On Friday, “Midnight Special” by Jeff Nichols had its premiere at this year’s Berlinale. Alton is a child with extraordinary abilities who has to wear special glasses. He can only live at night. His father tries to protect him from a religious cult in a US province town and at the same time from the…
It is a sinister black & white movie shot in 70s Czech Republic. Olga is bullied by everybody: her mother who won’t tell her who her father is, the other children, the inmates of a boarding school. She thinks that everyone is picking on her without any real reason. So she flees into her own world,…
There are many little highlights in the Coen Brothers’ “Hail, Caesar!”, which opened the 66th Berlinale last night (out of competition). My favorite is a tiny little scene where Frances McDormand plays a film cutter and almost strangles herself. Josh Brolin plays a movie executive who has to come to grips with various problems, many of them…
This year’s ECHO Jazz award will again be held at Hamburg’s Kampnagel. The nominees have just been announced, as well as the confirmation that Hamburg will be the host city again for the years 2017 and 2018. There is a total of 56 nominees in 19 categories. I just wanted to give away a few…
Last year, about 460.000 people visited the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell over two weekends. Twelve stages at the Fair Grounds Race Course featured almost nonstop music and over 60 food booths took care of culinary needs. Just a few days ago, the programme for the 47th edition was announced and the…
Maurice White wrote countless songs that have become classics, accompanied us while growing up and let us dance to “September” and “Boogie Wonderland” in a long-defunct club in Cologne. I remember recording “That’s The Way Of The World” onto cassette (the good old days I know) and then listening to it over and over and over again….
The first names for the 41st North Sea Jazz Festival have been announced this morning. Among the artists for Friday, July 8th, are The Roots, Snarky Puppy, Diana Krall, Antonio Sanchez and Migration, and Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah presents Stretch Music. On Saturday, July 9th, we’ll get Steps Ahead Reunion, Level 42, Branford Marsalis featuring Kurt Elling…
espAfrika, the organizers of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, have once again come up with an exciting artist line-up for the 17th edition of the festival, which is to be held on April 1st and 2nd. There will be around 37.000 visitors again this year and among the international acts are Angie Stone, who…
James Gavin, author of the praised “Is That All There Is? The Strange Life Of Peggy Lee” biography, hosted a highly entertaining evening on Thursday night during Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series (they had Vanessa Williams opening this year’s season the night before, see review on these pages). Highly entertaining regarding to James’ lively and…
Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series had Vanessa Williams last night at the incredible Appel Room. I do find myself watching the long stretch of 59th Street and the dark Central Park drama on the left vs the bustling Midtown to the right instead of what’s going on on the stage. But with Vanessa Williams, it…