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The Changing Times of Cecil McBee
It was 1971 and the jazz scene was struggling and jazz musicians were grabbing gigs wherever they could. Many were moving to Europe where they felt they had greater acceptance. It was at that time when jny:Albany, New York area saxophonist Nick Brignola connected with the State University of New York and produced the first and only SUNY Jazz Festival. Because Albany is only 150 miles from jny: New York City musicians eagerly came upstate where the pay was far ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Vijay Iyer Trio At Philadelphia Clef Club Of Jazz And Performing Arts
Vijay Iyer Trio Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts jny: Philadelphia, PA March 15, 2025 The new instantiation of the Vijay Iyer Trio is another powerhouse. Fresh off two nights at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C., the band took to the stage in the performance space of Philadephia's Clef Club on the Avenue Of The Arts to a near-capacity audience. This historic and cavernous venue was the scene of an immersive, energizing musical ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
City Of Four Announces 'New Vistas' Tour: April 24-28
Boston’s original jazz fusion quartet, City of Four, embarks on its “New Vistas” tour this April, with stops in Western MA, NYC, Eastern PA, CT, and RI. The band will be performing music from its recent album Vistas (2024) alongside new compositions, reinterpretations of past repertoire, and spontaneous improvisations. City of Four’s sound has caught the attention of audiences in jazz, fusion, funk, jam band, and other musical circles. The band’s core mission is to create new instrumental music for ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
A New Bio On Gene Krupa, Who Made Drumming Swing
The first definitive biography of the pioneering drummer and bandleader who brought percussion from back to center stage, influencing generations of musicians from jazz to rock—and beyond The Master of Drums: Gene Krupa and the Music He Gave the World (on sale April 29, 2025) is the first comprehensive biography of groundbreaking, controversial drummer and bandleader Gene Krupa, indisputably the most famous drummer in history. With his handsome face and shock of black hair, cool threads, unusual setup, and ferocious ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Echoing the Angel Gabriel: Leroy Jones and his Signature Sound
This story roots its preface in 2015 in JazzAscona at a press conference dedicated to jazz trumpeters and featuring a league of fantastic musicians: Wendell Brunious, John Michael Bradford, Kevin Louis and Shamarr Allen, who kindly shared their perceptions of the “trumpet as an instrument." “My trumpet is my girlfriend, I kiss her every day," Allen said with a smile back then. As Brunious mentioned, “I look for beauty when I play...I want the words of that song to come ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Laura Dreyer: Dancing Through Time
When something sparks her creativity, Laura Dreyer is the sort of person who jumps in with both feet and gets right down to business. A multi-hyphenate artist, saxophonist-flutist-composer-teacher-clinician, she has been serious about jazz since junior high school in jny: El Cerrito, California, across the bay from jny: San Francisco. “El Cerrito High had an award-winning--like state champion award-winning--jazz band that was really, really exciting," she explains. Flute was her first instrument, but she was happy to pick up a ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Oh! Jazz Launches Oh! Jazz: Global Stage – A New Thematic Series In Collaboration With Cineplex Canada
This innovative project will bring recorded jazz performances from clubs around the world to select cinemas in major cities, creating an immersive experience for jazz lovers. Launching in March, the series will feature three distinct themed cycles each month: “Women in Jazz,” “Jazz Appreciation Month,” and “Discover Flamenco Jazz”—offering audiences the chance to enjoy performances by exceptional musicians while exploring the magic of contemporary jazz and its diverse influences. Oh! Jazz: Global Stage reinforces the platform’s commitment to supporting artistic ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Acclaimed Italian Music Director Andrea Dionisi Will Lead Two Artistic Residencies In Boston
Andrea Dionisi, the renowned Italian jazz fusion musician, is preparing to embark on an exciting new chapter in his career with upcoming artistic residencies at two of Boston's most prestigious music venues. Famed for his innovative prowess as a music director, arranger, and drummer, Dionisi's path in music has been paved with artistic excellence. His journey, as chronicled here by Lukas Wieland, includes honors from elite institutions such as the Conservatory F.A Bonporti in Trento, the Nam Bovisa School of ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Then As Now: The Music Is To Die For
Hey, it's September 1, 1939 and at the top of the charts is Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with the, whoops, singularly inappropriate tune “In the Mood." In the mood for what? Invading Poland? Because that was “officially" the start of World War II in Europe. In the Far East, things had been going on considerably longer, but we wouldn't get officially involved in that until December 7, 1941. And, guess what? Once more Glenn Miller and His Orchestra topped ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Drummer Andrea Dionisi: Redefining European Jazz Fusion
European jazz fusion has found a unique voice in Andrea Dionisi, a 31-year-old Italian drummer, arranger, and music director, whose visionary approach has placed him at the forefront of an innovative wave, reports music critic Vittoria Spada from Trentino-Alto Adige. Renowned for his ability to blend free-flowing jazz with classical music, folk Italian dance patterns, and electric beats and create mesmerizing auditory experiences that redefine the boundaries of modern jazz, Dionisi’s creative achievements and daring synthesis place him firmly alongside ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Fred Hersch and Donny McCaslin at Smoke Jazz Club
Fred Hersch with Donny McCaslin Smoke Jazz and Supper Club New York City March 14, 2025 The pairing of pianist Fred Hersch and saxophonist Donny McCaslin at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club was a dazzling demonstration of musical chemistry--a duo performance that far exceeded the sum of its parts. Both players listened closely and built solos architecturally, yet with careful economy. Their riveting duets, mostly on standards, felt almost composed, so tightly bound ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Saxophonist-composer Jordan VanHemert Draws Inspiration From Petersonal And Cultural Adversities On His New Album 'Survival Of The Fittest,' Set For May 16 Release By Origin Records
Tenor saxophonist and composer Jordan VanHemert considers the twin poles of adversity and resilience with Survival of the Fittest, arriving May 16 on Origin Records. VanHemert’s fifth release as a leader, the album of post-bop jazz finds him leading a sextet with a jaw-dropping all-star lineup: trumpeter Terell Stafford, trombonist Michael Dease, pianist Helen Sung, bassist Rodney Whitaker, and drummer Lewis Nash. While in a broader sense it’s part of a sequence of recordings that explore VanHemert’s identity and struggles ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
The Story Of The Bishkek International Jazz Festival 'Jazz Bishkek Spring': Celebrating Music Against All Odds
The international jazz festival Jazz Bishkek Spring takes place in the capital of Kyrgyzstan every year in April, spanning two or three nights across multiple venues. This vibrant event offers a dynamic mix of local and international talent, providing a unique experience for jazz enthusiasts and highlighting the city's evolving cultural scene. For Bishkek, a city still finding its footing on the cultural stage, the annual jazz festival holds great importance. It serves as a key platform for ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Seasoned Blues-Rock Enclave The Tasty Kings Team Up With Blondie Chaplin For Confident All-Star Laden LP
Founded by songwriter/musician, Andrew Morse, NYC-based group The Tasty Kings take flight on Native Tongue, their third full-length album (Stand Clear Music), this one with vocalist Blondie Chaplin, a six-decade journeyman from South Africa who’s toured/performed with The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Rick Danko, Jeff Beck, Brian Wilson and many more. Several other Stones’ alum join the fray as Darryl Jones and Charley Drayton lay down an unmistakable groove. Also along for the ride are Charlie Sexton ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Sora Ichikawa: Straying in Alpacas
The song “Straying in Alpacas" is an immensely satisfying and hard-driving tune, filled with melodic turns, alto peals, rhythmic stops, and thundering walking bass lines. While it sounds as if it could come from Steps Ahead or Yellowjackets in an earlier era, the piece is actually a concoction of rising Japanese pianist Sora Ichikawa. Ichikawa released his first album in 2023 and since has demonstrated his talents in jazz, R&B, and contemporary formations, as well as adding ear-bending electronic touches ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Peter Erskine: Revisiting Weather Report
A standout drum prodigy of his generation, Peter Erskine began playing at the age of four. After honing his skills at Interlochen, he launched his professional career in 1972 with Stan Kenton. Four years later, he joined Maynard Ferguson before making a pivotal move, replacing Alex Acuña in Weather Report. In the spring of 2025, acclaimed vocalist Kurt Elling embarks on a new project celebrating the music of Weather Report. As the tour nears its end, Erskine ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
James Brandon Lewis: Remember Brooklyn & Moki
"Chasing Energy, and that energy can be any type" is how James Brandon Lewis describes his multifaceted musical journey (Jazzwise, November 2024). That journey has taken him through gospel, punk, chamber, blues, reggae, hip-hop, soul, post-bop and free jazz. Along the way, he made a detour to Morocco to study Gnawa music. Lewis integrates all of these into a forward-looking take on this music we broadly call jazz. Art, literature, history and science inform his compositions, amply demonstrated in his ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
Exciting New Free Improvisation Album Release By Billie Davies
A new album release by drummer Billie Davies, Retrospectives (In The Key Of Jazz). A retrospective of never before released music created during a 6 year period, 82 minutes of Free Improvisation, Beyond Jazz, Avant-garde in the key of Jazz music. To be released and distributed thanks to ReverbNation and Bandcamp on April 20, 2025. All of Billie Davies' music is improvisational. A conversation between musicians, a joint emotional expression inspired by a certain common feeling, thought or perspective that ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz
A Brief Guide To Ukrainian Jazz: Part 2
The second installment of A Brief Guide To Ukrainian Jazz--a series developed with the cooperation of the Ukrainian Institute--introduces five more highly talented jazz artists/groups from Ukraine. In addition, we profile the jazz festivals and jazz clubs that are keeping the Ukrainian jazz flame burning brightly in these most difficult of times. Pokaz Trio Pokaz Trio takes its name from pianist and composer Andrew Pokaz, who founded the trio in Odesa in 2016. Its debut album, Kintsugi (Losen ......
SOURCE: All About Jazz