As an avid reader of album credits, I came across the name of trumpeter Duane Eubanks (brother of guitarist Kevin and trombonist Robin) on one of the final albums for the great Phyllis Hyman, “Forever With You” from 1998, where he was featured on the title track and on “The Strength Of A Woman”. A…
The Echo Jazz 2015 ceremony is scheduled for May 28th in Hamburg, a day before the popular Elbjazz Festival starts. Among the nominees are: Michael Wollny Trio (Ensemble of the year, national), Vincent Peirani & Émile Parisien (Ensemble of the year, international), Johanna Borchert (vocalist, national), Somi (vocalist, international), Julia Kadel (Piano/Keys, national), Stefano Bollani…
The 31st season of the 92Y Jazz in July Festival will run from July 21st to July 30th in the 92nd Street Y. The nonprofit cultural and community center on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan offers a wide range of cultural events the year round and has about 300.000 visitors each year. Artistic director, pianist Bill…
For almost two hours, the 65 year old Lionel Richie entertained the almost sold-out O2 World in Berlin last night with all of his hits. At one point, he divided the audience into three groups: those who have been with him since his days with The Commodores, those who came on board when he went…
Is there a special sound coming from Iceland? It seems that with their fifth album, the group ADHD prove that there is this typical melange of melancholy, sudden outbursts, and ambient Jazz Rock defining the group’s sound and maybe that of the island as well. The group has won the Icelandic Music Award with their…
This album comes right on time. Just the other day it seemed to me that you always had to go back to Dexter Gordon or Coleman Hawkins to hear some beautiful sax ballad playing. Here comes Dayna Stephens with his superb new album which has everything: eleven ballads, imaginative playing, first-class band, and top production….
Waiting for 45 minutes for the show to start at Berlins Columbiahalle is really nothing compared to the 14 years we all waited until his third album was released late last year. What D’Angelo came up with on stage was pretty impressive: a nine-piece band, among them Pino Palladino on bass, Kendra Foster on vocals…
Like Siggi Loch said in his opening remarks to the 8th Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic concert last night, the accordion was never really taken seriously until Astor Piazzolla came around in the early 70s. And he showed us in a two-hour show, how different and versatile this instrument can sound like in a jazz setting….
The new trio of bassist Avishai Cohen went into the studio straight after a worldwide tour. Nitai Hershkovits on piano and Daniel Dor on drums complete the group for this new Razdaz Recordz release. The central piece here is the almost eight minutes long “Ballad For An Unborn” which works with a lot of stop…
There is much more to the accordion than a classical, folk, or Tango approach. I have written here several times about the magic accordion playing by French master Vincent Peirani who just released his latest album “Living Being”. Now, in the very successful Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic series curated by ACT Music chief Siggi Loch,…