genres. It may be tempting to assume that such books should be reserved for lazy Sunday afternoon reading, but beware. While the writing style is relaxed and persuasive rather than stiff and commanding, there is no doubt that these texts call musicians of all skill levels to action. ...

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Out November 11th - Warren Zevon Reissued with 15 Unreleased Tracks

Source: 1888 Media
October 20, 2008

Warren Zevon moved to Spain in the summer of 1975, dropping out of the music business after nearly a decade. During his self-imposed exile, he performed regularly at the Dubliner, a colorful bar owned by a former mercenary who helped Zevon pen the classic Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner. Zevons luck changed when his friend Jackson Browne contacted him about a recording deal. He signed with Asylum Records in 1975 and began recording his major-label debut, WARREN ZEVON. Today, many ...

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David Sanborn Helps Raise Money for VH1's Save the Music Foundation

Source: Universal Music Enterprises
October 20, 2008

Maverick saxophonist David Sanborn, who has performed alongside such heavyweights as James Brown, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and innumerable others is stepping up in support of young musicians across the country and participating in two exclusive auctions to benefit the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, which donates instruments for public school music programs.

Beginning on October 14th and closing on October 24th on eBay.com, bidders can choose between two auction packages. The first consists of two ...

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John "Drumbo" French Reunites Captain Beefheart Alumni for Solo Album

Source: Glass Onyon PR - Keith James
October 20, 2008

John “Drumbo" French has reunited fellow Magic Band alumni Bill Harkelroad (aka “Zoot Horn Rollo"), Mark Boston (aka “Rockette Morton"), Greg Davidson (aka “Ella Guru"), and John Thomas for a solo recording of all new compositions entitled 'City of Refuge'. The self-produced album was recorded in London and at various locations in the U.S., and lands stateside November 18th on Proper Records. “I think 'City of Refuge' is important because it re-visits a style of music that was founded by ...

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Choi/Sacks Duo to Celebrate New CD at NYC's Hunter College Thursday October 23rd

Source: Improvised Communications
October 20, 2008

On Thursday, October 23rd, vocalist Yoon Sun Choi and pianist Jacob Sacks will celebrate the release of Imagination: The Music of Joe Raposo (Yeah Yeah Records), their second and most recent recording together, with a free performance at the Ida K. Lang Recital Hall at Manhattan's Hunter College. This innovative release finds the eight year-old jazz duo reinventing both the familiar and the more obscure music of the prolific theater, film and television composer, Joe Raposo (1937-1989). Nearly 30 years ...

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Texas Gypsies Serve up Vintage Jazz, Hepcat Crooning

Source: All About Jazz
October 20, 2008

Sometimes it’s just fate working its magic, or in this case, its gypsy magic. That was the case with the Texas Gypsies, a band that snacks on eclecticism for breakfast, serving up a granola mix of throwback, cool, hepcat ‘30s/’40s jazz smooshed together harmoniously and fortuitously with its sister sound, Western swing. The Dallas-Fort Worth area group, which will open the fall season of the Performing Arts Series Thursday night at the Kemp Center for the Arts, didn’t come together, ...

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Performance: John Blount and Dave Tucker Bring Big Band Sound to Cherry Theater at Columbia State on October 30

Source: All About Jazz
October 20, 2008

Columbia native John Blount, left, and Dave Tucker will bring their big band sound to the Cherry Theater of Columbia State on October 30 as part of the 2008-2009 Columbia State Community College Performance Series. “As a youngster, it was always a dream of mine to return to Columbia with my band and perform in front of the hometown folks with all those people who have influenced my life,” said Blount, a Columbia native. “This opportunity is my dream, come ...

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