Results for "DIVA Jazz Orchestra"

Alexa Tarantino: Passion For Playing And Teaching

By R.J. DELUKE

Alexa Tarantino was bitten by the jazz bug at a young age. She was fortunate to grow up in a community where jazz is an important part of the musical fabric—rare these days. She swiftly grabbed hold of the music and has developed into an in-demand alto saxophonist, earning a series of high-profile gigs that slowed ...

Alexa Tarantino: Clarity

By PAUL RAUCH

Saxophonist Alexa Tarantino has as impressive resume in jazz as any artist could hope for at this stage of a career. As a performer, she has contributed notably to The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the Cecile McLorin Salvant Quintet and Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, to note a few. ...

Alexa Tarantino: Clarity

By DAN BILAWSKY

Alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino is an indefatigable spirit, plain and simple. In the past two years alone she's worked with everybody from trumpeter Wynton Marsalis to vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant, held down the lead alto chair in The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, co-led the fiery LSAT quintet with baritone saxophonist Lauren Sevian, directed her self-founded Rockport Jazz ...

Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall

By MARY FOSTER CONKLIN

This week we feature new releases from flutist Haruna Fukazawa, vocalists Svetlana, Emma Frank and Jazzmeia Horn, soprano saxophonist and flutist Jane Bunnett & Maqueque, plus a rediscovered Miles Davis recording, with birthday shout outs to Doris Tauber (composer of “Them There Eyes"), Claire Martin, Tom Wopat, Alyssa Allgood and Lorraine Feather, among others.

The DIVA Jazz Orchestra

The inspiration for DIVA came from Stanley Kay, one-time manager and relief drummer for Buddy Rich. In 1990, Kay was conducting a band in which Sherrie Maricle was playing the drums. Stanley immediately picked up on her extraordinary talent and began to wonder if there were other women players who could perform at the same level. The search was on and through nationwide auditions, the foundation for DIVA was poured in 1992 and what emerged is the dynamic musical force that holds forth to the present day. Since their premiere performance over 21 years ago, DIVA has toured the world to critical and popular acclaim

3Divas: 3Divas

By JEROME WILSON

The DIVA Jazz Orchestra has been around for some years but this is a first time recording for its current rhythm section, Jackie Warren on piano, Amy Shook on bass and DIVA's founder and leader, Sherrie Maricle on drums. The immediate impression from this CD is that these women have a great time playing ...

Leigh Pilzer: Strunkin'

By JEROME WILSON

Leigh Pilzer is a baritone saxophonist from the Washington, DC area who has made a busy career for herself teaching, playing in various small groups and holding down the baritone chair in the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the DIVA Jazz Orchestra and the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra. On this, her first CD as a leader, she ...

Dida Pelled: Telling Stories And Serving Songs

By DAN BILAWSKY

When it comes to music, Dida Pelled doesn't discriminate. This young guitarist-vocalist--a doe-eyed ingénue in appearance, a mature artist in reality--has proven to be an inimitable double-threat who's more concerned with serving a song and doing justice to the music than fitting into a neat little stylistic box. She's equally comfortable playing straight-up jazz at Smalls ...

Roger Davidson & David Finck: Umbrellas & Sunshine

By DAN BILAWSKY

Many people never take the time to truly say how they feel about important people in their lives until it's too late. The same holds true in the jazz community. Posthumous tributes pour out of magazines, newspapers and websites, and are delivered via recordings when important figures of the music pass on, but something resonates more ...

Johnny Mandel Featuring Sherrie Maricle and the Diva Jazz Orchestra: The Man and His Music: Johnny Mandel Conducts the Music of Mandel

By ROBERT J. ROBBINS

In May, 2010, legendary composer/arranger Johnny Mandel performed three evenings with the all-female DIVA Jazz Orchestra at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, immaculately preserved in this release. In this rare appearance in his native Manhattan, the Los Angeles-based Mandel returned decidedly to his big band roots, which included service in brass sections, more than five decades ago, with ...