Jazz

Pat Metheny And John Zorn: A Vivid Sound World

Tom Moon — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:43:00 +0000

Guitarist Pat Metheny is revered for his bright, accessible modern jazz. Saxophonist and composer John Zorn is associated with much knottier, often dissonant experiments. Metheny's new Tap: John Zorn's Book of Angels, Vol.

Sarah Vaughan: A New Box Set Revels In Glorious Imperfections

Kevin Whitehead — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:49:00 +0000
Singer Sarah Vaughan came up in the 1940s alongside bebop lions Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, starting out in Earl Hines' big band. Hines had hired her as his singer and deputy pianist, while Gillespie praised her fine ear for chords as she grasped the arcane refinements of bebop harmony.

Rudresh Mahanthappa On Piano Jazz

editor — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000
Rudresh Mahanthappa creates an explosive blend of South Indian classical music and progressive jazz. A Guggenheim Fellow who's been named the Jazz Journalists Association's "Alto Saxophonist of the Year" for four years running, Mahanthappa makes innovative music that reflects his experience as a second-generation Indian-American. He shares his fascinating style and story on this episode of Piano Jazz.
Mahanthappa was born in Boulder, Colo.

Woody Herman At 100: 'A Blues Player From His Heart'

Alan Greenblatt — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:19:00 +0000
Woody Herman was one of the premier bandleaders in jazz, saxophonist Joe Lovano says.
"He didn't have the same chops and virtuosic approach like Benny Goodman or Artie Shaw, but he told a deep story," says Lovano, who played with Herman early in his career. "He was a blues player from his heart, and really had a beautiful voice on alto saxophone."
Born in 1913, Herman would have turned 100 on Thursday.

Edmar Castañeda And Friends On JazzSet

editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:50:00 +0000
As a child in Bogotá, Edmar Castañeda and his sister took folk dance classes. Their mother made sure of that. Castañeda liked the dancing, but he really liked the live harp accompaniment. In Spanish, the harp is called the llanero. It's Colombian, not a classical harp.
When the family moved to Queens, Castañeda studied trumpet and discovered jazz, especially improvisation.

Gregory Porter: A Lion In The Subway

Patrick Jarenwattananon — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:37:00 +0000
Subway entertainers are a mixed bag, but in the arts mecca of New York City, they're often overqualified — so much so that bands and other musical acts need to audition to even set up underground. And those are just the "official" performers.
Gregory Porter has the frame of a football linebacker — maybe because he once was one, for a Division I college — and the rich, booming voice you might expect from a guy with such lungs.

Balancing Influences: Saxophonist Mahanthappa Blends Styles

editor — Sun, 12 May 2013 19:49:00 +0000
When a single review compares an artist's work to both Mahavishnu Orchestra and The Stooges, hardcore rock music fans sit up and take notice.
That's the high praise the Los Angeles Times bestowed upon saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa.
You'll find the Indian-American's work filed under jazz, but it's hard to find a style he doesn't touch.

A DIY Guide To The History Of Women In Jazz

Lara Pellegrinelli — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:29:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8z6fwq4ZSE

Jane Monheit On Piano Jazz

Grant Jackson — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:26:00 +0000
Vocalist Jane Monheit visits Piano Jazz, as host Marian McPartland accompanies her on a hour of first-rate music from the Gershwins, Duke Ellington, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and more.
Monheit grew up on Long Island.

Donny McCaslin On Piano Jazz

Grant Jackson — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:56:00 +0000
Tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin got his start at age 12, when he began playing in his vibraphonist father's band in Santa Cruz, Calif. That group played the Monterey Jazz Festival for three years.