Cello is featured instrument

Helena Jung, a cellist with the Vancouver Island Symphony, joins jazz pianist Sean Mooney for a concert featuring classical music that crosses over.

Jung and Mooney, with help from bassist John Hyde and drummer James McRae, present Suite for Cello and Jazz Piano Trio by Claude Bolling; two cello sonatas by Beethoven and Debussy.

Jung vigorously pursued a more eclectic repertoire while performing on the North Island, in addition to her role in the symphony. Jung, who holds a master’s degree in cello performance from Ewha University in Seoul, South Korea,  has performed with that country’s youth philharmonic, as well as Jeunesses Musical World Orchestra.

Since moving to Canada in 2004, she performed with pianists such as Sarah Hagen and Glen Montgomery.

Jung will have the cello’s rich tone and mellow sound on display as part of the concert featuring Bolling’s composition.

The composer created a series of crossover collaborations, including the Suite for Cello and Jazz Piano Trio, which he recorded with Yo Yo Ma in 1984.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/nanaimonewsbulletin/entertainment/130741098.html

Strathmore welcomes Madeleine Peyroux and Nellie McKay to its American Composers Series

@$:Strathmore’s Celebrating American Composers series will feature Madeleine Peyroux at 8 p.m. Friday in the Music Center, 5301 Tuckerman Lane. She will share songs from her 2011 CD “Standing on the Rooftop,” which explores genres from the jazz canon, as well as pop, country, blues and folk-tinged tunes. Singer Nellie McKay, who blends pop, jazz and cabaret, will open. Tickets range from $35 to $58. Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.
http://www.gazette.net/article/20110928/ENTERTAINMENT/709289220/1032/strathmore-welcomes-madeleine-peyroux-and-nellie-mckay-to-its&template=gazette

Music Review: Chick Corea / Stefano Bollani - Orvieto

Chick Corea has long been a master of improvisation. Whether in a solo or group context, his abilities to create magic out of thin air have never failed to impress. He also pioneered the relatively recent development of two-piano improvisation, by working with players such asHerbie Hancock, Friedrich Gulda, Nicolas Economou, andGonzalo Rubalcaba. For his first ECM recording in 27 years, Corea was teamed with Stefano Bollani for an advanced class in two-piano improvisation.

The two have been playing together since 2009, mostly at Italian jazz festivals. The performances captured onOrvieto are from the Umbria Jazz Winter Festival, where the duo played several nights of concerts. The musical program they have chosen reflects their eclectic roots. Between such Corea/Bollani originals as the opening "Orvieto Impression No. 1" and closing "Blues In F," the pair cover a great deal of stylistic ground.

The first of these is the bossa nova king Antonio Carlos Jobim, and his "Retrato Em Branco E Preto." Corea and Bollani's fingers seem to dance around each other in the first few bars of the tune, then settle in for a riveting display of the melody, all the while never losing sight of what the other is doing. The near-telepathic interplay between the two is fully on display here. As Bollani has stated, "It is as if one mind were controlling four hands."

An early highlight comes when the two tackle Fats Waller's classic "Jitterbug Waltz." The tune has always been a great piano showcase, and in this environment, both Corea and Bollani give it their all. Another universally acclaimed jazz legend is Miles Davis, and he is honored here with a rendition of "Nardis."

Both Chick Corea and Stefano Bollani seem to have been looking toward South America a bit this night. They include a second Antonio Carlos Jobim track here, "Este Seu Olhar," as well as a Corea original, "Armando's Rhumba."

With their concluding "Blues In F," the two finish as they began, with some wonderfully inventive improvisation. Their styles run the artistic gamut and are on display not only on this final piece, but throughout the 75-minute concert. Chick Corea and Stefano Bollani are both outstanding improvisers, and the proof of it is right here on Orvieto. Here's hoping they get out of Italy for a bit, and bring some of this magic to a US tour soon.

View the original article on blogcritics.org

http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Chick-Corea-Stefano-Bollani-2193400.php

Jewish New Year Brings New Music

As Rosh Hashanah begins Wednesday night, The Afro-Semitic Experience brings a twist to traditional music associated with the holiday. The band's latest album, Further Definitions of the Days of Awe, fuses Jewish liturgical music with jazz and Afro-centric rhythms. Guest host Jacki Lyden talks with founder, composer and bassist David Chevan, as well as drummer Alvin Carter Junior.

Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

JACKI LYDEN, host: Tonight marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The holiday is celebrated with many traditions, including eating apples and honey for a sweet year to come, the blowing of a ram's horn as a kind of spiritual awakening. And there are the sacred melodies Jews use on High Holy Day.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ASHREI")

JACK MENDELSON: (Singing in foreign language)

LYDEN: Jews call the days leading up to and just after the New Year the Days of Awe, a time of renewal and refreshment.

This is music from the new album called "Further Definitions of the Days of Awe" from the group known as the Afro-Semitic Experience. The band is made up of Jewish and African-American members and features Jewish liturgical music infused with jazz and the Afro-beat.

And joining us to talk about this is the band's founder, composer and bassist, David Chevan, and the group's drummer, Alvin Carter Junior. Welcome to the program, both of you.

ALVIN CARTER JUNIOR: Thank you.

DAVID CHEVAN: Thank you.

LYDEN: This is a fusion that I would not have suspected. David, tell us a little bit about what we're hearing. What is this album?

CHEVAN: Well, this is a collaboration between the band and four Jewish cantors and it comes out of the fact that we spent quite a bit of time at the synagogue of Cantor Jack Mendelson in White Plains, New York, playing with him for the S'lihot service, for the midnight service that comes just before Rosh Hashanah.

LYDEN: So this is who we hear singing is Cantor Jack Mendelson?

CHEVAN: That's right. That's Jack on the vocals on that piece, "Ashrei."

LYDEN: And Alvin, where is the African rhythm in here?

JUNIOR: Well, it's more the African influence. You hear the funk background between the bass and the drums.

LYDEN: So tell me a little bit, both of you. How did you guys all decide to come together? I understand you gave several concerts in different cities. How did that develop?

CHEVAN: Well, that was...

JUNIOR: How much time we got?

CHEVAN: Yeah, really.

LYDEN: We got a little.

CHEVAN: This particular project really was a chance for us to give three concerts of this particular High Holy Day material with the cantors. It was almost a warm-up for them to get ready for the services at their synagogues and it also gave us a chance to essentially get three opportunities to do takes of each of the pieces because we recorded all three concerts and just picked the best performances from each of the three concerts.

LYDEN: You're not Jewish, Alvin, but you're enthusiastic about this work. What made you decide to be a part of the collaboration?

JUNIOR: Well, the collaboration began because of a performance we had at a casino in Connecticut. The cofounder, Mr. Warren Byrd, and David and I as a jazz trio actually had a gig at a casino and David happened to be a few minutes late this particular time. And as kind of a tongue in cheek, we played a song called "Soon and Very Soon," which is a contemporary gospel song, and we had just basically said, you know, we should add some of our liturgical music to our jazz repertoire.

And, because I'm not the type to only play one type of music, when David presented me some examples of some klezmer and some nigunim and, you know, just other types of Eastern European-influenced music, I jumped at the opportunity to infuse what it is I already knew with what it was I wanted to learn.

LYDEN: Let's listen to another clip of music from the album. This is called "Sh'ma Koleinu," which I understand means, hear our voices.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SH'MA KOLEINU")

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Singing in foreign language)

LYDEN: David, tell us what this prayer is about.

CHEVAN: The cantor is just begging God to listen to our voices as we atone for our sins and reflect on the year that has been and it's a real plaintive cry and so much of what's going on in the singing that you hear there has that mixture of hope and mournfulness in it.

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/28/140876465/jewish-new-year-brings-new-music?ft=1&f=1016

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All About Jazz is celebrating Kenny Kirkland's birthday today!

Beginning his career as a teacher of classical music, Kenny Kirkland next became a jazz musician. Later he emerged from his jazz chrysalis as a practitioner of exotic pop/rock music and finally shed his wings to follow the mundane but financially more stable profession of studio musician. Kirkland was an associate of Wynton Marsalis...Beginning his career as a teacher of classical music, Kenny Kirkland next became a jazz musician. Later he emerged from his jazz chrysalis as a practitioner of exotic pop/rock music and finally shed his wings to follow the mundane but financially more stable profession of studio musician. Kirkland was an associate of Wynton Marsalis... more

Place our Musician of the Day widget on your website or blog.

Visit Website

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=87556

"I Played and Bill Evans Listened"

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com

From time to time, I open JazzWax to guest posts in an ongoing series called "Eyewitness," which features first-hand accounts of jazz artists or events as seen from a novel vantage point. Today, pianist Peter Boe [pictured in 1980] writes below of an unusual encounter 32 years ago and what it meant to him...

"Back in 1979, I enrolled as a freshman at the University of Oregon in Eugene. At the time, the jazz-club scene in town was active with many great players. The regulars included alto saxophonist Sonny King and his singer-wife Nancy, among dozens of others. There were plenty of gigs for up-and-coming artists as well as established players.

"The late Steve Wolfe, a tenor saxophonist, also lived in Eugene and was an accomplished player and composer/arranger. In 1979, he decided to put together a band, using me on piano along with a few other local players and Nancy singing. We gigged around town pretty steadily for some months.

"Then Steve managed to land a two-week stretch at Michael's Pub in New York—the club where Woody Allen's band eventually played weekly. I was elated but then blown away when I learned that the local bass player on the gig would be Reggie Workman—a hero of mine. [Photo of Woody Allen by David McGough]

"In New York, the gig got underway. We were well received and drew great crowds nightly. Straight-ahead jazz was enjoying something of resurgence then, and you could feel the energy that young people had for the music.

"Three days into the gig, I gained control over my jitters. It was an emotionally charged experience to play in New York, at Michael's Pub, with Reggie Workman. But I soon felt loose, the band was swinging, and Reggie was a dream. His playing was (and remains) like water flowing over smooth stones.

"To top off the whole experience, we received a review in The New York Times by critic John S. Wilson—a very positive one, in fact. He even mentioned me by name! What a thrill. I felt confident, my playing was effortless, and we were in New York. 

"On the third night, after a break, we returned to the stage for our final set. As the other musicians settled in before resuming, I shuffled some charts and glanced off to my right. And I froze. I slowly looked to my right again and tried to focus through the lights without staring.

"There, sitting five feet to my right in the second row was BillEvans—the pianist whose recordings had done more to influence me than any other artist, the man I had listened to alone in my room late at night in the dark, the pianist who, in my youthful enthusiasm I had tried to emulate.

"My immediate reaction was throat-tightening, palm-sweating fear. How could I play with Bill Evans sitting so close, I remember thinking. He was going to hear every nuance, every clam [mistake] and all of my nerves. Not a good place to be emotionally when you're about to start playing.

"But I had to do it.  What was I going to do?  Walk away? Steve Wolfe counted off the first number, and we hit it. My memory of those first few tunes is dim. I played without thinking—at least not about what I was playing.

"I do remember that right after the second tune, I got up thenerve to glance over to my right again. I could see Bill smiling broadly and applauding. I couldn't believe it. His reaction gave me a great feeling, and I calmed down considerably.

"The rest of the set went off without a hitch, and I played reasonably well for the duration. Bill stayed through the entire set. Frankly, I don't know what I would have done if I had looked over and he had left. I'm sure I may have reconsidered my career.

"After the set, I went to the bar and ordered a drink. Out of the corner of my eye, I sensed that someone tall was nearing me. When I looked up, it was Bill. He introduced himself. I told him I knew who he was and how much he meant to me. He was humble and, in a soft voice, said he was happy to hear that. He was totally affable, and there was a calmness and warmth about him that was reassuring.

"We spent the next hour talking about jazz in general and the New York scene specifically. Of course, I had many questions about specific records, and we even talked about some of his chord-voicing principles. I felt like the most important musician in New York during that hour.

"I asked him how he came to use his trademark rootless left-hand voicings to such a great extent. He told me he eventually realized that playing the root of a chord on the piano was generally superfluous, as the bass player typically had that covered. He said that even when the bass player wasn't playing the root, the listener's ear had a preternatural ability to fill it in. Instead, he said, he began to abandon the skeletal root-7 left hand approach of Bud Powell and concentrated on the upper color tones of the chord. All inside stuff that's the language of musicians.

"Eventually Bill said he had to take off. But before he left, he grabbed a scrap of paper and wrote down his phone number. He asked me to call him to hang out. I secretly hoped this also would include a lesson. Bill also said he was leaving the next day for a series of out-of-town dates and would not return for a couple of weeks. I realized I would be long gone by then, back to Eugene. But I promised to ring him up the next time I was in town. [Photo, from left, of Bill Evans, Francis Paudras and bassist Marc Johnson in Lyon, France, in 1980, courtesy of the Bill Evans tribute site in the Netherlands]

"Sadly, Bill died before I could make it back to New York for our hang [Evans died on Sept. 15, 1980]. When I heard of his passing, I was devastated, like so many other fans and musicians. I still miss him and his music terribly as well as my lost opportunity for a visit.

"I'll never know if I was really as good as Bill Evans told me I was that night at Michael’s Pub. Maybe he was just trying to be nice. Or maybe he saw in me a sensitive person who was trying to break through. What I will remember is Bill's kindness, the enormous feeling of confidence he gave me, and the extension of friendship that continues in my heart to this day. In a box in my room, I still have his phone number on that scrap of paper.

"In the years that followed, my career in music continued. In early '81, I had an offer from my good friend and blues guitarist-singer Robert Cray. He asked me to take the piano chair in his band. I jumped at the chance. This led to a 10-year stint with Robert. While it didn't require much of me musically, it turned out to be a good move. I won two Grammy Awards while with the band and toured the world a dozen or so times. [Photo, from left, of Grammy winners Dave Olsen, Peter Boe, Robert Cray and Richard Cousins by Chuck Pulin]

"After leaving the Robert Cray Band in '91, I moved to Portland, Ore., where I reside today. I play many local and regional gigs, and have started a series at Portland's top jazz club, Jimmy Mak's. It's called East Meets West Meets East,in which my New York City rhythm section (bassist Essiet Okon Essiet and drummer Sylvia Cuenca) and I invite a top artist to appear with us. So far, Eddie Henderson and Lew Tabackin have been guests.

"The series is going very well. All shows sell out, and myintention is to build the series into a regular local event. I also do a great deal of studio session work on a freelance basis, and teach privately. I feel quite fortunate—I've never had to work outside of the music field, which, in the music business must be counted as a blessing. [Pictured from left, earlier this year, drummer Mel Brown, Peter Boe and bassist Chuck Israels]

"I think Bill Evans would be happy with how things turned out."

—Peter Boe

Want more JazzWax Eyewitness? Go to JazzWax and scroll down the right-hand side to the "Eyewitness" heading. You can access others in this series by clicking on the links.

JazzWax clip: Here's Peter Boe earlier this summer playing Bill Evans Very Early... - Used with permission by Marc Myers

Chanteuse Monika Borzym Delivers Jazz Vocals for the Next Generation on 10/18 'Girl Talk'

The Music of Amy Winehouse, Fiona Apple, Erykah Badu, Abbey Lincoln and more, as 21- Year Old Chanteuse Monika Borzym Delivers Jazz Vocals for the Next Generation on 'Girl Talk'

October 18th Digital Release is Set for U.S. via Sony PolandAlbum Arranged by Gil Goldstein; Produced by Matt Pierson


On her thrilling debut CD 'Girl Talk,' 21-year old vocalist Monika Borzym delivers a fearless take on an eclectic range of songs, and in doing so, delivers a jazz vocal album for a new generation of fans. Set for October 18th digital release in the U.S. via Sony Poland, 'Girl Talk' features the music of a diverse range of controversial, legendary and/or esteemed female artists, including Amy Winehouse, Fiona Apple, Rachael Yamagata, Estelle, Regina Spektor, Erykah Badu, Abbey Lincoln, Feist, Joni Mitchell, Marisa Monte, Bjrk and Dido.

As Produced by Matt Pierson and arranged by Gil Goldstein, 'Girl Talk' manages to introduce Polish-born Borzym to American audiences as a new voice in modern jazz, and she proves her chops as she's accompanied by an arsenal of world-class musicians. Borzym elaborates: “Aaron Parks was one of my first choices, he's an absolute genius, a true idol of mine. Then for the drums we went for Eric Harland, he's one of the greatest drummers in his generation, I believe his contribution to the sound of the record to be absolutely priceless. Lenny Grenadier on the double bass was Matt's idea; they worked together on many recording sessions, including those with Brad Mehldau. Matt also suggested the legendary Gil Goldstein—initially I imagined he'd absolutely be beyond my reach. He's worked with so many superstars; he's arranged records for Sting, Chris Botti, collaborated for years with Pat Metheny. We put together a true dream team, I was in seventh heaven, I really didn't want to leave the studio."

As for the process of selecting songs, the Borzym/Pierson team started with an empty canvas, and found their way to the women on the final album: “We didn't plan on the Girl Talk project. I have a background in standards but Matt suggested we try more contemporary material. The initial playlist definitely included a lot of men, but once we noticed strong range of female songwriters in the mix, Matt suggested we go in this direction. We added more women to the track listing, took away the men, and ended up with this new album."

Borzym's roots as a jazz chanteuse found a home in the complex songwriting she gravitated towards for 'Girl Talk'—she observes: “The level of songwriting suggests these ladies have a deep level of understanding of harmony, and I can't see how they are all so advanced without being involved with jazz somehow, at least as a listener."

More about Monika Borzym

Monika Borzym discovered jazz at an early age, and is a natural musician, but her upbringing could have sent her in many different directions, thankfully she took a more studied path. “My dad listens to new romantic stuff, Tears For Fears, Toto, there was never Miles Davis playing in my house. My mum listened to Celine Dion, and Whitney Houston mostly, I sang along at elementary school, luckily they never pushed me to do Idol like stuff."

Monika's influences, once she moved on from Whitney, include the obvious greats, and some lesser-known artists. “It all started with Ella Fitzgerald, she was my first mistress and my greatest one. Then I got fascinated with Carmen McRae, who was more obscure, and far more intense when it comes to the lyrics. I also find great inspiration in Anita O'Day, and absolutely in Miles Davis; I generally love the trumpeters, Chet Baker, Terence Blanchard, I worship the ground they walk upon. I adore Bill Evans. Also, I've been in love with Radiohead since my lower secondary school."

In 2008, following an intense Eastern European schooling in all aspects of classical and jazz theory, composition and performance, Monika started spending time in the states, and eventually received a scholarship from the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. While there she studied under numerous world-renowned jazz musicians, including Lisanne Lyons, Larry Lapin, Dante Luciani, Greg Gisbert, Chuck Bergeron, Ira Sullivan, and Shelly Berg.

Borzym's experiences in the sunshine state also resulted in a chance meeting with the man who would play an enormous role in the development of her musical career. Monika explains, “I met Matt Pierson for the first time when I was studying in Miami; he came to us to deliver a series of lectures about the music business. Matt is a person who I find important to me personally, and a giant in the world of jazz. He has discovered many talents and released plenty of records with Joshua Redman, Brad Meldhau, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny. A very close friend of mine Dante Luciani told me there would be a jam session in the evening, and that Pierson was planning to come. So I went there to sing and to get to know Matt. He liked my performance very much, we started to chat, made friends, and later, once I had returned to Poland, we kept in touch on Facebook. At that time we had already started considering recording together."

Borzym is currently enrolled at the LA Music Academy where she studies under the cream of the crop of U.S. music instructors including Tierney Sutton, Dorian Holley, Nikhil Korula and Tony Inzalaco. LA Music Academy College of Music is regarded as one of the premiere music schools in the world and its faculty is comprised of award winning professional musicians who impart practical real-world teachings along side traditional theoretical studies. She looks forward to taking a break from her studies to perform in support of Girl Talk.

Monika Borzym's Song Notes for 'Girl Talk'

The closest track to traditional jazz is “Down Here Below" by Abbey Lincoln, Gil Goldstein used an arrangement that he actually used for Abbey back in the day, but we changed the orchestration for this version."

“Dry Cleaner From Des Moines," it's a pretty obscure jazz track. This version was the version Joni Mitchell did with Jaco Pastorius."

On the Any Winehouse song “You Know I'm No Good"—"We were sitting at Gil's house trying to come up with ideas on how we were going to approach it and Gil grabbed his accordion and started jamming, and I loved the idea of having an accordion. We didn't think Matt was so into it but Gil and I insisted and Gil did an arrangement for it and Matt eventually came around."

Eryka Badu “Appletree"—"I used to do this song before and have recorded it for other demos so I'm familiar with this song, and I suggested it when we came up with the female concept."

“The Feist, Dido and Estelle and the most modern tracks, I love Feist to death, she has such an interesting sound and sense of songwriting. It reminds me how hard good songwriting is, she does an alternative take on hit song structure."

Dido's “Thank You"—"I never imagined I'd record a song like this on my first album but Matt pushed me to try more contemporary songs. I remember hearing this song and the Eminem track when I was growing up. It is a very interesting arrangement by Aaron Parks."
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=87501

NJJazzList Calendar

09/29 Thu Barbara Rose, Pianist & Vocalist . at Molly Pitcher Inn, Red Bankdetails...

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09/29 Thu Bob DeVos-Vic Juris Duo at Glen Rock Inn details...

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09/29 Thu Drummer Robbie Scott Trio at Uproot Restaurant details...

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09/29 Thu Jazz Celebration Big Band at Temperance House details...

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09/29 Thu LAUREN HOOKER TRIO at THE CRAB HOUSE details...

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09/29 Thu Nuvo Jazz Trio at The Wine Loft Pier Village details...

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09/29 Thu Rob Paparozzi & Richard Ray Farrell (Duo) at The Robin's Nest in Linden NJ details...

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09/29 Thu Sylvia Cuenca Quartet w/Dave Stryker at Makeda Ethiopian, 338 George St., New Brunswick details...

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09/29 Thu The Joshua Breakstone-Earl Sauls Duo at The Harvest Bistro, Closter, NJ details...

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09/29 Thu The New World Order Open Jam at LaTavola Cucina Ristorante details...

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09/30 Fri Cornetist Warren Vache Trio at Uproot Restaurant details...

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09/30 Fri Keb' Mo' at Count Basie Theatre details...

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09/30 Fri Lou Volpe Duet at Liberty House details...

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09/30 Fri MAURIZIO DE SOUZA at MOONSTRUCK details...

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09/30 Fri Mauricio de Souza Trio at Moonstruck details...

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09/30 Fri Nicolas Bearde & Bernard Purdie w/ Rob Paparozzi at Sherban's Dinerdetails...

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09/30 Fri Patty Cronheim Ensemble at Salt Creek Grill details...

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09/30 Fri Stryker/Slagle Band at Trumpets Jazz Club details...

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09/30 Fri Swingadelic at The Priory Restaurant details...

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09/30 Fri Swingadelic at The Priory Restaurant details...

Stein and band take flight on Hi Fly

You begin to get some sense of what you're in for on John Stein's vibrant new CD without even putting it into the player. Take a peek first at the back cover. There is the guitarist, in a partially illustrated photograph, an intent look on his face, only this time a graphic treatment shades his guitar and fret hand with bright stripes of color. I'd say this was a symbol and a pretty obvious one at that.

In musical terms, Stein has taken what has already been considered a wide spectrum of sound, and brightened it. His palette now includes the prismatic hues of jazz itself.

So, why all the new colors? Well, for one, Stein is truly coming into his own as a player. He and his band, including bassist John Lockwood and drummer Zé Eduardo Nazario are, after a handful of recordings together, fully in step. And now, the band has welcomed young keyboard player Jake Sherman, an inventive and creative spirit, fresh from Berklee, who adds his own keystrokes to these arrangements. Sherman's presence infuses the band's arrangements with energy and dimension.

Another reason the recording feels more colorful is that Stein, as a player, has pushed himself out of his comfort zone. As his colleagues nudge him forward, fleshing out these arrangements into something unexpectedly lovely, Stein propels himself to lead the way, to stay in front. His innovative soloing and tasteful, rhythmic chords hold up well against the band's immense efforts.

It is the sign of a leader who is up to the task of fronting an accomplished band. "The main thing," says Stein in the liner notes to the album, "is the collaborative spirit in this record Š The guys contributed a lot of musical ideas Š Their instrumental virtuosity was challenging and I really stretched to keep up."

"Hi Fly," Stein's third recording with Lockwood and Nazario, is a true achievement, with many bright moments. "Sea Smoke" showcases Nazario's swing, "Plum Stone" is tailor-made for Sherman's Hammond organ, and Lockwood steps up and out on "Love Letters" and on "Threesome." Throughout the recording, beautifully captured by engineer Peter Kontrimas, the musicians seize on great opportunities to soar, and in doing so, display an intense, kaleidoscopic view of a talented and exciting band. 

If there was ever a jazz guitarist who took the saying "Less is more" to

heart, and used that philosophy to create intellectually engaging and

enjoyable music, it's John Stein...

~ Dr. Matt Warnock / Just Jazz Guitar

John Stein and Ron Gill's "Turn Up the Quiet" is an exceptional exercise in hushed,

reverential craftsmanship. Gill's vocal style strongly suggests the

latter-career Me! Torme, with near-equally intense echoes of Jackie 

~ Jazz Times

Paris and Tony Bennett...

Diana Steals Spotlight at Jazz Festival

It was a hive of activity at Jazz 105 this past weekend as the ladies in jazz took time out to show the nation that not only the men were gifted in this genre of music.


The concert saw guest artiste Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave open the show on a gospel tip, giving the crowd a graceful performance. The crowd proved that even though they were jazz fanatics they too take time out to praise the Lord as they sang along and danced to most of her tunes including the popular "Makomborero".


Fungisai finished her performance with a song motivating the ladies, that a lady should sustain her family through prayers and being faithful to her husband. "Mukadzi benzi anoputsa musha wake," she sang.


Other divas that took part were the likes of Rute Mbangwa who during her slot got the crowd in the mood, playing tracks from her latest album and some cultural Jazz favourites "999210" originally performed by Tanga wekwaSando and "Pata-pata" by Miriam Makeba. Sister Kessia, Sister Jean Masters, Selmor Mtukudzi and Dudu Manhenga also graced the stage.


Dudu, who looked really stunning, one could actually debate the fact that she is a mother of four, kept the crowd entertained as she showed her diversity.


She mixed her jazz tracks with some ragga tunes, imitating birds and singing in Chinese on one track, proving how a great an ambassador she is for Zimbabwe when she goes on international tours... - Read more on: http://allafrica.com/stories/201109270240.html

Music at Trinity welcomes William Schrickel and Friends

 Music at Trinity is pleased to announce their first concert of the 2011 – 2012 season, featuring William Schrickel, bassist from the Minnesota Orchestra on Sunday October 23rd.

Schrickel will be joined by violinist Roger Frisch, Associate Concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra, and pianist Tom Schrickel, brother of William Schrickel.

The concert, themed The Jazz Connection, will focus on chamber music with a connection to the world of jazz. It will include pieces by composers Claude Bolling, Frank Proto and Bill Evans. Whether you prefer classical or jazz, Schrickel and his musical friends are sure to please.

The performance will be held on Sunday, October 23rd at 4pm at Trinity Episcopal Church in Excelsior, MN. All Music at Trinity concerts are free and open to the public. Donations support the continued development of the Music at Trinity series.

Trinity is located at 322 Second Street in Excelsior MN. For more information, contact Nathalie Wilson at (612) 202-7421.
http://www.pitchengine.com/pitch/176195/

Erica von Kleist: Bringing Jazz Horns and Theory to Cuba

Saxophonist and flautist Erica von Kleist has just come back from a very special music and cultural exchange trip to Cuba, as part of the Horns to Havana program, bringing musical instruments and music to young students in need in Havana.

It’s been almost two weeks since she got back but she’s still excited to talk about her time there. “I knew it was going to be a life-changing experience,” she says. “Knowing the power of education and teaching students about jazz, it really outlined their true love of music and their desire to learn more about it.”

This was not the young saxophonist’s first time in Cuba. She had performed at theHavana International Jazz Festival in 2000 with a young Latin-jazz group called Insight, featuring the Curtis brothers [Luques and Zaccai] as well as Richie Barshay. She was just 19 years old at the time. “We grew up together in Hartford and we had a band when we were kids,” von Kleist explains. “One of the mentors for that band was Andy Gonzalez [Latin jazz bassist and producer]. Through Andy we got to know the big names in Latin jazz.”

One of those big names was Chucho Valdes, one of the founders of the festival and its longtime artistic director, who invited the group to appear at the 2000 festival in Havana. Needless to say, von Kleist quickly understood that the experience was a unique one for an aspiring jazz musician. “First of all being surrounded by so many amazing musicians like Nicholas Payton and Herbie Hancock—a who’s who of great jazz musicians—was quite exhilarating,” she recalls.

Although the group went down to perform at the festival, they also went to one of the arts schools, and so she also learned what Cuban musicians and Cuban people faced. “Getting to know the people there and seeing the surroundings, it was a whole other world from New York City and Connecticut. You have all your creature comforts up here, but down there, it’s a different story.”

The entire experience left an indelible impression on von Kleist, who went on to establish her presence on the NYC jazz scene, both as a leader and a member of groups such as Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society and DIVA. Her debut album Erica von Kleist & No Exceptions, released in 2010, featured several of those same musicians from her early days in Hartford, including Luques and Zaccai Curtis and Richie Barshay, as well as Wynton Marsalis’s pianist Dan Nimmer, vibist Chris Dingman and other emerging players.

Von Kleist initially became involved with the Horns to Havana program through her friendship and performances with Carlo Henriquez and Victor Goines from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. The JALC Orchestra recently traveled to Cuba in 2010 and von Kleist says that the musicians in the orchestra were struck by the desperate needs of the young music students down there. “They said, ‘Wow, these kids need instruments.Their instruments are being held together with paper clips and tape.

They have no means to fix them, let alone get new ones.’” And two associates of the orchestra, Diane Ward and Susan Sillins, set up the organization called Horns to Havana and not only collected top-notch instruments, but also assembled a group of musicians who wanted to return to Cuba. They called on von Kleist because of her work with those musicians and her past experience in Cuba. - http://jazztimes.com/articles/28525-erica-von-kleist-bringing-jazz-horns-and-theory-to-cuba

Book Review: The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe

By Fitz, BLOGCRITICS.ORG

It's been a while since I was motivated by a new author to read an entire book in the space of only a few hours over a couple of days. But it's always an unexpected joy when it happens. The magic of being transported not only to new places or times, but new ways of thinking, is impossible to ignore.

Let me start at the beginning, but from a different direction than you might expect. Thankfully I was born into a family that not only appreciates music, but likes to play and sing together or apart. My mother played piano before her hands were twisted by rheumatoid arthritis. My father still plays guitar - a twelve-string Fender acoustic - with an ability to pick rich melodies from those taut skinny wires. And my sister and I played saxophones, guitars, and piano (she more than I). Between the occasional rag on piano, jazz or concert band practice, and a million folk songs on guitar, there was live music at my house pretty much every day.

That childhood of music has served me well long into my adult years, and I still play my guitar occasionally and sing with my daughters, my wife, and the rest of my family at the occasional gathering. More than that, I'm always listening to music new and old. And over time I've gained a perpetual soundtrack running through my head with a mix of tunes from musicals, bluegrass melodies, folks songs, rock bands, a cappella voices, jazz licks, movie soundtracks, and much much more.

Why the long reveal about my musical childhood? The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoeshows an appreciation for a life of music I've rarely seen in fiction, let alone urban fantasy from an author new to me. And Bledsoe's tale weaves the magic of ancient songs and lyrics seamlessly into a world both touched and untouched by modern sensibilities and dangers. Most of those involved in the story are from a group of folks known as "The Tufa" - a secretive group living in the Appalachians. Though the question "Who are the Tufa?" is asked multiple times and eventually answered, how the reader gets to the answer is more important than the destination...

The story is about Private Bronwyn Hyatt, her immediate family, and their extended relatives in Needsville, Tennessee. Bronwyn returns from Iraq after surviving a horrific attack and heroic rescue, but her wounds need healing both outside and in. And as she returns to some sense of normal as muscle and flesh knit in the home she grew up in, she realizes there's more going on that she's going to have to deal with. Can she figure out what the "haint" (ghost) wants her to do so she can avoid its ill portents of a death in her family? Can she find her song and learn to play her mandolin again so she can learn her mother's song? Can she rediscover herself in the context of Tufa ways?

And tied into all of this are other characters: Craig Chess, a Methodist preacher trying to make inroads into Bronwyn's community, instead finding a solid resistance to outsiders; Dwayne Glitterman, Bronwyn's former flame and bad-boy on a path to ruin; and newspaper reporterDon Swayback, asked to get an interview with Bronwyn the war hero, who starts to discover deep personal connections to the people of the town of Needsville he never knew existed...

Alex Bledsoe's rich, nearly poetic prose in The Hum and the Shiver captured me at page one and didn't let me go to the end. If you are a fan of urban fantasy, this is a book you need to add to your list today. There are secrets ancient and wild waiting for you to discover, and I enjoyed every moment.

The Hum and the Shiver hits shelves September 27, 2011, and I can hardly wait to see what's next in the series from Bledsoe. For more about Bledsoe, check out his website.

View the original article on blogcritics.org

http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Book-Review-The-Hum-and-the-Shiver-by-Alex-2187997.php