GUITARIST PETER BERNSTEIN IS UNIQUE IN HIS FIELD. MOST ELECTRIC GUITARISTS THESE DAYS HAVE A SURFEIT OF PEDALS AND KNOBS IN WHICH TO TURN OR PRESS, CREATING DIFFERENT SOUNDS AND EFFECTS. IN CONTRAST, BERNSTEIN HAS ESCHEWED THESE DEVICES, CREATING A…
Category: Interviews
BRANDEE YOUNGER: BRAND NEW MUSICAL LIFE
THE QUESTION THAT WOULD STUMP JAZZ FAN THS USED TO BE, “QUICK, NAME ME THREE BEBOP CLARINET PLAYERS” CRICKETS… NOW, YOU CAN GET THE SAME RESPONSE IF YOU ASK FOR THREE LIVING JAZZ HARPISTS. WELL, THERE USED TO BE DOROTHY…
LES MCCANN & JOE ALTERMAN: THE SOUL OF THE PIANO
WITH THE RECENT DEATH OF AHMAD JAMAL, IT SUDDENLY COMES TO ONE’S ATTENTION THAT A CERTAIN STYLE OF PIANO PLAYING IS SLOWLY BEING LOST THROUGH ATTRITION. MANY ARE THE PIANISTS WHO TRY TO IMPRESS BY A MYRIAD OF NOTES, A…
RICK AND JENDA DERRINGER: STANDING ON THE ROCK, AND NAME ON THE ROLL
IF THERE IS ANYONE READING THIS ARTICLE THAT HAS NEVER HEARD THE ICONIC SONG “HANG ON SLOOPY”, THEN YOU’RE EITHER A) FROM ANOTHER PLANET, OR B) ACCIDENTALLY ON THE WRONG WEB SITE WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING FOR MACRAME’ IDEAS. NOT…
PETER BERNSTEIN: TIMELESS TONES
IN A DAY WHEN GUITARISTS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A “NEW” SOUND EFFECT IN WHICH TO PLUG IN, PETER BERNSTEIN LETS HIS GUITAR SPEAK FOR ITSELF ON HIS OWN. NO PEDALS, NO DIALS OR TAPES. BERNSTEIN LETS HIS STRINGS AND…
MARKUS REUTER: A NEW TOUCH
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING NEW THAT COULD BE DONE WITH THE GUITAR… IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD THE SOUND OF THE TOUCH GUITAR PIONEERED BY MARKUS REUTER, THEN YOU HAVE FEELING THAT I HAD WHEN I SWITCHED…
PAT MASTELOTTO: FROM THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING TO STICK MEN AND BEYOND…
WITH THE REIGN OF KING CRIMSON FINALLY ENDING THIS PAST YEAR, IT’S TIME TO STEP BACK AND APPRECIATE THE MUSIC THAT CAME IN THE WAKE OF THAT INFLUENTIAL BAND. DRUMMER PAT MASTELOTTO WAS ONE OF THE DRUMMERS OF THE FINAL…
DOUYE’: SONGS FOR MY FATHER
ONE OF THE MOST DISTINCTIVE VOICES IN JAZZ BELONGS TO DOUYE’, BORN IN NIGERIA, AND CURRENTLY LIVING IN LOS ANGELES. HER JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF JAZZ IS A UNIQUE ONE. GROWING UP WITH A DESIRE TO BE AN R&B…
ROBERTA GAMBARINI: EASY TO LOVE
A FEW WEEKS AGO, I GOT IN THE MAIL A VINYL REISSUE OF ROBERTA GAMBARINI’S AMERICAN 2006 DEBUT, EASY TO LOVE. IT WAS SO IMPRESSIVE AT THE TIME, AND IT STILL IS, BECAUSE IT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF CLASSIC JAZZ VOCALS…
SIMON PHILLIPS’ PROTOCOL
IT’S NOT MANY DRUMMERS WHO CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT PLAYING IS THEIR LIFE. BUT SIMON PHILLIPS CAREER NEARLY COVERS EVERY ONE OF HIS 66 YEARS ON EARTH. MOST MUSIC FANS IN THE STATES FIRST HEARD HIS PLAYING BACK IN THE…