Articles

Daily articles carefully curated by the All About Jazz staff. Read our popular and future articles.

ALBUM REVIEW April 10, 2017

Kevin Eubanks: East West Time Line

Read "East West Time Line" reviewed by Geannine Reid

Philadelphia-born guitarist, composer Kevin Eubanks has been building a creative catalog and playing style since his 18-year tenure as the guitarist and music director of TV's, The Tonight Show Band ended in 2010. Eubanks took New York by storm, starting out in straight ahead jazz clubs, followed by progressive albums for contemporary jazz giant GRP Records and legendary Blue Note Records, frequent collaborations with cutting edge bassist Dave Holland, on “The Tonight Show" he played with seemingly every meaningful musician ...

ALBUM REVIEW April 1, 2015

Kevin Eubanks & Stanley Jordan: Duets

By Rob Caldwell

We know Kevin Eubanks as a long-time leader and guitarist for The Tonight Show band, as well as a string of solo albums. Stanley Jordan, of course, turned the jazz world on its ear in the mid 80's with his revolutionary two-handed tapping technique on the guitar fretboard. Both musicians have been used to being in the spotlight. As such, one might expect a showy, flashy set of tracks on their Duets album. Yet, Duets is an understated album full ...

ALBUM REVIEW January 27, 2013

Kevin Eubanks: The Messenger

By Dan Bilawsky

It's a shame that so few people only know guitarist Kevin Eubanks as the always-smiling, lick-delivering bandleader and guitar sidekick on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He was sharing the stage with drummer Art Blakey and recording with drummer Billy Hart long before he ever did the daily grind in television studios, but time has an unfortunate way of rewriting history. Eubanks added volumes to Leno's program during his tenure with the comedian-turned host, both in terms of music ...

ALBUM REVIEW November 22, 2010

Kevin Eubanks: Zen Food

By Mark F. Turner

As the former Tonight Show's music director for 18 years, guitarist Kevin Eubanks admirably performed the necessary duties of leading the house band, trading comedic barbs with host Jay Leno, and whatever else it took to get the job done. But before the glamor and glitz of Hollywood, most folks probably didn't know that Eubanks was and still is a superb jazz musician who has performed with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, bassist Dave Holland, and released a number ...

INTERVIEW November 22, 2010

Kevin Eubanks: Refocusing and Looking Forward

By Matthew Warnock

For millions of people across the U.S. and abroad, Kevin Eubanks will always be associated with The Tonight Show band, after his 18 years alongside Jay Leno. But for those who have followed Eubanks' career off the set, where he has been a highly prolific composer and recording artist, it's his work as a guitarist that makes him memorable. Sure, his infectious laughter and banter with Jay Leno was fun to watch night after night, but six-stringers in the audience ...