And The Grammy Goes To…

And The Grammy Goes To…

…Gina. And congratulations to all the Grammy nominees: In the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance Category: Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga, Annie Lennox, Barry Manilow, Johnny Mathis, Barbra Streisand. (To me, both the Bennett & Gaga and Lennox albums were a total disappointment, so my favorite is Barbra Streisand.) Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: Mindy Abair,…

Cassandra Wilson

Cassandra Wilson

Congratulations Cassandra Wilson on her 59th birthday. She is in the midst of her German tour playing Baden-Baden tomorrow, Munich on Saturday, St. Polten in Austria on Sunday and Frankfurt next Tuesday before winding it up in Bratislava on December 11th and Verona on the 13th. Cassandra is currently preparing the release of her next…

Gina and the Turkey

Gina and the Turkey

While Gina is watching over the turkey for our annual Thanksgiving dinner, we are listening to newly released Christmas records from Michael Feinstein, Anthony Hamilton, Maysa, Earth, Wind & Fire, a Mack Avenue compilation, Shakatak, Nils Landgren, and Dave Koz and also putting on our favorite holiday music. Happy Thanksgiving weekend!  

Roy Hargrove and D’Angelo

Roy Hargrove and D’Angelo

In 2000, trumpeter Roy Hargrove toured and recorded with Neo Soul singer D’Angelo. The result was the groundbreaking “Voodoo” album, the second album after his debut “Brown Sugar” which had been released five years earlier. Roy Hargrove is in Berlin with his Quintet, performing three nights from Sunday to Tuesday. Justin Robinson accompanies him on…

Jimmy Ruffin R.I.P.

Jimmy Ruffin R.I.P.

One of the great soul singers, older brother of one-time Temptations lead singer David Ruffin, Jimmy died last Monday in a Las Vegas hospital at the age of 78. Probably best known for his big hit “What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted” in 1966 (the song went to Number 7 in the Billboard Pop Charts), he…

Sachal’s In Town

Sachal’s In Town

After three records for the Mack Avenue label, the singer and songwriter who has worked with the legendary Jon Hendricks and who has won the Downbeat Critics Poll Rising Star Award in 2010, is now moving to Okeh Records for his next release due out in spring: “Slow Motion Miracles” is the title of his…