Support All About Jazz's Future

All About Jazz needs your help and we have a deal. Pay $20 and we'll hide those six pesky Google ads that appear on every page, plus this box and the slideout box on the right for a full year! You'll also fund website expansion.

I want to help

Articles by Rob Mariani

182

Published: 2005-08-21

Richie Cole
Back on Top
269

Published: 2005-08-04

Brown/Alexander/Griffin/Drew
Summer Wind
138

Published: 2005-08-03

Bill Moring
Way Out East

Showcase

Buy Now

Streams by Jakob Bro
Buy Now

Nearness by Joshua Redman
Buy Now

The Declaration Of Musical... by Andrew Cyrille
Buy Now

Ida Lupino by Giovanni Guidi
Buy Now

Atmosphères by Tigran Hamasyan

About Jazz Story

Jazz Stories

I love jazz because I hear musicians being in the “now”, creating on the spot. I was first exposed to jazz by my father. He doesn't play (though he has dabbled with piano in the past), but apparently jazz runs in the family blood
Read more

I love jazz because I hear musicians being in the “now”, creating on the spot. I was first exposed to jazz by my father. He doesn't play (though he has dabbled with piano in the past), but apparently jazz runs in the family blood. My grandfather, a professional jazz pianist, once accompanied Judy Garland when she strolled into the Chicago hotel where he played; one of the songs they performed was, of course, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” I never got to hear my grandfather play, because he gave up “the life” when he moved to California, when my dad was still in high school. However, my grandpa remains an inspiration, so I wrote an arrangement of “Somewhere” in Latin Jazz style, and dedicated to my father and to the memory of my grandfather. The first jazz record I bought was McCoy Tyner, “Dimensions.” McCoy is a great influence on my piano playing to this day. My advice to new listeners is, have an open mind; let the music develop, let the artists take you on a journey. Jazz is human, personal, and carries great immediacy. In an age where technology replaces the human element in much art, jazz in general is all about the performance. Even in recording, it is a moment of spontaneity frozen in time. So support live music, support live jazz! Keep us human in the modern world.
Show less

By Michelle Pollace
Member since: 2013

Track of the Day

Track
Everything in it's right place

Artist/Band
Marco Sanguinetti

Album
Cómo desaparecer completamente (How to disappear completely)

Articles by Rob Mariani

Richie Cole

Brown/Alexander/Griffin/Drew

Bill Moring

Streams by Jakob Bro

Nearness by Joshua Redman

The Declaration Of Musical... by Andrew Cyrille

Ida Lupino by Giovanni Guidi

Atmosphères by Tigran Hamasyan

Join the staff. Writers Wanted!