It is going to be a change of directions in more ways than one for singer Sachal Vasandani. Not only has he officially dropped his second name, he has changed record companies and has more or less re-invented his sound and approach. And it was a good move to do so. His three records on…
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…
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…
I love Paris in the fall! As you probably know, the famous Blue Note label is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and Paris is celebrating this milestone with a six-day Festival. The participating clubs are L’Olympia, Gaité Lyrique, Tour Montparnasse, Duc Des Lombards, Sunset, and Baiser Salé. Among the artists performing throughout the week…
It was in the late 90s when I had an interview appointment with the great Sheila Jordan at her West Village apartment. Sheila came to Berlin several years later to perform and the last time I saw her was this past January at New York’s Le Poisson Rouge (see picture). In all those years, Sheila…
Hear The World is a Foundation which tries to raise awareness about the importance of hearing and hearing loss. Diana Krall was recently photographed by Bryan Adams for a calendar of which 100 per cent of the sales proceeds go to that particular foundation. Also photographed were Christoph Waltz, Vanessa Paradis, Jean Paul Gaultier, and…
He belongs to the Kenny Barron school of piano playing, cites Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Kelly, and Oscar Peterson, but also Miles Davis and John Coltrane as influences and celebrates his 70th birthday today. Happy birthday George Cables. He has worked with only the greatest in Jazz, like Bobby Hutcherson, Art Blakey, Art Pepper,…
He would have been 75 today: Leo Morris, or Idris Muhammad after he converted to the Islam, was one of the most sought after drummers not only in Jazz, but in Soul and Funk as well. The list of people he has worked with is sheer endless. The album cover shown here is from “Boogie…
The Festival today announced the programme for its 25th anniversary. It will be held January 9-11. Festival director Fritz Schmücker brings back an artist who was among the roster of the very first one back in 1979 (the Festival takes place every two years): Jasper van’t Hof will be on stage with Markus Stockhausen and…
I remember interviewing Jack Kleinsinger in his Manhattan home many years ago when his Festival was still held at PACE University and after the interview he generously gave me two concert LPs, one of which was a recording of the December 12, 1985 concert at NYU with Doc Cheatham on trumpet and George Kelly on…