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An interview with Jorma Kaukonen: Looking back at it from this side of the mountain, it is hysterically funny : “In a career that has already spanned a half-century, Jorma Kaukonen has been one of the most highly respected interpreters of American roots music, blues, and rock.” So states the biographic information from his online press kit. “That’s very flattering in a lot of ways,” he responded when I read that to him. “You know, […]

Review: Giles Robson - Seven Blues Classics - 2024 - Videos : Multi-award winning Giles Robson is recognized across the world as a blues harmonica virtuoso which is why the prestigious American record label Alligator signed him up as their first and only UK or European artist. Giles won the Memphis Blues Music Award for best acoustic album, Journeys To The Heart Of The Blues featuring Bruce Katz and Joe Louis Walker which […]

Ron Carter and Russell Malone at The Museum Of Modern Art - Photo : “This is really something. I thought maybe 15 people would show up,” Ron Carter said in modest surprise as he scanned the massive crowd that packed the sculpture garden at the Museum of Modern Art—and even spilled over into MoMA’s lobby, with people pressed against the floor-to-ceiling windows behind the stage to see and hear. […]

An interview with John James: Musical influences came from the people I met ... : How has the music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken? The music I played was largely performance based therefore I had to travel to find a stage. Musical influences came from the people I met. In the early 1970’s on my first tours to Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, I met musicians […]

Dr. John Estate commemorates five years and four acclaimed albums - Photos : Shortly after Dr. John’s untimely death, the late and great American Blues Scene editor JD Nash wrote in his tribute, “He was the consummate authority on all things New Orleans. Via his Big Easy upbringing, the good doctor brought a spicy taste of NOLA to wherever he performed. His style of music, use of local […]

Review: Eric Clapton – To Save A Child – An Intimate Live Concert - 2024: Video : This intimate Eric Clapton concert was recorded and filmed in London in December 2023 for a small audience. Eric’s set included songs such as Tears In Heaven, Layla, River Of Tears, Got To Get Better In A Little While and a very special version of George Harrison’s Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) […]

An interview with Jon Cleary: The soul aspect is crucial, and that’s an intangible thing that you either have or you don’t have : Jon Cleary is one cool cat. The British-born piano prodigy made it his mission to bring New Orleans Rhythm & Blues piano back into the spotlight and he’s continued to breathe new life into the genre for over two decades. Beyond the keyboard Cleary is a rich soulful vocalist, a songwriter who seamlessly blends wit […]

Giuseppe Greggiati's novels interpreted by Corrado Rojac and Stelia Doz - Photos : The duo’s concert in Milan, Monday 3 June, at the Sala Esedra of the Scala Theater Museum. On Monday 3 June at 6.00 pm, in the Sala Esedra of the Scala Theater Museum in Milan, a meeting will be held with Corrado Rojac, concert performer, composer, holder of the accordion chair at the Giuseppe Tartini […]

An interview with Boo Mitchell: I’m working on lots of records ... : Boo Mitchell has been close to musical royalty his entire life. Growing up in the studio with his father, renowned musician and producer Willie Mitchell, he witnessed the making of some of the greatest albums in soul history, and has grown up to make music history on his own accord. Becoming the first Memphian to […]

Herak & Bulatkin Jazz Quartet from the Czech at Tbilisi Jazz Festival 2024: Video, Photos : https://jazzbluesnews.com

An interview with Oded Tzur: There is an infinity in the loudest, most intense sounds that we can produce - Photos : In late April 2024, in the weeks leading up to the release of his fifth album, My Prophet, Oded Tzur wrote to his mailing list subscribers: “Dear Friends, I’m very excited to share with you that my new album is coming out on ECM Records on June 7.” Further down the page, Brooklyn-based, Tel Aviv-born […]

Live Review: Victoriaville International Current Jazz Festival 2024 : The 40th edition of the Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville, held May 16-19, was marked by the big change of artistic directors from founding director Michel Levasseur to Scott Thomson, former artistic director of the Guelph Jazz Festival. On the other hand, the programming itself stayed true to the history of the festival, […]

Review: Emanuele Sartoris with Roberto Cifarelli – Framing of compositions - 2024 - Videos : The cover reads “Framing of compositions” (Tuk music) but the title could also have been “Compositions on shots”. The multimedia project by pianist Emanuele Sartoris and photographer Roberto Cifarelli develops, in fact, the relationship between music and images using the formula of exchange and intersection. Four pieces “commissioned” by Sartoris to Cifarelli and four photographic […]

An interview with Chris Janssen: Many new young blues bands are developing in the Netherlands : How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music? What has remained the same about your music-making process? Actually, there is only one answer to that, once you have as a musician a passion for music, you grow as an artist. Not a day goes by that I […]

Mother or stepmother? Anything but old Europe - Photos : Europa: mother or stepmother? The question is legitimate and topical in view of the electoral appointment at the beginning of June. But – beyond who will sit in the new parliament and the clash between pro-Europeans and sovereignists – the question above all concerns cultural discourse and our roots. And it affects the way of […]

Brad Mehldau Trio in Roma - This environment equipped with all the latest discoveries in acoustic technology is full to the last place - Photos, Videos : The Sinopoli Hall was reserved for the Mehldau trio: it is the one in which the Orchestra of the Accademia di S. Cecilia usually plays, the detail is more significant than ever. This environment equipped with all the latest discoveries in acoustic technology is full to the last place: further wonder, Brad is a leading […]

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The conglomerate of euphony - Lars Danielsson - Playful lightness meets highly complex compositions - Photos : 40 years of the State Jazz Festival is a long time, peppered with big names from the scene who paid their respects in Tübingen and that evening, co-organizer Florian Dohrmann’s “request concert”, as he emphasized when making the announcement, took place in the KSK Carree. The guest was Liberetto, the quartet of Swedish bassist Lars […]

An interview with Luca Aquino: Lunaria 2 - You fall madly in love with jazz, it becomes a way of living and thinking every day - Photos : Written interview with trumpeter Luca Aquino BluesJazzScenes: – The joy in your playing has brought joy to so many others, including and especially me. What do you think is its secret? Luca Aquino։ – If it’s true, I’m happy. It’s a nice thing. I don’t think there is a secret and I don’t think it’s […]

BJS favorites Dave Douglas and Trish Clowes back to the Mermaid with a new project - Photos : The smaller stages remained abuzz well into the wee hours on the last night of Bray Jazz Festival, but a little earlier the final act on the main stage—in the Mermaid Arts Centre—saw another full house treated to an exciting double bill. Opening the evening was pan-national group Next Experiment, while the headline slot brought […]

Winner of the 7th annual Ella Fitzgerald Jazz vocal competition announced - Dani Assis: Photos : The Blues Alley Jazz Society is pleased to announce the winner of the 7th annual Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocal Competition—Dani Assis (New Canaan, CT). 2nd Place Winner is Aviana Gedler (West Des Moines, IA), and 3rd Place Winners are Angelina Kolobukhova (Minsk, Belarus), Arvin Ma (Shanghai, China), and Tina Hashemi (Charlottesville, VA). The competition included […]

An interview with Studebaker John: The balance between technique, blues and soul - Photos : How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music? What has remained the same about your music-making process? Well I started as a child; I was very young about 5 to 7 years old just fooling around with the chromatic harmonica. I always liked doing that it […]

An interview with Lil' Ed Williams: Razor-sharp shimmering vibrato on guitar is almost dangerously feral in the blues canon - Photos : Today, Lil’ Ed’s razor-sharp shimmering vibrato on guitar is almost dangerously feral in the blues canon. He mixes smoking guitar boogies and raw-bone shuffles with deep slow burners for a power punch that makes one forget that Howlin’ Wolf and Freddie King are gone. It’s been eight years since Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials put out […]

David Sanborn, renowned saxophonist, dies at the age of 78 - Photos : David Sanborn, one of the most influential saxophonists in contemporary jazz and pop, died on May 12, 2024. He was 78 years old. His death was announced on his Facebook page, which stated that the cause was complications from prostate cancer. The post indicated that Sanborn had been dealing with that cancer since 2018. In […]

Many of the musicians from this year's Blues Jazz Scenes 2024 festival will be performing at the New York club: who are they - Photos : Entering its second quarter century as committed as ever to pure jazz (All About Jazz),” SMOKE Jazz Club continues its 25th anniversary season with another month of today’s leading artists in jazz. June begins with a fan favorite and longtime friend of the club’s: trumpeter Nicholas Payton (May 29-June 2). Returning to SMOKE is MacArthur […]

An interview with Pat Smillie: I became entrenched in the local soul/blues scene. I don’t think music means as much to young people today - Photos : How has the Blues, Soul and Roots music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken? From a young age, maybe 6-7 years old, I was always interested in music. I did not come from a musical family, however, my Dad was a big fan of the early rock & roll he […]

Review: Brad Mehldau - After Bach II (2024) : The album comprises four preludes and one fugue from J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, as well as the Allemande from Partita for Keyboard No. 4 in D Major, interspersed with seven compositions or improvisations by Mehldau inspired by the complementary works of the Baroque master—including his Variations on Bach’s Goldberg Theme. Mehldau, speaking of the “universality” […]

Review: Fred Hersch - Silent, Listening - 2024 : It took Fred Hersch a long time to begin recording for ECM—four decades and 17 Grammy nominations since his first own-name album—but when he arrived he did so in style. The Song Is You (ECM, 2022), a duo recording with flugelhornist Enrico Rava, reviewed here, was quietly sensational. The word “recalibration” is often wheeled out […]

Juke Joint Festival is a Celebration of Town’s Turnaround and the Music That Made it all Possible - Photos : In this era of cookie cutter festivals, often run by large corporate entities, it’s nice to know that they’ve been keeping it real down in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Their Juke Joint Festival, held every April, is truly a joint effort from a dedicated community that has been doing it right for 21 years. There is a bond […]

The Blues Foundation Announces 2024 Blues Music Awards Winners - Photos : The Blues Foundation announced the winners of the 45th Annual Blues Music Awards on May 9 in Memphis. Guitarist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, the night’s biggest winner, took home four awards including “Album of the Year” for Live in London. Bobby Rush, Mike Zito, Ruthie Foster, and John Primer all received multiple awards as well. Full […]

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Review: Brian Bromberg - LaFaro - 2024 : As much as one can appreciate the astonishing stylistic breadth of music that is gathered under the banner of “jazz” today, for many listeners there remains nothing like a supremely swinging straight-ahead date for listening pleasure. For those folks, Brian Bromberg’s gorgeous new album LaFaro delivers on many levels: musicianship, sound quality, thematic cohesion and […]

Torino Jazz Festival 2024 - Photos : A collection of photos from the Torino Jazz Festival, 12th edition in Torino, Italy from April 20, 2024 to April 30 2024 featuring Dave Holland, Christian McBride, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Ernesto Simpson, Jaleel Shaw, Eric Harland, Roscoe Mitchell, Steve Lehman, Michele Rabbia, John Zorn, Laura Klain, Ares Tavolazzi, Sakina Abdou, Julian Lage, Kenny Wollesen, Jorge Roeder, Eric Mingus and Silvia Bolognesi. Dave Holland Trio Dave Holland Jaleel Shaw Eric Harland Dave Holland […]

An interview with Chris O'Leary: My sound is very eclectic while still attempting to be respectful to the tradition of the Blues I love : An interview with Chris O’Leary: How has the Blues influenced your views of the world? What touched you from the sound of harmonica? While the blues (the music itself) has touched on my world views, my life as a blues musician has definitely had an impact on how I view different people places cultures etc. […]

Antonia Bennett: We're poised to make a real difference in the lives of young musicians - Photos : Antonia Bennett, the acclaimed jazz singer and daughter of legendary jazz icon Tony Bennett, is partnering with Jazz Angels for “One Night Only,” a concert to help raise funds and awareness on behalf of Jazz Angels non-profit youth organization. This exclusive event will take place on Saturday, May 25, at the Salvation Army Red Shield […]

Review: Yusef Lateef - Atlantis Lullaby - The Concert From Avignon : Yusef Lateef’s performance in Atlantis Lullaby is a masterclass in communication and demonstration of synergy. In this previously unreleased performance recorded in Avignon, France in 1972, Lateef, on soprano sax, tenor sax and flute, is accompanied by Kenny Barron on piano, Bob Cunningham on bass and Albert Tootie Heath on drums. This two-CD package is […]

An interview with Mick Pini: Blues is about shared feelings, something that doesn't figure much - Photos : If you’re lucky enough to catch veteran British bluesman Mick Pini live you are guaranteed the real deal; no pedals, no effects, just a (rare) 54 Strat (stroked) played by a bluesmeister. Oh – and how he makes it plead, bleed, sing, scream, cry – and smoke! With a life time in music you’ll hear […]

New England Conservatory Jazz Orchestra presents 'High Life: The Music of Wayne Shorter' - Photos : Legendary jazz composer and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who passed away on March 2, 2023, left a monumental artistic legacy. The NEC Jazz Orchestra pays tribute to Shorter with High Life: The Music of Wayne Shorter, the orchestra’s final concert of the season, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 18 in NEC’s Jordan Hall, 290 Huntington […]

An interview with Merle Perkins: To play a good groove and have the right feeling of the music : As a teenager Merle played in the Spirit of St. Louis Drum & Bugle Corp. “There is where it all started for me with the drums. If it was not for drum corp., I would not be a drummer today. I owe it all to drum corp.”  Merle moved to Chicago from St. Louis, MO. In […]

Bessie Jones and John Davis were very aware of their mission to help people understand this music,- says Peter Siegel, who recorded the original concert - Photos : A live recording of a concert can preserve one powerful moment indelibly in time. Coming June 14, 2024, Smithsonian Folkways will release The Complete Friends of Old-Time Music Concert by Bessie Jones, John Davis & The Georgia Sea Island Singers with Mississippi Fred McDowell and Ed Young, presenting a riveting, historic look at the intersection […]

Karrin Allyson writes the long-awaited next chapter in her series of love letters to Brazil : Vocalist, pianist, and composer Karrin Allyson writes the long-awaited next chapter in her series of love letters to Brazil on the aptly titled A Kiss for Brazil, to be released May 17 by Origin Records. The sequel to 1999’s From Paris to Rio and 2008’s Imagina: Songs of Brasil adds a bold spice to the […]

Guitar Masters Festival is proud to present many of the world’s most acclaimed jazz guitarists ... : The 2024 Guitar Masters Festival is proud to present many of the world’s most acclaimed jazz guitarists during a series of must-see performances from April 26-29, 2024. The guitar lineups at these shows represent a who’s who of jazz’s most innovative and influential six-string masters. The festivities kick off on Friday, April 26th at the […]

An interview with Charles Lloyd: There are a lot of folks in the world who have much more sensitivity than they’re given credit for ... - Photos : Charles Lloyd is on a mission. Never mind he celebrated his 85th birthday last year, he remains at the peak of his powers – and what’s more, he is constantly striving to improve. “I want to make a contribution,” he says. “If I want to do that, I have got to dig deeper and try […]

Album Review: Samara Joy - A Joyful Holiday - Video : Surely one of the most gifted – and, as time may yet reveal – important jazz vocalists of our century, 24-year-old Samara Joy is adept at channelling the greats, most notably Ella. On this six-track mini-album, she follows her illustrious forbear by releasing a Christmas album. Xmas platters are often cheap cash-ins or malodorous cheese-fests, […]

Album Review: Various Artists – Blind Raccoon and Nola Blue Collection Vol. 6 - 2024 : One of the busiest and most successful partnerships in blues in recent years, Betsie Brown’s Blind Raccoon marketing organization and Sallie Bengston’s Blue Heart label have consistently filled the charts with stellar releases with a roster that includes veterans, rising stars and regional acts, too. And this 15-track compilation of recent efforts is a must-listen […]

George Colligan Quartet - one of the best kept secrets in jazz at Chris Jazz Cafe : Pianist and multi-instrumentalist George Colligan is “one of the best kept secrets in jazz.” It’s not clear why he is such a secret, since. as saxophonist Don Braden once said, “As a creative artist, he’s really up there… In terms of technique, knowledge of music and improvisational creativity, there aren’t a whole lot of cats […]

An interview with Cassie Kinoshi: ... it's still floating around as an idea that could happen - Photos : Cassie Kinoshi, the acclaimed British composer and alto saxophonist, made her name as a founder member of the Afrobeat-inspired band Kokoroko and with her own ten-piece Seed Ensemble. Her work pushes social change, interrogating inequality and injustice, mainly through instrumental music, occasionally with lyrics, and always with invention and singularity. Seed’s sophomore album, gratitude (International […]

CD review: Ken Peplowski - Unheard Bird - 2024: Video, CD cover : https://jazzbluesnews.com

An interview with John McEuen: The Newsman answers the question asked in the song “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” And the answer is a resounding yes : “What I like is change,” says banjo picker John McEuen whose biggest claim to success is the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, a group that’s been playing the same fundamental bluegrass sound for more than six decades, an aggregation based on music founded by Bill Monroe almost 80 years ago. The Newsman, John McEuen’s new album due out on […]

Sullivan Fortner & Ambrose Akinmusire at Rackham Auditorium March - 2024: Photos : When it comes to its annual concert series, Ann Arbor’s University Musical Society utilizes Hill Auditorium and the Michigan Theater as the venues for the majority of its performances. When this rare appearance of pianist Sullivan Fortner and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire was set to take place at another performance space on the campus of the […]

Joshua Redman Group at Gates Concert Hall: Photos : “I think there’s a certain ambiguity in the title because the title should be a question, but I intentionally left the question mark off,” noted Redman in our pre-show interview. “There is an ambiguity in the entire concept of the album. It’s an album of songs about places in the United States, which is not […]

 

Billie Holiday Day!!! She is considered by many to be the greatest of all jazz singers - Photos : Billie Holiday (“Lady Day”) is considered by many to be the greatest of all jazz singers. In a tragically abbreviated singing career that lasted less than three decades, her evocative phrasing and poignant delivery profoundly influenced vocalists who followed her. Although her warm, feathery voice inhabited a limited range, she used it like an accomplished […]

Freddie Hubbard day!!! Hubbard's jazz career began in earnest after moving to New York City in 1958 - Photos : Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (born April 7, 1938 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American jazz trumpeter. In his youth, Hubbard associated with various musicians in Indianapolis, including Wes Montgomery and Montgomery’s brothers. Chet Baker was an early influence, although Hubbard soon aligned himself with the approach of Clifford Brown (and his forebears: Fats Navarro and Dizzy […]

Ravi Shankar day!!! Always ahead of his time, he has written two concertos for sitar and orchestra ... Photos : Ravi Shankar, the legendary sitarist and composer is India’s most esteemed musical Ambassador and a singular phenomenon in the classical music worlds of East and West. As a performer, composer, teacher and writer, he has done more for Indian music than any other musician. He is well known for his pioneering work in bringing Indian […]

These conversations with Eliza Neals and Colleen Wild shed a profound light on the intricate dance between instinct and artistry - Photos : There is having intuition and then there is trusting your intuition. Creativity always works best when guided by intuition but that can neither be explained nor ignored. In this edition of Gestures, we are exploring intuition, gut feelings, and instincts. Today’s conversations are with two of my favorite guttural singers, Eliza Neals and Colleen Wild. Eliza Neals, the Detroit-born […]

Utrecht Blues Festival 2024 has a beautiful design: Thad Robinson and Toronto Cannon, two American blues artists not often seen in the Netherlands: Photos : The Utrecht Blues Festival has a nice design, not an overloaded program but four top acts with two intermission acts, Roel Spanjers and The Ozdemirs, both of whom performed twice. This year, surprising acts were invited such as Tad Robinson and Toronto Cannon, two American blues artists who were not often seen in the Netherlands, […]

Brad Mehldau's two new albums are After Bach II and Après Fauré: Videos : Brad Mehldau has always drawn from classical music as well as jazz in his pianistic practice, finding in their confluence a persuasive and distinctly personal voice. Today he announced two new solo piano albums that speak to the play of those influences: After Bach II and Après Fauré, both due on Nonesuch Records on May […]

Bobby Rush: A Blues - The King of the Chitlin’ Circuit: Video : If you want a story about perseverance and justice, it doesn’t get better than Bobby Rush. As “The King of the Chitlin’ Circuit”, he was an electric entertainer, a singing and dancing machine. He grinded through night after night at bars and juke joints and small theaters. The Blues Hall of Famer was loved and respected […]

Photos: Cecil Taylor day!!! One of my wishes has been realized. I found love. It was difficult, but I found it: Video : “One of my wishes has been realized. I found love. It was difficult, but I found it. Because when Billy Holiday sang, ‘You don‘t know what love is,’ great singers will tell you… it‘s a partnership. It‘s a sharing.” — Cecil Taylor “Practice, to be studious at the instrument, as well as looking at a […]

Photos: Aretha Franklin day!!! She is one of the giants of Soul music: Video : Aretha Franklin is one of the giants of soul music, and indeed of American pop as a whole. More than any other performer, she epitomized soul at its most gospel-charged. Her astonishing run of late-’60s hits with Atlantic Records—”Respect,” “I Never Loved a Man,” “Chain of Fools,” “Baby I Love You,” “I Say a Little […]

Together 25 years with 10 albums to their credit: Chatham County Line: Bluegrass with Teeth: Video : “The songs can sound like whatever the writer wants it to sound like,” says Dave Wilson of Chatham County Line citing Bob Dylan as an example of an artist who regularly makes wildly eclectic changes to his own compositions. For most of its career Chatham County Line performed original material in the classic bluegrass mold clustered around a single […]

Review: Blue Deal – Can’t Kill Me Twice - 2024 : Germany’s Blue Deal consists of Joe Fischer on keyboards, cigar box guitar, harp and lead vocals. Tom Vela also provides vocals and is the lead guitarist, who acknowledges his influences as Jimi Hendrix and Stevie ray Vaughan. The band is completed by Jurgen Schneckenburger on drums and Martin Burger on bass and vocals. The band’s […]

An interview with Judy Collins: I will always fight for the truth - Photos : With her timeless voice, Judy is the link between the traditionalists that dominated the coffeehouse scene in the mid-60s and today’s Americana artists. GRAMMY-nominated ‘Spellbound,’ an album of all originals, is out now! “I believe in the truth. I will always fight for the truth. I think the propaganda of lies is despicable, and I […]

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Review: Mary Lane and Her West Side Blues Band – Leave Me Alone - 2024 : Once lost to the winds of time, the Blues Gods have resurrected Leave Me Alone by Mary Lane and Her West Side Blues Band (also known as “The No Static Blues Band”) for our listening pleasure. Lane boasts a powerful voice and commanding presence that deserves more recognition and praise. Growing up in the Arkansas […]

Photos: Blazing their own path of musical exploration, Futurebirds have spent their career painting outside the lines of any particular scene: Video : In a world that often demands the categorization of musical tastes, it is refreshing to experience a band that is about the vibe, not the genre. Blazing their own path of musical exploration, Futurebirds have spent their career painting outside the lines of any particular scene. As singer/guitarist Carter King has explained, the band has always been […]

An interview with James Kaplan - on his new book about Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Bill Evans : Veteran writer James Kaplan, author of acclaimed biographies of Frank Sinatra and other figures, has just written a book, 3 Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and the Lost Empire of Cool, that ties together the stories of those three jazz greats, culminating with the recording of the iconic album Kind of Blue but also […]

Jim Beard, keyboardist who made his mark in jazz-rock, is dead at 63: Photos : Jim Beard, a keyboardist and composer who toured with Steely Dan and played with jazz greats including Wayne Shorter and Pat Metheny, died on March 2 in a New York City hospital. He was 63. Steely Dan shared the news on its official website, without stating a cause. Reports in Billboard, Variety and elsewhere, citing […]

Photos: Robben Ford meets Licks & Brains. Blues, jazz en funk komen samen: Video : In this special collaboration, American guitarist Robben Ford and Dutch big band Licks & Brains share their love for exploring new musical paths, without losing sight of the real feeling and inspiration. They play songs from Robben Ford’s recent solo album Pure, which was arranged by Rolf Delfos, the leader of Licks & Brains, together […]

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An interview with Ada Rovatti: I like the fact that I present myself to the audience in a different format : An interview with Ada Rovatti. By Laura Wulff The joy in your playing has brought joy to so many others, including and especially me. What do you think is its secret? Well thank you ! it really warms my heart to know that I could touch someone and bring them joy. That is the highest […]

Interview with Will Bernard: Music brings us out of our normal day to day thinking : https://jazzbluesnews.com

Photos: Bobby McFerrin day! with a four-octave range and an astonishing musical palette, Bobby finds inspiration in composed music : Whatever Bobby McFerrin does, he breaks the mold – as a composer, arranger, and bandleader… as a conductor of symphony orchestras… and, of course, as a singer and improviser who expands our ideas of what music can be. He is that rare thing: a great entertainer and a groundbreaking artist, showing us that there are […]

Photos: Sonny Boy Williamson day! - nicknamed "King of the Harmonica" by his peers : Sonny Boy Williamson II, nicknamed “King of the Harmonica” by his peers, was one of the most inspiring harp players in blues history. With his passionate yet understated style, his metronome-like timing, and his endlessly inventive technique, he has influenced generations of players, including such virtuosos as Howling Wolf, James Cotton and Junior Wells. Aside […]

Live Review: Bob Dylan - His music is a monumental part of American culture in the 20th and 21st Centuries - Photos : Bob Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, Florida in March 5, 2024. What can one say about Bob Dylan that has yet to be said? His name is closely associated with the ’60s, the civil rights movement, and traditional folk music. His music is a monumental part of American culture […]

Photos: Ornette Coleman day! - In his search for a sound that expressed reality as he perceived it, Coleman knew he was not alone : Early on in his career, alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman, recorded an album entitled, The Shape of Jazz To Come. It might have seemed like an expression of youthful arrogance – Coleman was 29 at the time – but actually, the title was prophetic. Coleman is the creator of a concept of music called “harmolodic,” a […]

Review: The Soul Jazz Rebels - Iconiq - 2024 : Five years after our first meeting with the French quartet The Soul Jazz Rebels, which happened in connection with the release of its second, self-titled album, I can testify that the quartet has retained its identity – an unchanged and rather original (without bassist) composition: saxophonist Jean Verniere, guitarist Cyril Amourette, organist Hervé Saint-Giron and […]

Review: The Soul Jazz Rebels - Iconiq - 2024 : Five years after our first meeting with the French quartet The Soul Jazz Rebels, which happened in connection with the release of its second, self-titled album, I can testify that the quartet has retained its identity – an unchanged and rather original (without bassist) composition: saxophonist Jean Verniere, guitarist Cyril Amourette, organist Hervé Saint-Giron and […]

Dutch Blues CD Award 2023 for Robbert Duijf : Every year the Dutch Blues Foundation (DBF) presents an Award for the Best Dutch Blues CD. Thirteen Dutch blues acts will register their new CD in 2023. The jury, consisting of presenters of blues radio programs and critics, assessed all CDs on blues content, mix, originality/own sound and general impression. The public could vote digitally […]

Photo album: An unparalleled strong live band then and now. Julian Sas – Groene Engel Oss, March 2, 2024 : It was at the end of 1994 when the young Julian Sas formed his own band. Julian has already spent about 10 years as a member of various bands, as an accompanist for older American blues legends and especially as an up-and-coming guitar talent. In a short time, the Julian Sas Band has built up […]

Photos: Internationale Jazzwoche Burghausen 2024: Advance sales for Jazz Week 2024 are in full swing : So if you haven’t secured your tickets yet, you should do so as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the SULLY BAND has canceled their concert as part of the Blues Afternoon. But with D.K. HARRELL there is a more than great replacement. Tickets that have already been purchased remain valid. Young Jazz Prize: The finalists are […]

Photos: Internationale Jazzwoche Burghausen 2024: Advance sales for Jazz Week 2024 are in full swing : So if you haven’t secured your tickets yet, you should do so as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the SULLY BAND has canceled their concert as part of the Blues Afternoon. But with D.K. HARRELL there is a more than great replacement. Tickets that have already been purchased remain valid. Young Jazz Prize: The finalists are […]

Photos: Larry Carlton day! - he has a sweet, peaceful personality, and one can hear it in his unique, rhythmic ... : Larry Carlton’s own musical story began in Southern California. He picked up his first guitar when he was only six years old. He was introduced to jazz in junior high school after hearing The Gerald Wilson Big Band album, Moment of Truth, with guitarist Joe Pass. Larry then became interested in Barney Kessel, Wes Montgornery […]

An interview with Walter Trout: I know I’m broken : Walter Trout discusses ‘Broken,’ his new album that will become historically important in the evolution of blues-rock. “I’d hit a wall, and I had to stop thinking about this because it was too much for me.” That’s when blues rocker Walter Trout called on his wife Marie for help in writing the lyrics to the […]

Photos: Ralph Towner day! Musical innovation is no easy feat - He is such an innovator on the modern musical landscape: Video : Musical innovation is no easy feat. It not only requires an innate talent, but also a devotion to the art that is not blinded by the commercial glare of the popular culture. Ralph Towner is such an innovator on the modern musical landscape, his ideas ever fresh, though they span a career of more than […]

Interview with Carlos Santana: I just love that sound - Photos : Carlos Santana is without doubt one of the finest guitarists modern music has to offer. From his explosive appearance on the Woodstock stage fifty years ago, in 1968, through his work with Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter and the legendary blues duo of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper, Santana has remained a unique, instantly recognisable figure […]

Interview with Lisa Mills: It’s just a wave of love and appreciation - Photos : Lisa Mills is an incredibly gifted singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Born and raised in Mississippi, she is well grounded in her blues based, soulfully delivered original music. www.lisamills.com Lisa grew up in and around Hattiesburg Mississippi, beginning her singing career in the church that her grandparents actually built. Gospel was her first musical love, and […]

Dexter Gordon day!!! - is considered to be the first musician to translate the language of Bebop to the tenor saxophone: Photos : Dexter Gordon day!!! – is considered to be the first musician to translate the language of Bebop to the tenor saxophone. Dexter Keith Gordon was born on February 27, 1923 in Los Angeles, California. His father, Dr. Frank Gordon, was one of the first African American doctors in Los Angeles who arrived in 1918 after […]

Joey Calderazzo day!!! - he is simultaneously finding new levels of feeling: Photos : Everybody knows Joey Calderazzo, the phenomenal band pianist. From the time of his emergence with Michael Brecker in 1986 through his recent work in the Branford Marsalis Quartet, and on five previous albums under his own name, Calderazzo has proved to be among the most intense and engaged of contemporary soloists and accompanists. His energy, […]

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Review: The Taj Mahal Sextet – Lovin’ In My Baby’s Eyes - 2024: Video : Today we return with the Taj Mahal Sextet with a song from the great Live Album “Swingin’ Live At The Church in Tulsa”. For his new record, 81-year-old blues legend Taj Mahal went to the church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was once converted into a studio by friend Leon Russell. He supplemented his own band […]

Review: Joe Bonamassa – Live At The Hollywood Bowl – With Orchestra - 2024: Video : This monumental CD/DVD, also available in CD/BR, 2 LP Vinyl (180-gram), and digital formats, immortalizes Joe’s first-ever performance at the iconic Hollywood Bowl in August 2023. Accompanied by an impressive ensemble of 40 orchestra members, Bonamassa delivered a performance that will now be forever encapsulated in this eagerly awaited release. Live At The Hollywood Bowl […]

Photos & Scene: La Ratte, a rapidly rising star in our blues & roots firmament and a band: Video : This young, energetic three-man formation consists of singer/guitarist Harm van Essen (also guitarist with the Thomas Toussaint Band), drummer Jochem Jorrisen and bassist Nikolas Karolewicz (former The Bluesanovas) finally managed to get a place on our cozy stage. Once started as a duo, La Ratte took its final form as a trio in 2021. The […]

Photos and Review: Concert report with Five Dollar Shake as the support act: Video : In addition to many large bands, the shelter for the storm program also has room for smaller bands. But is GA-20 still a small band? They played tonight in one of the smaller halls of Tivoli Vredenburg, but they have also performed at the Moulin’ blues festival in 2022. The trio consists of guitarist Pat […]

James Witherspoon's "blues shouter" - fell out of fashion in the mid - 1950s, but he returned to popularity with his 1959 album: Video : James Witherspoon was an American blues singer. Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. Witherspoon made his first records with Jay McShann’s band in 1945. He first recorded under his own name in 1947 and two years later with the McShann band, he had his first hit, “Ain’t Nobody’s Business.” Another classic Witherspoon composition is “Times […]

Photos: It is difficult to pin the multi-talented Michel Legrand down into one single category : This amazingly versatile French singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, conductor and producer has enjoyed a whirlwind career, excelling in an impressively broad range of domains from film soundtracks and French ‘chanson’ to jazz and classical music. An international star, who has won as much respect in the States as he has in Europe, Legrand is an […]

Review: Zakiya Hooker – Bluesman’s Journey - 2024: Video: Blues : Being the daughter of a blues legend can be quite tough. You can never escape comparisons with your father. However, in the case of Zakiya Hooker, daughter of legendary boogieman John Lee Hooker, Zakiya has her own plans. She has nothing to do with her father’s boogie blues. On her sixth album ‘Bluesman’s Journey’ she […]

Photos: An interview with Buddy Guy: If you want to dig down, dig down deep enough, that’s what you call the blues : There are few great bluesmen who can deservedly be called ‘Legendary.‘ Very few ever make the cut and leave an astonishing legacy of music, a lifetime of contribution and pleasure to the blues canon and world. The late BB King is clearly one who merits the moniker. And his old lifelong friend, the extraordinary Buddy […]

Review: Mitch Ryder – The Roof Is On Fire - 2024: Video: Blues : Singer Mitch Ryder is known as the founder of the Detroit rock sound, a man with a raspy soul rock voice. Keith Richards once called him “the most exciting singer in rock.” And while Ryder never achieved the mainstream success he deserved, he continued to make records tirelessly; in the 1970s and 1980s, especially in […]

Review: Who are you: Armageddon: Blues : In the 1960s and 1970s, a large number of albums were released by artists who never became known to the general public. As a result, these types of albums were doomed to end up in the so-called “sale bins”. Hoping that someone would come along who would be curious enough to try out the artist […]

Photos: An interview with Blues pianist Dr. John: Solo Piano - Live in New Orleans : Today’s digital release coincides with Dr. John’s November birthday anniversary, and the iconic venue Tipitina’s will follow with Papa Plays the Nite Tripper: A John “Papa” Gros Tribute to Dr. John this Saturday, November 18. In addition to John Papa Gros, the show will feature The Meters’ Leo Nocentelli, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, and others. […]

CD Review: John Winkler – Juke’s Blues: Blues : A fixture on the blues scene of coastal South Carolina for the past 30 years, harp player John Winkler swings from the jump on his latest CD, delivering a pleasant mix of Chicago, Texas and West Coast blues and jump and backing himself up with a pleasant, mid-range voice to match. A native of the […]

CD Review: John Winkler – Juke’s Blues: Blues : A fixture on the blues scene of coastal South Carolina for the past 30 years, harp player John Winkler swings from the jump on his latest CD, delivering a pleasant mix of Chicago, Texas and West Coast blues and jump and backing himself up with a pleasant, mid-range voice to match. A native of the […]

 

John McLaughlin: That was unexpected and strange at times. I remember playing with Eric Clapton : There are guitarists who are maybe known as being ‘big-hitters’ then there are a few, a handful at most, who might merit the moniker of being ‘huge-hitters.’  UK picker John McLaughlin falls into the latter camp, with a truly astonishing ability and drive that has never slowed, drifted or faltered in what is now over sixty years […]

CD Review: Tinsley Ellis – Naked Truth = 2024: Blues : Tinsley Ellis was born in Atlanta on June 4, 1957, and raised in Florida. He received his first guitar at age seven. He was inspired to learn to play after watching The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. Tinsley developed his love of the blues as a teen by first listening to the British Invasion […]

 

Photos and Review: The European All-Stars: Martin Sasse, Mini Schulz, Bernd Reiter feat. Stephane Belmondo & Gabor Bolla : This international all-star quintet brings together outstanding soloists and bandleaders from four European countries (France, Germany, Hungary, Austria), who continue the musical legacy of the great masters of jazz with a lot of respect, admiration and passion. Stephane Belmondo is one of the most renowned trumpeters in Europe. He has lived in Paris since 1986, […]

CD Review: Lester Chambers – Lester Chamber’s A Tribute to Jimmy Reed - 2024: Blues : Chambers Brothers co-founder and lead singer Lester Chambers has produced an album to give tribute to Jimmy Reed. He met Reed when he was 14 years old at the Orpheum Theater. He was moved and it helped spur a career that rocketed he and his brothers to top the music charts. But success was not […]

CD Review: Mark Easton – Nothing’s Sacred - 2024։ Blues : Very little information is available about Mark Easton on either his web site or with notes he provided with his album release. What I discern from the provided information is that Mark is from Australia. He has a long history in music with steps in punk rock, the glam scene, and more recently settling into […]

Photos and Review: The European All-Stars: Martin Sasse, Mini Schulz, Bernd Reiter feat. Stephane Belmondo & Gabor Bolla

 

Photos and Review: Peter Frampton at The Sound, Clearwater

Photos: The Nick Moss Band will return to the Notodden Blues Festival in August

Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of The Spinners, dies at 85: Photo

Photos: Kent blends a mix of Blues – Rock and Americana: Video

Georg Graewe explained. I’m not trying to be one with the piano

The concert to the rhythm of Blues