Similar Posts
Esperanza Spalding in Berlin: Choreographed Weirdness
Esperanza Spalding presented her alter ego Emily last night at Berlin’s UdK main hall. Her new show, called “Emily’s D+Evolution”, is part theater, part musical, and autobiographical. Emily is Esperanza’s middle name and D+Evolution refers to, according to an interview she did earlier this year with the Village Voice, “the nonsense notion that organized education is…
Gina’s Top Songs of the Year: Numbers 7 and 6
7.“Freedom” – Jordan Rakei The second track off Jordan’s brilliant new album “The Loop”, “Freedom” came out in late January as the second single after “Flowers”. The loop (no pun intended) which is running in the back of the track comes full force in the highly energetic vocals, complete with a stunning background vocal arrangement….
Anke Helfrich Trio feat. Tim Hagans – Dedication
German-born pianist Anke Helfrich comes up with a new album that features Tim Hagans on trumpet and flugelhorn. Anke has studied with Kenny Barron and Larry Goldings and has played with Roy Hargrove, Johnny Griffin, and Manu Katché, among many others. On the new record, she not only plays piano, but also uses Fender Rhodes,…
Music That Helped Us Through The Summer, Part 3: As Valet
Parisian producer and beat stylist As Valet released his new album “Virgo Stellar” back in July. The album on the brilliant London-based Futuristica label is one of the best contemporary electronica meets house meets soul discs around. The mellow soulful house beats open the album with guest vocalists LaNote (whose debut album features As Valet…
Bruce Lundvall Dies at 79
“Playing By Ear” is the name of Bruce Lundvall‘s biography which came out last year, written by Dan Ouellette. And that’s what Bruce did when he started a marketing job at Columbia Records back in 1960. He was later responsible for signing acts like Herbie Hancock, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, and Wynton Marsalis and in…
Jackie Cain: Icon with angelic voice
I remember Roy Kral picking me up in Montclair, New Jersey with his old, golden Mercedes and taking me to his and his wife’s home. Jackie Cain greeted me as if we hadn’t seen each other for a long time whereas it was our first encounter. What was supposed to be a 45-minute interview with…

