Jazz
Two rescheduled events—a celebration of Haiti and Mango Blue’s CD release—highlight the first half of February, along with a not-to-be-missed visit by Wayne Shorter and his Quartet.
Read MorePeople who love jazz should read jazz history books periodically, and Kevin Whitehead, jazz critic on NPR’s “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross, has done a great service in giving us a What, Who, Where, and When book with insight and ingenuity.
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UPDATE: The Mango Blue CD release event scheduled for tonight (January 26) has been cancelled due to the impending snowstorm; check back here for announcements concerning rescheduling.
Read MoreSaxophonist Grace Kelly has to decide what kind of artist she wants to be in her maturity, how long a run she’d like to have, how much she intends to contribute to the jazz tradition—and how she intends to accomplish these things. By Steve Elman. A moment of reckoning arrives in the career of every…
Read MoreTwo outstanding Israeli pianists, baritone sax and bass masters, and some fascinating ensemble collaborations highlight the start of 2011.
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A second quarter-century celebration, this one for Either/Orchestra, plus some unusual Christmas programs and some outstanding Latin music, all in the latter part of December.
Read MoreI never knew I needed to own a book like this, but I undoubtedly do. If there is anyone you know who loves singing and isn’t a snob about genre, this book would be a great holiday gift. It’s a colossal achievement that is also marvelously idiosyncratic. A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and…
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The first weeks of December feature lots of fine jazz, from the 25th-anniversary concert of the Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra to the Moroccan vocalist and sintir player Hassan Hakmoun and a Klezmer Nutcracker. By J. R. Carroll. At 8 p.m. on Friday, December 3, Emmanuel Church hosts the 25th-anniversary concert of the Jazz Composers Alliance…
Read MoreA modern version of the venerable double bill: first, Drácula, a 1931 Spanish-language film accompanied by guitarist Gary Lucas performing his half-improvised original score. Next came the film Spark of Being, a re-imagining of the plot of Frankenstein, co-directed by filmmaker Bill Morrison and trumpeter-composer Dave Douglas, who led his band Keystone in 13 pieces…
Read MoreLike a guru, Sonny Rollins offered words to live by at the conclusion of the show, words that are his own guidelines as much as they were advice to his fans: “Keep yourself straight and never mind the rest of the world.” By Steve Elman Imagine a great, blank canvas. Now begin to populate the…
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Arts Commentary: Rich in Creativity — But Nothing Else