Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category

Author Don Rayno has spent thirty years researching all aspects of Paul Whiteman’s career.  The first volume, about the same size and weight, covered Whiteman’s life 1890 to 1930 and was published in 2003.  The first volume told Whiteman’s story up to the economic crash of 1929 and the beginning (more…)

This is a debut recording for vocalist Lyn Stanley.  She has been mentored and introduced by veteran pianist Paul Smith and vocalist/teacher Annette Warren (Mrs. Paul Smith.) Interestingly, Ms. Stanley is also an accomplished dancer who has won awards in national and international competition. Of the fifteen selections on this (more…)

As someone who has been puzzled, maybe even intimidated, in trying to come to reasonable conclusions about the talented and troubled bassist-composer Charles Mingus, this book by John Goodman has been helpful in clarifying my thinking about the entire subject.  I struggled with reading Mingus’ own book, Beneath the Underdog (more…)

Scott Yanow’s book on great jazz guitarists is a valuable addition to the jazz literature. In 237 pages of this soft-cover book, he briefly reviews the history of jazz guitar, publishes brief biographies of 342 jazz guitarists, covers an additional 218 guitarists and also mentions 36 performers famous for other (more…)

Percussionist Jason Marsalis, of the famous Marsalis family, has produced a CD which features his skills on the vibraphone.  He is accompanied by pianist Austin Johnson, bassist Will Goble and drummer Dave Potter.  This recording, as the title implies, was designed to showcase Jason’s skills on vibraphone.  Most of the (more…)

This CD was recorded two years ago when saxophonist/flutist Frank Wess was only 89.  He’s accompanied by veteran pianist Kenny Barron, born in 1943, bassist Kenny Davis and drummer Winard Harper.  The tunes are standards including Say It Isn’t So, Blue Monk and Come Rain or Come Shine. There is (more…)

New York based jazz guitarist Ken Hatfield has completed an interesting project, that of setting poems of Langston Hughes to music. Assisting in this effort are alto flutist Jamie Baum, vocalist Hilary Gardner, bassist Hans Glawischnig, drummer Jeff Hirschfield and percussionist Steven Kroon. All music is composed by Hatfield. Hughes (more…)

The average jazz fan likely can name only one or two cellists who have performed and recorded jazz.  Bassists Oscar Pettiford and Ray Brown, among a few others, have done so.   Cellists Matt Brubeck and Erik Friedlander, more recently, have recorded. This brings me to Canadian polymath Kye Marshall.  She (more…)

This two-CD set of recordings by  Bechet Legacy group featuring soprano saxophonist Bob Wilbur and trumpeter Glenn Zottola was made from live recordings at Birch Hall in England in 1981 and 1982. There are twenty-three tunes, most of which will be familiar even to casual jazz-fans.  Other Bechet Legacy personnel  (more…)

ANNOUNCING THE FINALISTS IN THE 2013 STUDENT COMPETITION: The following finalists will perform at the Live Finals, to be held on March 22, 2013, at the Ashmore Auditorium at Pensacola State College. College Instrumental Division: Marquis Soles (drums) Jacob Dearrington (trumpet) Derick Masters (bass guitar) Jackson Willis (trombone) Michael Danielson (more…)