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Billy Strayhorn's 101st
Charlie Shoemake sent a reminder that today is the 101st anniversary of the birth of Billy Strayhorn (pictured with Duke Ellington). Strayhorn was a 16-year-old high school student in Pittsburgh when he wrote “Lush Life.” A few years later he brought his songwriting ability to Ellington’s attention. One of the songs he demonstrated that day was ...
Francesco Forges, non chiamatelo "vocal coach"
by Rosarita Crisafi
Flautista, cantante, compositore, docente, Francesco Forges è un musicista fuori dagli schemi. Da più di vent'anni è coinvolto nella creazione e direzione di gruppi e progetti in cui la voce è protagonista. Ogni formazione è per lui un'occasione per sperimentare le suggestioni più diverse, dal jazz alla lirica, alla poesia, al teatro, alla coralità contemporanea, alla ...
Mike Westbrook: Paris
by Duncan Heining
Listen to any number of Mike Westbrook records and you might want to ask, “Why doesn't he take a solo?" Aside from the occasional piano cadenza, Westbrook seems to prefer to let his compositions do the talking, ably aided by trustworthy musical confederates. Westbrook celebrated his 80th birthday in March 2016 and Paris is ...
Slavic Soul Party: Plays Duke Ellington's Far East Suite
by Angelo Leonardi
Nel jazz contemporaneo la reinterpretazione delle opere passate avviene in due modi diversi. Da un lato c'è chi privilegia la riproposizione fedele dell'originale, partendo da una prospettiva a grandi linee accademica (Wynton Marsalis) fino alla riproduzione letterale di ogni aspetto melodico, timbrico e ritmico (come ha fatto il gruppo Mostly Other People Do The Killing con ...
Kenny Burrell: Unlimited 1, Live at Catalina's
by Jack Bowers
Guitarist Kenny Burrell, who isn't generally known for hanging out with big bands, now has one of his own: the Los Angeles-based Jazz Orchestra Unlimited, for which he serves as music director on its debut album, Unlimited 1, Live at Catalina's. While the ensemble is splendid, individually and collectively, there's no doubt that Burrell is the ...
The 14 Jazz Orchestra: Nothing Hard Is Ever Easy
by Angelo Leonardi
Dischi come questo sono indicativi dell'alto livello professionale che il jazz statunitense esprime anche nelle cosiddette zone di periferia, lontane da New York, Chicago o Los Angeles. Quest'orchestra opera in Florida ed è formata da 13 insegnanti o ex alunni della Miami University diretti dall'arrangiatore Dan Bonsanti e integrati da pregevoli ospiti: Will Lee ...
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra: Rotterdam 1969
by Jack Bowers
Here's a succulent and long-hidden treat for Duke Ellington aficionados: a wide-ranging and reasonably well-recorded concert performance by the Ellington orchestra from 1969 at the Do Doelen Concert Hall in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Many of Ellington's tried-and-true favorites are here, along with a number of lesser-known themes such as tenor Paul Gonsalves' feature, “Up Jump"; “Come ...
Two Time Grammy Nominee And Downbeat Critics Poll “Rising Star” Winner Joey Alexander Releases His Second Album "Countdown" On Motéma Music
After A Summer of U.S. and International Tour Dates, 13-Year-Old Jazz Pianist and Composer Will Headline His Record Release Engagement September 29-October 2 at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola in NYC “A thoughtful musician as well as a natural one, with a sophisticated harmonic palette and a dynamic sensitivity.”—The New York Times “One of the jazz world’s youngest ...
John Coltrane: My Favorite Things (Not Including “My Favorite Things”)
by Matt J. Popham
John Coltrane died on July 17, 1967 at the age of forty. Had he lived, he would have turned 90 on September 23rd of this year. When one considers the profound effect he had--not just on jazz, but on music as a whole--in the brief two decades of his career, it's not only daunting, but depressing, ...
Joey Alexander: Countdown
by Doug Collette
Like most such facile categorizing, 'child prodigy' usually ends up being a dead end rather than a means to explore the subject at hand. In the case of Joey Alexander, it's a disservice precisely because it's so restrictive: if he proves anything on his second album, it is that he will not be confined.
