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The Politics of Dancing: Jazz and Protest, Part 2
by Karl Ackermann
Part 1 of Jazz and Protest took an in-depth look at two landmark artists and the songs that laid the groundwork for protest within the jazz community. Billie Holiday's “Strange Fruit" took a circuitous route from its origins as a poem to its successful recording on a small label that was not afraid to lend a ...
Malcolm Griffiths: A Man For All Seasons
by Duncan Heining
We talk often of the stars, like 'Trane and Miles. We remember the bandleaders, such as Basie and Duke. We even recall the composers and arrangers, Ellington again, Gil Evans and Monk. And we never forget those star soloists like Johnny Hodges or Lester Young. But the guys in the machine room, the guys who make ...
Billy Childs: Rebirth
by Dan Bilawsky
It's been a while since we've heard pianist Billy Childs really dig in. While he certainly hasn't been dormant, reaching tremendous artistic heights in semi-recent times with a pair of highly refined chamber jazz explorations and a much-lauded tribute to Laura Nyro, the Childs of yore--the man that would throw down the gauntlet night after night ...
Nick Finzer: Hear & Now
by Dan McClenaghan
New York-based trombonist Nick Finzer has benefited from mentorships under trombone masters Wycliffe Gordon and Steve Turre; but his third CD release, Hear And Now also brings the original trombone master, J.J. Johnson to mind. One of Johnson's last CDs, the minor masterpiece, Heroes (Verve Records, 1995), featured a sextet configuration with an enormously-talented pianist, Rene ...
Jazz Musician of the Day: J.J. Johnson
All About Jazz is celebrating J.J. Johnson's birthday today! Considered by many to be the finest jazz trombonist of all time, J.J. Johnson somehow transferred the innovations of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie to his more awkward instrument, playing with such speed and deceptive ease that at one time some listeners assumed he was playing valve ...
Jay Thomas / Gary Smulyan: Lowdown Hoedown
by Paul Rauch
Sometimes the most joyous and satisfying things in life occur in the light of pure happenstance. Such was the case when New York based baritone saxophone master Gary Smulyan ventured west in the 90's to perform and teach at the Jazz Port Townsend Festival in Washington state, in those days directed by veteran saxman, Bud Shank. ...
2016: The Year in Jazz
by Ken Franckling
The year 2016 bubbled with events and initiatives to strengthen jazz's place in American and world culture, as well as a variety of venue openings, closings and cancellations. Jazz hit the silver screen in many ways throughout the year, and International Jazz Day continued to thrive--complete with a major all-star concert at the White House. Pop ...
The Westerlies: New Music For Brass In Hi Res
by Mark Werlin
The Westerlies, a self-titled album performed by an “accidental brass quartet" of two trumpet players and two trombonists, is a stunning accomplishment: a reference-quality recording of trans-genre new instrumental music that managed to beat the odds and reach a wide audience. The album's unexpected success points to the importance of curation in an overcrowded online music ...
Ashley Kahn: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece
by Lazaro Vega
This interview was first published at All About Jazz in November 2000 and is part of our ongoing effort to archive pre-database material. Ashley Kahn, the author of Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece (Da Capo Press, 224 pgs.), is Music Editor at VH1, and was the primary editor ...
Miles Davis: Long Time Gone
This is how co-host Renee Montagne of National Public Radio’s Morning Edition opened one of the program’s hours this morning. We’re kind of blue. Miles Davis died 25 years ago today. It came as a shock to realize how quickly that sizeable amount of time has passed; and a comfort to know that a major creative ...
