I know he has been dissed and bashed over the years like almost no other musician but what is the real essence of saxophonist Kenny G‘s new album “Brazilian Nights” please? There are some enjoyable moments on his 1982 debut LP and the follow-up a year later when artists like Jeff Lorber or Kashif had…
“The Movie Album” was released last September and features the German Symphonic Orchestra and more backing the German trumpet maestro on more than a dozen movie theme classics and songs from movies. Supporting him on the record are vocalists Gregory Porter, Joy Denalane, and Lizzy Cuesta and other artists like fellow trumpet virtuoso Arturo Sandoval…
Premier bassist Marcus Miller is preparing the release of his next album “Afrodeezia” which should see the light of day in early March on Blue Note Records. Meanwhile, he is constantly on tour playing several Jazz cruises this month, the next and early March. In between, he will play several record release concerts in Japan…
It is very difficult to follow up an album that had 14 timeless tracks on it and which ranked among the best of the year. The songs of her 2012 album “Way Down Low”, her second one after the 2009 debut “Take To The Sky”, still haven’t lost momentum and so here comes album number…
Gina is currently losing her winter coat which is much earlier than usual so we are almost sure that winter is almost over. At least we hope so. Meanwhile, we are listening to a lot of new music and Gina is especially fond of the accordion played by Vincent Peirani (and me too). We also…
Happy Birthday José James! Returning from his indie-rock infused fifth album “While You Were Sleeping” to Jazz for his next Blue Note album, the singer with the sexy baritone pays tribute to the legendary Billie Holiday on his “Yesterday I Had The Blues” project coming out next month. In a trailer for the album, José…
“Imaginary Cities” is the first release of Chris Potter‘s Underground Orchestra, a new project taking his Undergound Quartet a step further. It starts with a haunting melody by violinists Mark Feldman and Joyce Hammann, viola player Lois Martin, and cellist David Eggar before the tenor saxophone of Potter comes in slowly and erupting in something…
From Friday to Sunday of next week, Berlin’s hip Neukölln will stage its annual Jazzfest at Kulturstall Schloss Britz. Part of the line-up are student musicians from the Paul Hindemith music school and lecturers plus music professors of the Jazzinstitut Berlin. The Duo Elégance, consisting of internationally renowned David Friedman (vibes) and Peter Weniger (sax)…
The singer from Newark has just released her 23rd album “I Give Up, I’m In Love”, another fine collection of standards and rare tunes. She’s accompanied by Warren Vaché, Harry Allen, Mike Renzi, David Finck, among others and the Glenn Franke Big Band is heard on three tracks. Says Johnny Mandel: “Marlene is truly an…
Life magazine has called it “the country’s very best music festival”. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell, first held in 1970, continues to “celebrate the culture of Louisiana with the combined fervor of a gospel hymn and the joy of a jazz parade”, according to the website. Just announced: the lineup…