I STILL REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I HEARD MADELEINE PEYROUX’S VOICE ON A RECORD. I WAS DRIVING IN MY VAN BACK IN 2002, AND HEARD THIS MODERN BUT CLASSIC RENDITION OF “GETTING SOME FUN OUT OF LIFE”. INTRIGUED, I CALLED…
Category: Interviews
STACI GRIESBACH-WHITE LIGHTNIN’ ROD FOR JAZZ SINGERS
AS SONNY ROLLINS ONCE SAID, THE BEST THING ABOUT “JAZZ” IS THAT IT’S NOT AS MUCH A NOUN AS A VERB. WHAT HE MEANS IS THAT JAZZ IS AN APPROACH TO MUSIC; YOU “JAZZ IT UP”, SO TO SPEAK, SO…
MARC JOHNSON: THE PULSE OF ONE’S SOUL
WHEN YOU THINK OF SOLO JAZZ ALBUMS, IT’S USUALLY IN THE FORM OF A PIANO OR GUITAR SESSION. RARE IS THE ALBUM OF A BASSIST ALL ON HIS OWN. BUT IF ANY BASSIST HAS EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD…
DAVE HOLLAND: FROM MILES TO ANOTHER LAND
IF THERE’S ANY BASS PLAYER TODAY THAT EMBODIES THE BREATH WIDTH AND DEPTH OF WHAT A JAZZ BASS CAN ACCOMPLISH, DAVE HOLLAND IS ARGUABLY THE POSTER CHILD. MAKING HIS NAME IN THE FAMOUS MILES DAVIS BANDS OF THE 60S AND…
BILLY COBHAM: THE MATCH THAT LIT THE FUSION FUSE
IF THERE IS ANY DRUMMER THAT PERSONIFIES THE FIRE OF FUSION, IT HAS TO BE BILLY COBHAM. BEST KNOWN AS THE INCEDIARY ENGINE BEHIND THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA, COBHAM WAS ALSO THE “HOUSE DRUMMER” FOR COUNTLESS LEGENDARY CTI SESSIONS OF THE…
NIK BAERTSCH: THE RHYTHM OF MIND, BODY AND SOUL
ONE THING THAT HAS ALWAYS DISTINGUISHED JAZZ IS ITS RHYTHM. THAT UNIQUE SENSE OF SWING HAS BEEN DISPLAYED AND DELIVERED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF WAYS SINCE THE EARLY DAYS, FROM A STIFF TWO BEAT TO EIGHT TO THE BAR,…
JAMISON ROSS’ VISION OF JOY AND SOUL
“Where there is no vision, the people perish” Proverbs 29:18 FEW MUSICIANS CARRY AS MANY MUSICAL HATS AS JAMISON ROSS. SOME MUSIC FANS KNOW HIM AS THE DRUMMER FOR THE POPULAR JAZZ BAND SNARKY PUPPY. OTHERS FOR HIS SOULFUL VOCALS…
TIVON PENNICOTT: THE FRUIT (AND VEGETABLES) OF THE SPIRIT
GIVE A GLIMPSE TO THE SONG TITLES THAT YOU LISTEN TO. WHAT ARE THE TOPICS. ODD ARE IT’S EITHER ABOUT 1) “LOVE 2) THE LACK OF “LOVE” 3) BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE 4) SOCIETY/SOCIAL PROBLEMS OR ISSUES. ANY SONGS ABOUT…
JOHN BEASLEY: MONK, MENDES, MILES AND NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION
HOW HAVE YOU LEARNED MOST OF THE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE? DID SOMEONE SIT YOU DOWN AND DICTATE INFORMATION TO YOU? WELL, SOMEONE PROBABLY DID THAT, BUT THAT’S NOT HOW YOU LEARNED MOST OF THE THINGS YOU TAKE WITH YOU…
ETHAN IVERSON: FROM THE BAD PLUS TO BEBOP, BUD POWELL AND BACH
IT’S NOT COMMON THESE DAYS THAT A JAZZ GROUP GETS POPULAR, BUT THE MIDWEST TRIO THE BAD PLUS, WHICH HAD ETHAN IVERSON AT THE PIANO FOR MANY YEARS, HAD THAT PRIVILEDGE. EVEN MORE UNCOMMON WAS THAT THE PIANO TRIO HAD ITS OWN…