IS THERE A PLACE FOR CULTURE IN TODAY’S MUSIC? PARTICULARLY IN AMERICA, THE ONLY TYPE OF MUSIC THAT IS CONSIDERED “IMPORTANT” IS THAT WHICH IS THE “NEW” FAD. IT’S AS IF THE MUSIC IS CREATED IN A VACUUM, AND ONLY…
Category: Interviews
DAVE STRYKER: A BLUE SOUL, 8 TRACKS AND SANTA.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO CLICK WITH THE LISTENING WORLD. GUITARIST DAVE STRYKER HAS CARVED OUT A CAREER AS A ‘GUITARIST’S GUITARIST’, STARTING HIS CAREER WITH BLUESY SOUL PLAYERS LIKE STANLEY TURRENTINE AND BROTHER JACK MCDUFF BEFORE GOING ON…
BOB REYNOLDS: SNARKY, MAYER AND SOLO
THE LIFE OF A TENOR SAXIST IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART, PARTICULARLY IN THIS TIME OF DRACONION LOCKDOWNS DUE TO THE COVID 19 DISEASE. THE FIRST CHALLENGE ANY SAX PLAYER HAS IS TO CARRY THE GIANT TORCH PASSED…
CHRIS POTTER: A SOLO TIDE AND “MUSCLE MEMORY”
IT MUST HAVE COME AS A SURPRISE AT THE BLUE WHALE JAZZ CLUB LAST YEAR WHEN ONE OUR SAXOPHONE TITANS, CHRIS POTTER, SET DOWN HIS SELMER AND SAT DOWN AT THE PIANO TO PLAY A COUPLE GORGEOUS COMPOSITIONS. “WHAT JUST…
JOE CHAMBERS: MUSICAL MALLETS
IF THE LEGENDARY BLUE NOTE RECORD LABEL HAD AN ‘IN-HOUSE’ DRUMMER, IT HAD TO BE JOE CHAMBERS. MR. CHAMBERS IS THE PULSE AND DRIVE ON MANY A CLASSIC SESSION, PLAYING ALONGSIDE FREDDIE HUBBARD (BREAKING THROUGH), WAYNE SHORTER (ET CETERA), BOBBY HUTCHERSON (DIALOGUE)…
STEVE LUKATHER: THE LAST OF THE OLD SCHOOL GUITARISTS
TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK, BECAUSE I WAS LIVING IN AFRICA AT THE TIME, I NEVER GOT INTO TOTO’S MUSIC, AND I’D NEVER SEEN GUITARIST STEVE LUKATHER PLAY WITH RINGO STARR’S ‘ALL STARR’ BAND. MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO LUKATHER WAS SEEING…
CHRIS HILLMAN : PASSING ON TRADITIONS FROM HIS BACK PAGES
ONE OF THE GREAT ASPECTS OF MUSIC IS THAT ONE CAN ACTUALLY GO AND SEE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CREATED A GENRE OF MUSIC. IMAGINE THE THRILL I HAD SEEING EARL HINES, THE CREATOR OF MODERN JAZZ, OR COUNT BASIE, THE…
RUDRESH MAHANTHAPPA: A HERO’S TRIO OF SOUTH ASIAN BIRD CALLS
AS A SECOND GENERATION GREEK, I UNDERSTAND RUDRESH MAHANTHAPPA’S CULTURAL SITUATION. AS THOMAS SOWELL WRITES IN HIS CLASSIC BOOK ETHNIC AMERICA, IT TAKES ABOUT FOUR GENERATIONS FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM ANOTHER CULTURE OR COUNTRY TO COMPLETELY ASSIMILATE INTO…
VIJAY IYER: MUSIC IN ALL LANGUAGES
CS LEWIS FAMOUSLY WROTE THAT ‘FRIENDSHIP IS BORN AT THE MOMENT WHEN ONE MAN SAYS TO ANOTHER “WHAT! YOU TOO?” USUALLY WHEN WE THINK OF MUSICIANS FORMING GROUPS AND TOURING, IT’S BASED ON A MUSICAL AFFINITY.WE ALL HAVE VISIONS OF…
KURT ROSENWINKEL’S BETTER ANGELS
I DON’T THINK THERE WAS A SINGLE PERSON THAT WASN’T SURPRISED AND AMAZED BY THE “NEW” SOUNDS THAT GUITARIST KURT ROSENWINKEL DELIVERED ON THE GROUNDBREAKING ALBUM HEARTCORE BACK IN 2003. THE MIX OF ELECTRONIC PULSES WITH A UNIQUE MIX OF…