Interview
Daily articles carefully curated by the All About Jazz staff. Read our popular and future articles.
Mirna Bogdanović: The Art Of Confrontation

It takes a vivid imagination to stand still and yet reach faraway places. This is the sense communicated when hearing the debut album of the Slovenian/Bosnian jazz singer-songwriter Berlin-based Mirna Bogdanović. Traditional forms of music unfold towards contemporary, instinctive directions. Confrontation, released on December 18 by Klaeng Records (an independent label from Cologne), does not feel like a debut: the album shows a mature musical philosophy and Bogdanović's voice holds a recognizable identity. The album is rooted in ...
read morePeter Archer: The True Inspiration of "Soul"

Disney / PIXAR's jazz-flavored movie Soul has garnered rave reviews and buzz worldwide. That's because in addition to its spectacular animation and meticulous production values, there's an honest and accurate representation of jazz and jazz musicians. What's behind that is the fact that the film was inspired by a dedicated Queens music teacher, Dr. Peter Archer. Archer's story and his involvement with the production is in itself a fascinating tale.All About Jazz: Dr. Archer, on behalf of All ...
read moreBenjamin Koppel: Curiosity Won't Kill This Cat

Benjamin Koppel is an extraordinary Danish musician from an illustrious music family. He is all about musicof just about any kind. He's always absorbing it, discovering what there is to derive from it. A kind of restless desire to explore envelops him. He simplifies it in his own words: he's curious. It comes naturally to him. The alto saxophonist is intelligent and unassuming. His influences are broad, but they start with his family. Koppel, a stellar player and ...
read moreFrank Kimbrough: Changing the Contexts, Keeping It Fresh

From the 1995-2003 archive: This article first appeared at All About Jazz in September 2002. Frank Kimbrough is one of the most versatile and innovative pianists in jazz on the New York and national scenes. He has been the pianist in the Maria Schneider jazz orchestra and has recorded seven albums under his own name, the most recent of which is The Willow, with vibraphonist Joe Locke, released by Omnitone in August, 2002. With Ben Allison, he directs ...
read moreFrank Kimbrough of the Jazz Composers Collective

From the 1995-2003 archive: This article first appeared at All About Jazz in November 1999. Frank Kimbrough (pianist/composer) was born on November 2, 1956 in Roxboro, NC and currently resides in New York. As a founding member and composer-in-residence of the Jazz Composers Collective, Mr. Kimbrough's works have been prominently featured in numerous concerts presented by the JCC. Mr. Kimbrough has led several groups for these concerts, the most significant being the Frank Kimbrough Trio (with ...
read moreJazz Composers Collective: The Herbie Nichols Project

From the 1995-2003 archive: This article first appeared at All About Jazz in November 1999. The Herbie Nichols Project is a working, researching, and performing entityco-led by pianist Frank Kimbrough and bassist Ben Allison. Operating within that fertile creative aggregate known as the Jazz Composers Collective (of which Mr. Kimbrough and Mr. Allison are composers-in-residence), the HNP is devoted to presenting the music of this remarkable pianist/composer to new generations of jazz fans. However, the HNP transcends merely ...
read moreAlex Clarke: She Does It Her Way

Coming up fast behind the school of British saxophonists who emerged around 2015 is a younger group of players who are just beginning to get noticed. Among them is Alex Clarke, who was a finalist in Britain's public service broadcaster, the BBC's biannual Young Jazz Musician competition in 2020. In the televised final in November, Clarke wowed the judges with a three song set played on alto and tenor. The three judges were class of 2015 tenor star ...
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