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Article: Live Review

Mary Ellen Desmond: Comfort and Joy 2021

by Victor L. Schermer
December 18, 2021

Mary Ellen Desmond Comfort and Joy Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany Philadelphia, PA December 12, 2021 Mary Ellen Desmond is one of the most treasured Philadelphia-based vocalists, and for more than a decade she has provided the inspiration for and fronted the same top ...

Article: Interview

Barry Harris: Iconic Jazz Pianist and Keeper of the Flame

by Victor L. Schermer
December 11, 2021

In memory of Barry Harris. This article was first published at All About Jazz on October 29, 2015. At the ripe age of 85, pianist Barry Harris has been on the jazz scene for seventy years, and throughout that time, he has remained loyal to and consistent with his bebop roots. Even though his ...

Article: Interview

Joe La Barbera: Experiencing Bill Evans

by Victor L. Schermer
November 30, 2021

In his own unassuming way, Bill Evans changed the face of jazz piano trio forever. He made the piano a lyrical, expressive voice for the most subtle and deep emotions, and he transformed the rhythm section from a time-beating, swing-maintaining outfit into an intimate, conversational musical unit. He loved tradition. It was just his grasp of ...

Article: Big Band in the Sky

Pat Martino: In Memoriam - Some Recollections of a Legend and Beloved Friend

by Victor L. Schermer
November 15, 2021

Note: This is a personal “memoir" of Pat Martino written soon after his passing. It is not a commentary on his music. There are many resources of that kind on All About Jazz (here), across the web and on Pat's website. I first met Pat Martino after he gave a stunning performance at the ...

Article: Album Review

Chuck Anderson: Spontaneity

Read "Spontaneity" reviewed by Victor L. Schermer

by Victor L. Schermer
November 13, 2021

For those who don't know, Chuck Anderson is a jazz guitarist, composer, and educator based in the Philadelphia area for many years. He studied with Dennis Sandole, went on to be the staff guitarist at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, NJ followed by a tour of duty at the Valley Forge Music Fair in Devon, ...

Article: Live Review

Chris Oatts Quintet featuring Terell Stafford at Chris’ Jazz Café

by Victor L. Schermer
September 14, 2021

Chris Oatts Quintet featuring Terell Stafford Chris' Jazz Café Live and Streaming Philadelphia, PA September 10, 2021 This was the reviewer's first time at a live performance in a jazz club since the start of the corona virus pandemic a year and a half ago. A ...

Article: Live Review

Ensemble Novo At Kahn Park Summer Concert Series

by Victor L. Schermer
August 24, 2021

Ensemble Novo Kahn Park Summer Concert Series Philadelphia, PA August 18, 2021 This was somewhat of a down time for a concert in the park, in this case Kahn Park, at 11th and Pine Streets in Philadelphia, named after the renowned architect Louis Kahn, who grew up ...

Article: Interview

Norman David: Forty-Year Wizard of The Eleventet

by Victor L. Schermer
August 4, 2021

A few years ago, a musician friend suggested I go hear a band that was playing at a place in Bella Vista, Philadelphia, a neighborhood with a significant jazz history (violinist Joe Venuti and guitarist Eddie Lang lived there and are honored with several plaques and a mural) -but not much current music to speak of. ...

Article: Interview

Adam Kahan: Capturing the Essence of Jazz in a Film

by Victor L. Schermer
May 26, 2021

Too many are the documentaries produced and directed in a formulaic way using archival clips, photos, and hastily staged interviews that are intended to make a series of facts evident and bring out a few key points. At their best, they give a reasonably realistic illustrated depiction of people, places, and things. That is why a ...

Article: Live Review

Joey DeFrancesco Quartet at Van Gelder Studio

by Victor L. Schermer
May 21, 2021

Joey DeFrancesco Quartet Live from Van Gelder Studio Englewood Cliffs, NJ May 15, 2021 Rudy Van Gelder (1924-2016) was a rarity among sound engineers in that his name was highlighted on many album covers and he achieved legendary status in the jazz world. He initially held recording ...