Results for "R.J. DeLuke"
Benjamin Koppel: Curiosity Won't Kill This Cat

Benjamin Koppel is an extraordinary Danish musician from an illustrious music family. He is all about musicof just about any kind. He's always absorbing it, discovering what there is to derive from it. A kind of restless desire to explore envelops him. He simplifies it in his own words: he's curious. It comes naturally to him. ...
R.J. DeLuke's Best Releases of 2020

Everyone knows how odd 2020 was. Nonetheless, artists around the globe put out some outstanding music as struggles to meet the new challenges continued. Creativity reigns supreme. There was a lot of music I didn't get to here, but here are some recordings that registered high marks. Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride ...
Billy Childs: L.A. Contentment

Billy Childs says taking formal piano lessons as a young child didn't register" at the time. He didn't recoil from the instrument by any means, but it wasn't yet exciting. But he had a neighbor who also played. Childs looked up to him. It was that neighbor who showed him stuff--taught him to play Cantaloupe ...
Artemis: A Band For the Times

A jazz band was formed a few years ago, comprised completely of women. That was by design for a moment in time at a jazz festival. But the convergence of these great musicians--dubbed collectively as Artemis--is growing to be something more. The members coalesced in a special way. Its importance remains to be seen. ...
Joe Farnsworth: Friends In High Places

Joe Farnsworth is one of the top jazz drummers working today, with a resume that includes some of the absolute greats. His muscular swing and precise timekeeping have been attractive to employers like Wynton Marsalis, Diana Krall, McCoy Tyner, George Coleman, Pharoah Sanders, Eric Alexander, Benny Golson and many more. He likes to say ...
Dena Derose: Keeper Of The Song

Dena DeRose has established a reputation as one of the finest jazz singers todaythough never exclusively that. As others have doneShirley Horn, a predecessor, or Karrin Allyson, a contemporary, among othersDeRose, in addition to her alluring voice, is a highly accomplished pianist who accompanies herself. Often that's in a trio setting, but she easily extends it ...
Marvin Stamm: Team Player

Trumpeter Marvin Stamm is known for being part of a gazillion albums, having that ability to go into a studio and play exactly what's required, whether it's for a records by pop singers, jazz artists, Paul McCartney, Donny Hathaway or touring with Frank Sinatra. It's a reputation the highly skilled player earned with hard work.
Jerry Granelli: Updating Music of Past Heroes

"I've earned the privilege of not playing anything I don't want to play," says drummer Jerry Granelli, whose past is replete with the names of many greats in jazz for whom he supplied rhythmic support--sometimes force--over several decades. That used to be a fear," he adds, You figured if you turned something down, the ...
Eddie Daniels: 'Sings' Ivan Lins

Eddie Daniels, one of the finest of clarinetists during his decades in jazz, is still an active, curious, exploring musician. He welcomes new things. His latest album, Night Kisses: A Tribute to Ivan Lins (Resonance Records), set to be released at the end of July, represents something new for him. Music is an art ...
Michelle Lordi: Career Evolution

Some artists are blessed to be born into situations where opportunities are at the ready. Education and training are easily obtainable. Maybe they have connections to the professional world, via their lineage or other friends. Even so, it's still up to them to produce and deal with the inevitable vagaries of their choice to pursue music ...