This mini festival is taking place each October in the Ministergärten, where each German Bundesland has its representation. And each year they open up their houses to the public and offer typical culinary delights from each part of the country, but more important of course, they present live Jazz. I started my tour in the…
He formed the Manhattan Transfer back in 1969 and after several personnel changes, the group which toured the world over and recorded numerous classic albums, with Janis Siegel, Cheryl Bentyne, and Alan Paul, had been together since 1978. With the untimely death of this great musician and singer, you might as well say that an…
The trumpeter from Texas is 45 today. Hargrove was just 21 years old at the recording of his second album “Public Eye”, which was recorded in New York’s Clinton Recording Studios. He had much support from another trumpet master, Wynton Marsalis, and recorded this album with a very young group of musicians who all have…
I think we have to thank Donald Byrd, the trumpet master, for encouraging the young Otis Brown III to pursue a career in playing music instead of music education. And sax ace Joe Lovano for taking him out on tour with his band. Finally, here’s his debut album on Blue Note which, thank heaven, is…
She grew up in the middle of nowhere in the heart of Sweden, learned her craft in New York and now the singer is back with her sixth album on the Munich-based ACT Music label. She is on a new path with “When You Make Me Smile”, since this is her first album with a…
She has a throat and bladder infection and is currently on medication. She sleeps a lot, but is still chasing dirty doves on the street. Get well soon, Gina!
I thought it was very brave to start with Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock”. But Laila Biali delivered an entertaining and convincing first set last night at Berlin’s A-Trane as part of her first German tour. The Canadian singer and pianist, who also writes her own songs, is a 2011 JUNO nominee for “Best Vocal Jazz album…
At first I thought oh no not another version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and “Amazing Grace”. But then after I listened to the first few bars of the opener “Truth In Blue”, she already had me convinced. Alicia Olatuja’s strong, robust and yet crystal clear voice had changed my mind. Her debut album “Timeless”…
Pianist Jerry Léonide is from Mauritius, a place not necessarily associated with Jazz. But there has always been a pretty active and lively music scene and yet, the young Léonide decided to move to Paris at age 17. Léonide says of his home turf: “Mauritius is a country of many different ethnic influences and that’s…
Esther Phillips was one of the first female superstars of R&B. She had seven Top 10 hits on the R&B charts in 1950 alone. In 1972, Creed Taylor took her to his newly created Kudu Records label, a subsidiary of his main CTI Records. On Kudu, Grover Washington, Jr. recorded his first highly acclaimed albums….