One sick group. Continue reading »

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You know the song “I Put A Spell On You.” Money says you don’t know where it came from. Allow me to introduce you to Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. Continue reading »

The trouble with my music taste has always been this: I’m constantly listening to my dad’s music. A big jazz fan, most of the good pickings are from at least thirty years ago. Because of this, I’m always real excited when I find a contemporary musician I love. Here, I’m just going to throw a few of these out there (along with a few superlatives professing my adoration for each) and share with the world. A common theme here (besides the fact that they’re all piano players) would be a level of eclecticism not always found in the jazz genre. They may not be for everyone, but if you’re a fan of either the keyboard or jazz (but especially both at the same time), you may appreciate them. Continue reading »

The world has been robbed.

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Every once in a while, out from all the 30-second sound bytes and feeble articles that compose that enormous sea of mediocrity we call the Internet pops an article of genuine interest and substantiality. I’d like to share two of these gems, as I found each extremely interesting in its own right. Continue reading »

As far as performance style is concerned, Gretchen Parlato and Esperanza Spalding are polar opposites. The performance of the former assumed an ethereal atmosphere, guitar the lone instrumentation behind Parlato’s delicate, airy voice. The latter’s half, meanwhile, was a spirited jam session in traditional trio form. Despite the stark contrast, however, the two complemented one another well and gave a good show all around. Continue reading »

I’ll admit, walking into the theater this evening I had almost no idea what to expect. Hugh Masekela’s Chissa All-Stars? What was I about to see? Was it going to be a jazzy jam session? R&B pop hits? Soul? Funk? Opera? The truth is, it was all of the above, and a little more. Continue reading »

I have a huge soft spot for Celtic music. It doesn’t make any sense, really — I’m fairly elitist in my listening habits. I’m a self-professed jazz snob, I enjoy classical music; I mean, really — I listen to Yes and enjoy it. There’s such a natural beauty to Celtic music, however, that — despite its relative simplicity — it tends to slip through my barrier of pretentiousness and get my feet tapping. Continue reading »

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