Jazz News

Playboy Jazz Cruise - The First Ever

Source: All About Jazz
June 11, 2008

In the world of jazz, there is no more important name than PLAYBOY. In June 2008, Playboy will host their 30th annual celebration of jazz and blues music. This annual event, the Playboy Jazz Festival, has brought jazz lovers and the biggest names in jazz music together since 1959. Commemorating the 30th anniversary, Playboy and Jazz Cruises are hosting the FIRST EVER Playboy Jazz Cruise . Taking the premise of a jazz festival to the seas is nothing new for ...

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Leonard Patton's Debut Release: "Love, Life, & Song"

Source: All About Jazz
June 11, 2008

San Diego based jazz vocalist, Leonard Patton is making quite a name for himself on the Southern California scene as a musician with talent rarely seen in vocalists of this genre. Leonard will be singing and improvising his way into the hearts of jazz aficionados everywhere with the release of his debut CD entitled Love, Life, & Song on June 17. This montage of melodies includes such tunes as Bob Marley's “Redemption Song", Charles Mingus' “Weird Nightmare", and a host ...

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Tommy Dorsey Orchestra to Swing Across the Atlantic

Source: All About Jazz
June 11, 2008

Luxury specialist Crystal Cruises has announced an extensive schedule of performances, dancing and onboard enrichment for its 2008 Big Band cruise, headlined by the legendary Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Aboard Crystal Serenity's November 21 transatlantic voyage from Lisbon to Miami, Big Band enthusiasts can enjoy musically themed lectures, swing lessons, trivia contests, tea dances and classic Big Band-themed films during the day, followed by daily live performances and evening dancing. Extra Ambassador Hosts ensure that all guests have dance partners. “An ...

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Mike Baggetta Quartet at Brooklyn Lyceum

Source: All About Jazz
June 11, 2008

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Keyboardist Brian Culbertson Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz
June 11, 2008

Keyboardist extraordinaire Brian Culbertson has a style that is a mixture of inimitable funk and suave grooves. Growing up, Culbertson was heavily influenced by the work of Maynard Ferguson, Dave Sanborn, the Brecker Brothers, Blood Sweat & Tears, James Brown, and Earth Wind & Fire. Bringing Back the Funk (GRP Records, 2008) employs outstanding musicians to accompany him on the exploration of his funk music roots, many of whom were a part of the very acts that influenced him. The ...

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Saxophonist John Ellis Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz
June 10, 2008

Saxophonist John Ellis is a hybrid of New Orleans funk, New York modernity, Presbyterian sanctification and good ol' performing skills. He blends all those things together on his new record, Dance Like There's No Tomorrow (Hyena, 2008), which features saxophone, sousaphone, organ and drums.

AAJ contributor, and host of The Jazz Session, Jason Crane was on hand on May 14, 2008, the second of two nights at New York's The Jazz Standard where, just before hitting the stage to celebrate ...

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Concord Music Group Unveils New Section of concordmusicgroup.com--Devoted to Rarities and Collectibles

Source: All About Jazz
June 10, 2008

With labels such as Fantasy, Specialty, Prestige and Stax, the scope of the Concord Music Group catalog is as deep and eclectic as your beloved public radio station left of the dial and as vast as the greatest neighborhood indie store. The quandary now is where to go to find a collection of Jerry Garcia's oeuvre with Merle Saunders or to find Soultrane on vinyl without having to take out a second mortgage. Well, record collecting has just turned a ...

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Usher at the Apollo Theater

Source: Michael Ricci
June 10, 2008

In the Hands of a Pro, the Moves Meet the Grooves Usher Friday night with hits, splits and a handstand. “It's been about four years since we last met," Usher said addressing a sold-out audience as a single acquaintance. “I wanted it to be here at the Apollo."

He let that notion sink in a moment, implicitly evoking a roll call of legendary performers at the Apollo Theater, like James Brown and Marvin Gaye. Then he asserted his ...

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