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Timely announcements covering new album releases, tours, concert series, special events, job postings, crowdfunding campaigns and more. You can find more news by searching our website, viewing our news stream, seeing what's trending or reading our blog posts. Subscribe to our news RSS feed and/or embed AAJ news content on your website or blog. Learn about our news service here. Submit news here.

Video / DVD

Kenny Werner “Effortless Mastery: The 4 Steps” Instructional Video Released By JazzHeaven.com

Source: Falk Willis
March 9, 2015

Kenny Werner is a rare musician who is known as much for his teachings and wisdom as for his piano playing and composing. He has played with Joe Lovano, Betty Buckley, Mel Lewis, Bob Brookmeyer, Toots Thielemans, Randy Brecker, and many more. Kenny has been the leader of his own bands since the late 1970s and written for jazz orchestras and classical orchestras around the world. He is the author of the landmark book “Effortless Mastery” (over 90,000 copies sold)—now ...

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Interview

Interview: Slovak Bass Icon Juraj Griglak

Source: Eric Taylor
March 8, 2015

Q: When did you learn to play the bass? A: My father chose for me to play classical upright bass; he was a clarinetist in symphony orchestra. I went to conservatory for six years and then four years at university. After finishing my studies, I started playing in the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and have been playing there for 25 years. I started playing bass guitar when I was 16. I taught myself to play because there was no school at ...

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Education

Dominique Eade on Teaching at New England Conservatory

Source: Ann Braithwaite
March 8, 2015

Dominique Eade knows the value of an open-minded teacher first hand. Eade’s creativity had found diverse outlets as a child, including guitar playing (“I was a pretty good finger- picker”) and songwriting, and as an English major at Vassar she would often supplement her assignments with poems and songs. “I was doing music constantly, but was mostly self-taught, and never thought of it as a career choice,” she recalls. “After I wrote a piano piece, `Bottom’s Dream,’ as part of ...

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Performance / Tour

Ancient Future Pacific Northwest Concert Tour

Source: Matthew Montfort
March 8, 2015

The pioneering world music group Ancient Future will perform four concerts as part of a rare Pacific Northwest concert tour. Celebrating its 36th year, Ancient Future is the world's first and longest running ensemble dedicated to world fusion music. They've sold over 150,000 albums and millions of samplers, and performed over 1,000 concerts. Ancient Future has become a large collective of master musicians from around the world with many smaller ensembles within it. Each program focuses on the traditions of ...

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Recording

Guitarist Jack Allen Release Debut CD "Nawlins Boy"

Source: Craig Neely
March 8, 2015

For Jack Allen the release of Nawlins Boy is a “culmination of my musical journeys to date and a tribute to my dad who was born in New Orleans." With the title and opening track one might feel the spirit of the Big Easy as the tune seems to march in second line style during Mardi Gras with trombonist Steve Baxter leading the way and Allen keeping the groove right in place. Organist Todd Hunter's Hammond B3 wizardry is on ...

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Recording

Saxophonist/Composer Russ Nolan To Release "Call It What You Want" March 31

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity
March 7, 2015

A dexterous improviser with an abiding passion for Latin American rhythms, Russ Nolan delivers a deeply satisfying program of original tunes on his new CD Call It What You Want. The prolific tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger will release the disc, his 5th as a leader in 10 years, on his Rhinoceruss Music label March 31. Reflecting his fluency in the post-bop vocabulary and Latin rhythmic idioms, it’s an approach quite distinct from what used to be called Latin jazz, ...

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Education

New England Conservatory Artist in Residence: Dave Holland

Source: Ann Braithwaite
March 7, 2015

If you see NEC Artist in Residence Dave Holland in performance these days he will most likely be found either in duet with pianist Kenny Barron or amidst his newly assembled quartet Prism. These are particularly exciting projects, as the bassist and Barron have only collaborated a handful of times in the past, while Prism is a true all-star assemblage completed by guitarist Kevin Eubanks, pianist and keyboard player Craig Taborn and drummer Eric Harland. They do not, however, signify ...

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Recording

Kirk Whalum, The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter IV (2-Disc, 19-Song CD & DVD) - Available March 24

Source: Alex Hill
March 7, 2015

Inspired By Nelson Mandela, President Obama, Curtis Mayfield, John Coltrane, Paul McCartney And Others Grammy winner Saxophonist Kirk Whalum has a calling that words can’t explain. For the last five years Kirk has been spreading the ‘message’ through his acclaimed series The Gospel According To Jazz, Chapters I-III. Now, he’s preparing to release (two-disc, 19-song CD and a feature-length DVD) on March 24, 2015, which is unparalleled growth of the evolution of the GATJ series into the upcoming “docu-musical’ saluting ...

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