Take Five With...

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

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TAKE FIVE WITH... June 23, 2020

Take Five with G. Thomas Allen

Meet G. Thomas Allen Redefining the career possibilities of his rare vocal category, generally tied to classical music, he takes his play in the world of modern jazz. Paying homage to the post-bop era, he offers a collection of songs with the aesthetics of R&B, blues and Gospel roots. Bridging genres with an undeniable melodic blend of tradition and modernity, he is joined by vet Dennis Luxion on the piano (known for playing for Chet Baker in the '80s), bassist ...

TAKE FIVE WITH... June 16, 2020

Take Five with Itamar Shapiro

By Itamar Shapiro

Meet Itamar Shapiro Itamar Shapiro is an Israeli drummer based in New York City. He is a 2019 graduate of the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and over the years has played with world-renowned artists such as Sullivan Fortner, Joel Frahm and more. He played and recorded with his own groups and has performed at venues including Mezzrow Jazz Club, Bern International Jazz Festival, Beit Haamudim and Shablul Jazz club.Instrument: DrumsTeachers and/or influences? During ...

TAKE FIVE WITH... May 18, 2020

Take Five with Markus Rutz

By Markus Rutz

Meet Markus Rutz Markus Rutz plays trumpet with bluesy, soulful style and a tone that has been called gorgeous. He composes music from his home base in jny: Chicago, Illinois where he also performs modern jazz. As described by Downbeat's J.D. Considine, with his “big, dark tone and a fluid ease to his phrasing," trumpet player, composer and bandleader, Markus regularly delights audiences in venues throughout his hometown and across the United States.Capturing the same spirit as his ...

TAKE FIVE WITH... May 3, 2020

Take Five with Alex Bird

By Alex Bird

Meet Alex Bird Alex Bird is a singer/songwriter and actor in jny: Toronto, ON. With a swinging style and an indescribable charm, Alex and his “Jazz Mavericks" are currently working on an entirely new chapter in the Great American Songbook, with their soon to be released, all original debut album, “Whisky Kisses" (Summer 2020). “The Way She Moves," one of the originals off the album, was released on November, 30th, 2019. It was featured on All About Jazz as their ...

TAKE FIVE WITH... May 1, 2020

Take Five with Bartosz Hadala

By Bartosz Hadala

Meet Bartosz Hadala Bartosz Hadala was born in Stalowa Wola, Poland and started his musical education at the age 7 at the local School of Music. Still as a teenager he participated in competitions, workshops and festivals. He became the youngest finalist in the Mieczyslaw Kosz International Jazz Piano Competition at the age 15. Two years later he was awarded a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in jny: Boston, MA. In 1996, he left for Odessa, Ukraine, to study ...

TAKE FIVE WITH... March 30, 2020

Take Five with Hazel Mitchell-Bell

By Hazel Mitchell-Bell

Meet Hazel Mitchell-Bell Vocalist Hazel Mitchell-Bell has become one of Washington, D.C.'s first ladies of jazz. With highly praised first album, Stronger than Ever, under her belt, and another album set for release in 2020, she appears on festival, concert and club stages, enjoying one sellout after another. Working closely with pianist and music director, Vince Evans, she performs in a big band and smaller ensembles, stoking the fires of the D.C. jazz scene. Born in Fayetteville, North ...

TAKE FIVE WITH... March 6, 2020

Take Five with K Quintet

By K Quintet

Meet K Quintet K Quintet is led by world-renowned Russian dancer Ksenia Parkhatskaya on vocals and Irish musician-composer David Duffy on bass. Citing influences such as Oscar Peterson, Red Garland, and Ben Webster, standards by the likes of Duke Ellington, Richard Rodgers & Henry Mancini are subtly mixed with original 'classic' compositions, written by the husband-and-wife bandleaders. With more than 150 million views on Ksenia's dance videos which cover--amongst other styles--Ragtime, Charleston, Swing and Bebop, it ...