MOST PEOPLE DISCOVER JAZZ FROM A FRIEND, OLDER SIBLING, PARENT OR EVEN THROUGH A CLASS IN SCHOOL HOW MANY DISCOVER IT THROUGH A VOICE? PIANIST AND EDUCATOR LYNNE ARRIALE, WHO’S PERFORMING APRIL 26 AT THE GRAPE IN VENTURA, CHANGED…
Category: Interviews
SULLIVAN FORTNER: SOLO, SOUL, SIDEMAN AND SOUTHERN NIGHTS
THE ROLE OF A JAZZ PIANIST IS AS NUMEROUS AS THE COLORS OF A PRISM IF YOU’RE A FAN OF TODAY’S MUSIC, IT’S A SAFE BET THAT YOU’VE HEARD THE IVORIES OF SULLIVAN FORTNER, AS HE’S ONE OF THE MOST…
GEORGE CABLES: STILL HEARING ECHOES
ONE OF THE PREMIER HARD BOP PIANISTS, GEORGE CABLES, HAS CARVED OUT A CAREER AS NOT ONLY ONE OF THE MOST RELIABLE SIDEMAN (FOR THE LIKES OF JOE HENDERSON AND FREDDIE HUBBARD) BUT HAS SET THE STANDARD AS A LEADER,…
RON CARTER: REFLECTING ON MONK, DUKE AND BACH
IN THE WORLD OF THE JAZZ GREATS, RARE IS THE ARTIST THAT EVER LOOKS BACK ON HIS PREVIOUS WORK. THERE IS SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT THE CREATIVE MIND THAT ALWAYS KEEP LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT MUSICAL WORLD TO CONQUER, SO…
BOBBY RUSH AND KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD: TIMELESS MUSIC IN NEW FASHIONED WAYS
ESSENTIALLY, THE ROOT OF ALL MODERN POPULAR MUSIC, BE IT JAZZ, ROCK, SOUL, HIP HOP, AND EVEN COUNTRY, IS THE BLUES. YOU KNOW IT AND I KNOW IT. IF THE MUSIC DOESN’T INCLUDE THAT COLOR, WELL, THEN IT JUST AIN’T…
ZZ WARD: EVEN MOMS GET THE LIBERATION BLUES
AS YOU MAY WELL KNOW, MOST THEMES FROM BLUES SONGS COME FROM “CIGARETTES AND WHISKEY AND WILD WILD WOMEN”, WITH “MONEY HONEY” UP THERE ON THE MOUNT RUSHMORE OF TOPICS. BUT WHAT IF YOU’RE A WOMAN? AND MARRIED? AND WITH…
JOHN “JR” ROBINSON: KING OF THE GROOVE
OH, YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF JOHN “JR” ROBINSON, AND SHAME (SHAME SHAME SHAME) ON YOU, BECAUSE YOU HAVE DEFINITELY HEARD HIM. IF YOU DIDN’T TAKE IN HIS FAMOUS SESSION ON THINGS LIKE MICHAEL JACKSON’S OFF THE WALL, STEVE WINWOOD’S BACK…
CARL ALLEN-TIPPIN’ WITH THE GOSPEL BEAT AND THE JAZZ MESSENGER
LAST YEAR, CARL ALLEN GAVE A TRIBUTE TO LEGENDARY DRUMMER OF THE JAZZ MESSENGERS, ART BLAKEY. THIS YEAR, HE’S FOCUSING ON HIS OWN MATERIAL, RECENTLY RELEASING A STEAMING TRIO ALBUM (TIPPIN’)WITH LONG TIME FRIEND AND BASSIST CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE AND REED…
ERIC MARIENTHAL: A MASTER AMONGST THE MASTERS
FEW ARTISTS CAN CLAIM A CAREER TRAJECTORY THAT GOES FROM PLAYING AT DISNEYLAND TO CHICK COREA’S ELEKTRIC BAND, BUT ALTO/SOPRANO SAXIST ERIC MARIENTHAL HAS BOTH BRAGGING RIGHTS TO BOTH. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT YOU CAN ALSO SEE HIM IN THE…
BENNIE MAUPIN: GROUNDBREAKING WITH THE REEDS
ONE OF THE LIVING TREASURES OF JAZZ AND LOS ANGELES IS BENNIE MAUPIN. LIKE FORREST GUMP, HE SEEMS TO ALWAYS BE PRESENT ON GROUNDBREAKING RECORDINGS. HIS BASS CLARINET ADDED ESSENTIAL TEXTURE TO MILES DAVIS’ SEMINAL BITCHES BREW AND JACK JOHNSON ALBUMS. HE WAS ALSO…