Gina is heartily enjoying the warm, late-summer period here in Berlin. She had a lot to celebrate in recent weeks and now prepares for the next garden party which will take place on Sunday in beautiful Rosenthal in Northern Berlin. She also slowly but surely changes her fur these days and helps reaping all remaining…
Singer Amy London has not only assembled a group of new vocalese singers, but also invited five of the legendary artists of that genre, probably the last five still alive. What Lambert, Hendricks & Ross started in the 50s, is what Amy London, Darmon Meader (of the New York Voices), Dylan Pramuk, and Holli Ross…
Lizz Wright originally wanted to do an album of covers only. In the end, she decided not to do so and so on her new record, there are (thankfully) only two covers: Nick Drake‘s “River Man” and “To Love Somebody” by The Bee Gees. Produced by Joni Mitchell producer Larry Klein, Lizz returns after five…
Leon Bridges, the classic soul singer from Texas who is bridging the gap between 50s and 60s style soul à la Sam Cooke and Gospel, is currently on a European tour supporting his “Coming Home” album which came out in June. Leon performed a showcase concert in Berlin in May and I had the pleasure…
Three years ago, Jamison Ross won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition as best drummer. The Florida native now released his debut album and not only shows his drum chops, but also his talent as singer, producer, and composer. With “Deep Down In Florida”, he starts out on a bluesy note with a song…
The Detroit Jazz Festival is the world’s largest free Jazz Festival and takes place each year over the Labor Day weekend. Four stages, hundreds of artists, the Homecoming Series and the annual artist in residence (this year: Pat Metheny) all guarantee a knockout holiday weekend. I’ve already heard some great reports and stories from this…
The concert series for contemporary jazz in Berlin is in its sixth season and has started yesterday with concerts from Michael Moore & Achim Kaufmann, Michael Abramovich, and Filter Bubble. The series continues on September 24th with three more concerts: the Sugar Quartet consists of Grégoire Simon on viola, Paul Valikoski on violin, Boram Lie…
Fourplay are celebrating their 25th anniversary with the new album “Silver”. It is the third album which features guitarist Chuck Loeb in addition to the original members Bob James, Nathan East, and Harvey Mason. Chuck wrote the very Pat Metheny-like opener “Quicksilver” with its light and breezy vocals. Many of the tracks have a silver…
Coming straight out of the Dave Frishberg/Mark Murphy school if you want any comparison, but with his own inimitable and highly original style, singer and lyricist Mark Winkler releases his 14th album to date. This comes a couple of years after his successful duet album with Manhattan Transfer singer Cheryl Bentyne (“West Coast Cool”) and…
Finnish pianist Iiro Rantala refers in the notes to his John Lennon tribute album to Lennon’s honesty in his songwriting and that he really believed the things he sings about. Iiro has tackled different topics and collaborations in the past; the most intriguing probably his “Lost Heroes” album. His new solo project opens with the…