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Interviews
Anat Cohen: Musical Zelig
In the 1983 Woody Allen film Zelig, the pseudo-documentary's main character is a man who, out of a desire to fit in, takes on the characteristics of the people he happens to be around, including, in chameleon-like fashion, turning up as a black jazz musician in jny: Chicago. (The character, played by Allen, is white). Since arriving on the jny: New York City scene in 1999, via jny: Tel Aviv and the Berklee College of Music, Anat Cohen ...
read moreLucia Cadotsch: Whispers Speak Louder than Screams
Speak Low (Enja Records, 2017), the debut release of her current Trio of the same name, catapulted Lucia Cadotsch among the new artists that promise to write original chapters of vocal jazz while showing deference to the artists that preceded them. Playing a compelling brand of music that has been aptly described as “acoustic retrofuturism" --think of it as the musical version of Blade Runner's stunning blend of futuristic ambience and vintage elegance --Lucia Cadotsch, bassist Petter Eldh and saxophonist ...
read moreAndreas Varady: Guitar Wizard On The Rise
Listening to Andreas Varady play guitar, it's difficult to guess his age. Its not just the fleet fingers across the fret board, the subtle bending of notes and the dexterity. Many young players display those features. He possesses a warm tone, a mature style with free-flowing ideas that go to interesting places. His style is mature and he's a teller of stories. Mature and strong enough to impress Quincy Jones, who brought the guitarist into his management company ...
read moreMandla Mlangeni: Born to Be
Mandla Mlangeni has been engaged. The South African trumpeter, composer, and bandleader oversees three groups, notably the Amandla Freedom Ensemble and the Tune Recreation Committee. Additionally, his works are marked by an intense effort to explore and connect with social discourse in the country today. Indeed, from the Tune Recreation Committee's naming nod to South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to the Amandla Freedom Ensemble's latest project Born to Be Black: A Celebration of the Conscious Soul exploring black identity, ...
read moreDavid Sancious: From Monk to Sting
David Sancious is one of the most sought-after and sophisticated sidemen in the world of popular music. He has collaborated with the likes of Sting and Peter Gabriel and has been a member of the original E-Street Band led by Bruce Springsteen, not to mention countless gigs with superstars such as Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton and Santana. His love for jazz has never abandoned him--"It involves the ability to play in an ensemble, and at the same time ...
read moreBokani Dyer: African Piano
Throughout this decade, pianist, composer, and bandleader Bokani Dyer has stood as one of the most formidable and creative keyboard talents in South Africa today. Raised in a musical family--his father is the legendary saxophonist Steve Dyer--Bokani Dyer quickly demonstrated an extraordinary musical vision and identity of his own. Indeed, albums of his, notably Emancipate the Story and World Music, stand as modern classics highlighting the breathtaking creativity in South Africa's music scene today. As Dyer releases his ...
read moreSalim Washington: To Be Moved to Speak
To audiences in Boston or New York, Salim Washington is not just a great musician, he is a community builder. Having first established the Roxbury Blues Aesthetic, then the Harlem Arts Ensemble, Washington has throughout his career carefully nurtured collectives of musicians who in turn generated irreplaceable music scenes at venues like Connolly's in Boston and St. Nick's Pub in New York. In tandem with his collaborators, Washington also honed his chops as a composer, tackling ambitious, genre-defying works that ...
read moreMatsuli Music: The Fight Against Forgetting
Now approaching a decade of operations, Matsuli Music has placed itself at the frontline of reissuing some of South Africa's most influential, important, and yet nevertheless now difficult-to-find albums in pursuit of its stated mission: “The Fight Against Forgetting." Indeed, to that end, founder Matthew Temple has done extraordinary work, as thanks to his efforts, classic 1970s fare like Dick Khoza's Chapita, Ndikho Xaba's Ndikho Xaba and the Natives, Sathima Bea Benjamin's African Songbird, Pacific Express' Black Fire, and others ...
read moreLinda Sikhakhane: Two Sides, One Mirror
Though it has not received the level of press attention it warrants, South Africa's Jazz scene of the past decade has experienced an astonishing flourishing of artistry and development. While the scene lost some of its titans like Zim Ngqawana, Winston Mankunku Ngozi, and Bheki Mseleku, it has also found new paths through the efforts of a cavalcade of incredible young talents. These artists, born and/or raised in the post-apartheid era of South Africa, have navigated an amazing balance in ...
read moreJeff Duperon: Building a Jazz Bridge for Musicians and the Community
[For almost fifteen years, Philadelphia's Jazz Bridge has been providing funds and services to professional jazz and blues musicians in need. On Sunday, June 3, 2018, Jazz Bridge will hold its annual fundraiser at the Independence Seaport Museum at Penn's Landing. There will be food, drink, fun, and an opportunity to meet the musicians. The honorary chairperson for the event will be former Mayor Michael Nutter. Duane Eubanks will be providing the music. Jazz Bridge depends primarily on individual donations ...
read moreShowcase
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Sebastiana by Ricardo Bacelar
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Dreaming Spirits by Mark Egan
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Still Dreaming by Joshua Redman
Story of the Day
I love jazz because it is the most spiritual expressive music on the planet! I was first exposed to jazz in High School. The best show I ever attended was the 2001 Atlanta Jazz Festival. The first jazz record I bought was Wes Montgomery's “So Much Guitar.” My advice to new listeners: Keep listening
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By Rod Harris Jr.
Member since: 2016
