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Michael Weiss: Building an Identity
by Luke Seabright
Michael Weiss is a jazz pianist and composer. His mastery of the hard bop style (he cites Horace Silver as one of his greatest influences), as well as his breadth of experience accompanying some of jazz's most acclaimed soloists, have made him a key figure in the New York jazz scene. His long-standing association with saxophonist ...
Bruce Harris: Beginnings
by David A. Orthmann
Beginnings sounds as if it's guided by an old hand instead of someone relatively new to the demanding art of leading a band. The debut recording of trumpeter Bruce Harris captures a coherent, homogeneous group sound, while utilizing several different combinations of instruments. Harris ties together material ranging from Harold Arlen, to Bud Powell, to Prince, ...
Detroit Jazz Festival 2013
by C. Andrew Hovan
2013 Detroit Jazz FestivalDetroit, MichiganAugust 30-September 2, 2013Summing up the modus operandi that seemed to characterize so much of the performances at this year's Detroit Jazz Festival, one might sagaciously go with the phrase 'wild abandon.' Now in its 34th year of existence, the festival still boasts the title of “largest free jazz ...
Bill Mays: Inventions, Conventions and Dimensions
by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
This title is more than a rhyme: it's an attempt to capture some of the legendary versatility of pianist Bill Mays. “Inventions" refers to his unprecedented, working jazz trio of piano, trumpet, and cello. “Conventions" is a nod to his invaluable contribution to the annual meeting of the International Society of Bassists (in 2013, he played ...
Mike LeDonne: Where There’s Smoke
by Bob Kenselaar
Mike LeDonne has more than made his mark in jazz over the years, on both piano and organ. One of the New York jazz scene's premier instrumentalists, he's long been a favorite of fellow musicians. “He is incredible," said the late Oscar Peterson, who once described how he would rush to hear LeDonne play every night ...
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra: Forever Lasting - Live in Tokyo
by Edward Blanco
The Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra, the New York big band founded in 1966, loved to tour Japan resulting in its popular 1974 release of Live In Tokyo (Denon). Continuing the tradition of playing Monday nights at New York's Village Vanguard, as well as performing in Japan, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra--as the Thad Jones / ...
Under the Big Top: Detroit's 31st Year Hits a High Note
by C. Andrew Hovan
31st Annual Detroit Intermational Jazz FestivalHart PlazaDetroit, MichiganSeptember 3-6, 2010Last year may have been their 30th anniversary year, but this past Labor Day weekend, The Detroit Jazz Festival pulled out all the stops for what had to be one of the most memorable line-ups of recent memory. Mother Nature would cooperate ...
Three Pairs of Aces - Wild!
by Chris M. Slawecki
Corina Bartra & Her Azu Project Afro Peruvian Jazz Celebration Blue Spiral Music 2009 Corina Bartra does more than compose and sing in a style that merges music from North and South America--she lives this style by splitting her days between her native Peru and adopted hometown of New York ...
Frank Wess: Once is Not Enough
by Chris M. Slawecki
Dominated by the sound of swinging, good-time blues, Once Is Not Enough indisputably plants NEA Jazz Master Wess in the tradition of Count Basie, in whose Count Basie Orchestra Wess played flute, alto, and tenor saxophones for more than a decade. This set jumps from the very start: Wess' tenor on his opening, title ...
Mike DiRubbo: Repercussion
by Woodrow Wilkins
Seven originals among nine songs usually means the music will be fresh. Originality and improvisation are key ingredients to saxophonist Mike DiRubbo's Repercussion.After playing clarinet in his early years, DiRubbo, a native of New Haven, Connecticut, switched to alto saxophone and later studied under Jackie McLean. His associations include Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi and ...
