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Jan Johansson: From Small Acorns...
by Ian Patterson
Upon hearing the news and in a state of disbelief, Randi Hultin the legendary Norwegian jazz journalist rang pianist Reinhold Svensson who confirmed the worst: “Yes. Swedish jazz has just died."1 Reinhold's reaction to the death in a car accident of fellow pianist Jan Johansson whilst melodramatic reflected Jan Johansson's importance in the contemporary Swedish jazz ...
Steve Grossman
by Laurel Gross
Saxophonist Steve Grossman hasn't been a regular on the New York scene for many years but a crash-- course sampling of the many sessions he has recorded--with the likes of Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Barry Harris and Michel Petrucciani for starters as well as under his name as a soloist and with his own ...
Mitch Mitchell: In Memoriam
by Gary Gomes
When the Jimi Hendrix Experience's Are You Experienced? initially appeared, all of the attention was focused on the guitarist--understandable, as this was his group, and the guitar sounds were unique extensions of blues, rock and electronics (the latter particularly) that had never made their way to the general record buying audience (greater displays of virtuosity could ...
Ray Passman: Down The Publisher's Way
by AAJ Staff
New York lyricist and music publisher Ray Passman describes his publishing company, Raybird Music, as providing “jazz for the world." Passman began in music in the late '40s in New York, and he has written songs with such history, making writers including Sunny Skylar (who wrote the English lyrics to “Besame Mucho"), Johnny Carisi ("Israel"), Bert ...
Christine Tobin: Slotting into Place
by Marcus O'Dair
She may have won this year's BBC Jazz Award for best vocalist, yet Christine Tobin was not, ostensibly at least, the main attraction in Radioplay, which just completed its October, 2008 run at London's Lyric theatre following an earlier incarnation at the Vortex last year. Rather, with guitarist Phil Robson and bassist Dave Whitford, her job ...
Parallels of Recovery: Melody Gardot Finds Inspiration in the Spirit of New Orleans
by Craig M. Cortello
I recently interviewed Ms. Melody Gardot for a podcast episode regarding her amazing journey from a devastating accident to a successful music career. For those not aware of her background, Ms. Gardot was struck by an SUV while riding her bike at the age of nineteen. She suffered brain trauma and multiple fractures of ...
Kenny Burrell: Mr. Good Notes
by Russ Musto
“I'm just trying to play the good notes," says Kenny Burrell, lighthearted laughter accompanying his response to the question of how he would characterize his style of guitar playing. The reply betrayed the genial humility that has long distinguished him as one of the music's truly gracious gentlemen. Burrell has been playing the “good notes" for ...
Sadao Watanabe
by George Kanzler
"I want to get back to basics, I want to play saxophone. I've started to love playing straight-ahead again," Sadao Watanabe said over the phone during a break in a gig at a Japanese club. The statement might be a little puzzling to American jazz fans who know Sadao (in Japan "Sadao" is ...
David Myers: Cameraman To The Rock Stars
by Randall Robinson
Of the film documenters of rock's history, cameraman David Myers was the one truly at the epicenter of rock film nirvana. Just one of Myers' major friends and filmic collaborators was Bob Dylan, who in April 2008 received an honorary Pulitzer Prize, cited for his "profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked ...
Nina Simone: High Priestess of Soul
by Shannon J. Effinger
“I insist on being not one of your clowns, but one of you," she commands of her French audience early on in her performance. When Nina Simone walks out onto the stage, the first word that comes to mind is: regal. “I am a queen," she proudly announces. Her black wrap dress is simple and minimalist. ...
