We’ve already lost Marlene VerPlanck, Wilbert Longmire, and Edwin Hawkins this year. The father of South African Jazz, Hugh Masekela, has joined them now. He died peacefully in Johannesburg today at age 78. There is a statement from his family which says, “Hugh’s global and activist contribution to and participation in the areas of music,…
It’s that time of year again next month. The 68th Berlin Film Festival runs from February 15th to February 25th. And Gina will report again from the Berlinale. 23 of the 24 movies of this year’s Competition have now been announced. Among them: the International Premiere of Gus van Sant‘s “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get…
Camille Bertault comes flying in like a breath of fresh air. She doesn’t seem to want to sound like any other artist and clearly has her own sound. Plus, she sings in French. And she has put words to John Coltrane‘s “Giant Steps” – almost three years ago she came up with a video on…
The songs of Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim are the topic of singer Cheryl Bentyne‘s latest album. Almost 40 years with The Manhattan Transfer, she always found the time to release several solo albums in between touring and recording. You can find my review of her “Lost Love Songs” album on these pages. The disc features…
The programme for the 36th Cully Jazz Festival has been announced today. Located southeast of Lausanne and close to Montreux, the Swiss village will host some great artists again in April. From April 13th to April 21st, several venues will turn into jazz havens. The three locations are: Next Step, Chapiteau, and Temple. Among the…
Almost. I almost overlooked part four of this incredible look into remix legend John Morales‘ work. Edition four again has previously unreleased remixes and a total of 40 tracks, spread over four CDs. It’s a trip down memory lane, especially for someone who grew up in the 80s and started to DJ later that decade….
He is one of the very few organists who doesn’t need to show off what he is able to accomplish with that monster instrument. I have listened to too many organ records in the past couple of years or so where the leader was simply playing too many notes and didn’t really care about the…
It seems as if Nightmares On Wax, headed by George Evelyn, have been like a steady accompaniment to us over the years. Five years after “Feelin’ Good” and 27 (!) years after “A Word Of Science” which broke new ground with its typical mix of hip hop beats, downbeat and trip hop, the story continues…
This is the second album of UK-based group Snowpoet. Irish vocalist Lauren Kinsella who won the Jazz FM Vocalist of the Year Award in 2016, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Hyson, who plays piano, electric bass, double bass, and synths on the album, have come up with a beautiful 10-piece collection full of warmth, depth, and contemplation….
Midway through “Here Today”, mezzo-soprano singer Alicia Hall Moran‘s new album, I can’t help but think about a well matured Italian Taleggio cheese with sun-dried tomatoes and herbs. “Two Wings”, the almost 8-minute centerpiece track on her superb disc, sums up this genre-defying project which is both enchanting and revelatory. With the edgy guitar of…