When singer Johnny Hartman entered the Van Gelder studio with John Coltrane on March 7th, 1963 to record an album consisting entirely of ballads, it wasn’t clear at all that the outcome, “John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman”, would bring a big boost to Hartman’s career. It is John Coltrane’s only album with a singer, and…
So this was a one-off last night at Enjoy Jazz in Neustadt an der Weinstraße: the Theo Croker Mixtape celebrating the 100th birthday of Miles Davis with special guests Gary Bartz and Ego Ella May. Never one to stick to a certain formula, trumpeter Theo Croker not only revisited some of the Miles Davis signature…
It’s a been a while since the last time I’ve seen Gregory Porter live in concert. The New York-based singer, who turns 55 tomorrow, released his last album in 2023. On “Christmas Wish”, there are two Porter originals, one of which, the stunningly poignant “Everything’s Not Lost”, was featured last night at Rosengarten in Mannheim…
New Orleans-born pianist Sullivan Fortner played last night at the beautiful, almost luxurious Alte Aula of the University in Heidelberg as part of this year’s Enjoy Jazz Festival. Among his many accolades is his work with trumpeter Roy Hargrove from 2010 to 2017. He was mentored by Fred Hersch, just like two other important contemporary…
Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt, better known as Everything But The Girl, just announced the release of their forthcoming album. “Blue Reservoir” will be with us on February 19th on Buzzin’ Fly Records. It is the follow-up to their 2023 LP “Fuse”. First single off the album, the light and airy “Young And Dumb”, deals…
Singer and songwriter Christie Dashiell, the Washington, DC-born artist who released her fantastic album “Journey In Black” back in 2023, which was also nominated for a Grammy in 2024, and who also collaborated with Terri Lyne Carrington for the 2025 LP “We Insist 2025”, is on a short tour through Europe and made a stop…
As you probably know, the acclaimed Berlin XJAZZ! Festival had to be cancelled due to the lack of funding. But still, several XJAZZ concerts are scheduled in the fall. On October 11th, celebrated South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini will play at Emmauskirche in Kreuzberg. The last time we saw him was at the EFG London…
This is an album which has so much to give. The chosen repertoire is amazing. The collaborators both surprising and fitting, the arrangements superb throughout. Just check on “Don’t Look Any Further” where Meshell and Lianne La Havas change the lyric and actually stop after the word “stop” where the original says “Here I am,…
Singer and songwriter Justin Hicks played music from his recently released new album “Man Of Style”, which came out on September 18th. Known for his work with Meshell Ndegeocello on “The Omnichord Real Book” and “The Gospel of James Baldwin”, he finally steps out on his own and he proved from the very first second…
Singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Peven Everett is making rare appearances in Berlin and London this month. Ever since his still highly resonating debut LP “Studio Confessions” came out in 2001, his name rarely appeared on European flyers. The Berlin show on October 25th will be at a members-only venue. So hurry up signing in through…