Alicia Camiña: Elevating Jazz Fusion with the Release of ‘Somewhere in My Dream’
Los Angeles, CA – [7/29/2024] – Renowned saxophone player and composer Alicia Camiña is thrilled to announce the release of her latest album, ‘Somewhere in My Dream,’ an innovative blend…
Preach Brother!: Wilkerson’s Soulful Serenade
Don Wilkerson’s album “Preach Brother!” is a masterful creation that effortlessly blends soul, jazz, and blues into a captivating musical experience. Released in the golden era of the 1960s, this…
Moanin’
As a novice jazz pianist, there is one composition that has consistently captivated me and inspired my musical journey. It is none other than the renowned piece by jazz pianist…
Exploring Jazz Standards
In his book “The Jazz Standards,” Ted Gioia, a well-known American author, jazz pianist, and music historian, stated that during his own journey of learning jazz, there existed a core…
Celebrating Powerful Female Voices Who Shaped R&B
Rhythm-and-blues has been home to some of the most powerful and influential female voices in music history. From the early days of the genre to the present, women have made…
Top 5 Essential Jazz Albums You Should Own
As a music genre, jazz holds a significant position in the global music scene. With its unique improvisational approach and wide range of influences, jazz has enthralled music enthusiasts for…
John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme
John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme is a transformative and deeply personal work that speaks to the heart of human experience. As a listener, I am drawn in by the raw…
Jumpin’ with Roy Milton
As the 1940s dawned, a new sound began to emerge from the jazz clubs of America. It was a sound that blended swing, blues, and gospel, and is characterized by…
The Best Jazz Albums Released in 2022
As 2022 came and went, there were many events that affected me on a personal level. Amidst all the turmoil, music served as a constant source of comfort and stability.…
Destination…Out! by Jackie McLean
Acclaimed saxophonist and hard-bop innovator Jackie McLean was a vital contributor to the direction of jazz music into post-bop by introducing elements of the avant-garde through the 1950s and ’60s.…
Recap of Alfa Mist’s Electrifying Performance in Prague
Event recap: Palac Akropolis, October 23, 2022 Palac Acropolis, a cozy and historic venue nestled in the Zizkov district of Prague, played host to an unforgettable evening of contemporary jazz…
10 Essential and Diverse Jazz Records to Start Your Collection
Starting a jazz collection is easy, but how can you bring diversity to the mix? Jazz music has evolved since its birth and is still progressing today, this triggered the development…
Music Documentaries You Must See to Believe
Have you ever heard a life story that was too powerful to believe? Below you can find five biographical documentaries that challenged the truth and caused controversy and disbelief among…
War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothin’!
Edwin Star recorded and released “War” in March 1970. The song is an anti-Vietnam-war statement. However, his message includes a broader meaning as it addresses a general need for harmony…
Chris Dave And The Drumhedz’s Self-titled Debut Album
Chris Dave, the recognized drummer who supported amongst other Adele and Justin Bieber, released his self-titled debut album with a large group of experienced musicians called the Drumhedz in 2018.…
Spotlight on Coltrane: 5 Diverse Albums
John Coltrane started his musical journey in 1949 under the spell of Charlie Parker and later Dizzy Gillespie. In 1954, he joined The Miles Davis Quintet where he was encouraged…
Jazz Album Covers That Inspire – Part 3
What attracts me to an album apart from the music, is the sleeve design. Here are again five designs that inspired me. The artwork is stunning and at the same…
Dear Love by Jazzmeia Horn and Her Noble Force
There is nothing more appealing to me than a jazz album infused with poetry and spoken word. And this is exactly what Jazzmeia Horn offers us. Dear Love is the…
Alfa Mist’s “Bring Backs” Blends Jazz with Spoken Word
With his third studio album, the British producer, songwriter, and self-thought pianist Alfa Mist reflects upon his sampling and hip-hop days on the streets of London. After self-releasing his two…
The Best Jazz Albums Released in 2021
How was 2021 for jazz musicians? Let’s reflect back and list out what were, according to me, the five best jazz albums released during the year. Dear Love – Jazzmeia…
There Is No End: Tony Allen’s Final Drumroll Is a Message For the Next Generation
There Is No End is the album Tony Allen was working on before passing away at the age of 79. His fellow collaborators finished the recording and posthumously released the…
Out To Lunch! with Eric Dolphy: An Imaginatively Advanced Improviser
The year nineteen sixty-four was revolutionary when it comes to jazz records. Coltrane recorded his most acclaimed work, A Love Supreme, which got released the following year. Lee Morgan released…
Frankie Lymon & The Early Success of Rock-and-roll
One of the most famous and influential bands in doo-wop music history is The Teenagers, with Frankie Lymon as the lead singer. The five kids from Washington Heights are most celebrated…
Duke Ellington & John Coltrane: A Collaboration Between the Generations
World-renowned jazz pianist and composer Duke Ellington regularly partnered with other acclaimed jazz musicians during the early sixties. John Coltrane was no exception. In 1962, the pianist and the tenor…
John Coltrane’s Soultrane
The second half of the nineteen-fifties defined John Coltrane’s career and helped him come into prominence as a musician and arranger. Underlined is the time as a member in Miles…
Buddy Bolden, The First Jazz Musician
Who played a key role in the birth of New Orleans jazz, and is considered the first jazz musician, is Buddy Bolden (born Charles Joseph Bolden). Buddy Bolden was an…
Little Mummy – A Rarity on Federal Records
Little Mummy, whose real identity is unknown, was a rhythm-an-blues singer who recorded only two songs with Federal Records in New Orleans. The songs were officially released decades after being…
Robert Glasper Shows Off His Jazz Chops With “Canvas”
Robert Glasper showed off his jazz chops long before he released the Grammy-winning album Black Radio in 2012. His Blue Note debut album titled Canvas was released in 2005 and…
Tony Allen’s The Source – Afrobeat or Jazz?
Tony Allen’s 2017 mini-album release A Tribute To Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers was a unique opportunity to marry his afrobeat rhythms with Art Blakey’s hard bop influences. It…
John Coltrane’s Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album
Another lost John Coltrane recording which recently got discovered is the album titled Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album. The album got recorded on March 6, 1963, in the…
Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Debut Album: Afro Blue
Dee Dee Bridgewater, born Denise Garrett (1950), is an award-winning singer-songwriter with a career encompassing jazz, soul, and disco. Her debut studio album Afro Blue is a timeless soul-jazz masterpiece…
The Rhythm of Shirley Ellis – The Name Game
Shirley Ellis, born Shirley Marie O’Garra in 1929, was an American soul singer and songwriter who gained international fame during the 1960s. Although her active recording span was short, Shirley…
The Composition That Established Boogie-woogie: The Fives
Boogie-woogie piano music would always remain a Texas tradition, but its music hub would become Chicago. In 1921, George Washington Jr. Thomas and Hersal Thomas moved to Chicago and, they…
A Collective of Musicians Re:imagined the Blue Note Catalogue
Ever since its birth, jazz music has continuously evolved into various subgenres. The American record label Blue Note Records, which got established in 1939, played a significant role in this…
Tony Allen’s Tribute To Art Blakey
Afrobeat legend and drummer, Tony Allen, was strongly influenced by the recordings of Art Blakey. For his first release on Blue Note Records, he pays a tribute to one of…
Youthful Enthusiasm: The Cooker by Lee Morgan
Trumpeter Lee Morgan was only 19 years old when he led the recording of his Blue Note original album titled The Cooker. The album is a demonstration of Morgan’s early…
Digging the Archives: Previously Unissued Jazz Recordings
There are various reasons for record companies to decide not to release an album. Labels such as Blue Note recorded more than they could release and had to prioritize. Sometimes…
The Pioneers of Boogie-woogie: Lewis, Ammons, & Johnson
When looking back at the development of boogie-woogie piano music, three pianists stand out. Their names are Meade ‘Lux’ Lewis, Albert Ammons, and Pete Johnson. They are responsible for getting…
Time OutTakes: A Peek Into The Studio With The Dave Brubeck Quartet
When author Philip Clark was researching for his biography Dave Brubeck: A Life in Time, he discovered previously unissued tapes from the recording sessions of Time Out in 1959. Time…
The Album That Documented Ethio-Jazz: Mulatu Of Ethiopia
Ethiopian jazz musician and composer Mulatu Astatke had one important goal. He got inspired by jazz music and wanted to promote and actively use Ethiopian music in his jazz compositions.…
John Coltrane’s Blue World
By 1964 saxophonist John Coltrane was one of the leading figures in jazz music. Mainly, thanks to his release of Giant Steps in 1960. Officially, he recorded and released two…
Just Coolin’ With Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
Just Coolin’ is the result of a unique but short-lived ensemble of The Jazz Messengers collective. Originally founded and led by drummer Art Blakey, The Jazz Messengers knew many changes.…
John Coltrane’s Giant Steps
John Coltrane’s masterpiece, Giant Steps, turned sixty in 2020 and this was celebrated with an anniversary deluxe edition LP. Let’s have a brief look at how the album came to…
Thelonious Monk At His Best – Palo Alto
In 1968, the sixteen-year-old Danny Scher invited Thelonious Monk and his quartet to play a benefit concert at his high school in Palo Alto, California. The concert got recorded and…
Jazz Album Cover Designs That Inspire – Part 2
Once again, I dove into my collections in search of inspiring designs. Here are five more record sleeves that tell a story. Mulatu Of Ethiopia – Mulatu Astatke 1972 /…
Hugh Masekela and Tony Allen – Rejoice, Here Comes Tony
Would there be afrobeat without Tony Allen? Tony Allen’s beats and rhythms were, to say it modest, genre-defining. He will always be remembered as the pioneer and co-founder of afrobeat.…
Five Biographical Documentaries Of Jazz Titans
It’s not an easy task to capture the life of jazz titans like John Coltrane or Miles Davis into a ninety minutes cut. There is a lot of ground to…
How Pixar Portrays Jazz in Their New Movie ‘Soul’
Pixar’s new animated movie Soul, directed by Pete Docter (Up) and Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami), is a unique collaboration between filmmakers and musicians. Pixar Animation Studios has delivered a long…
An Interview With Island Boy Ricky LA
Prague-based musician and songwriter Ricky LA is kicking off his music career with the release of his debut EP called Island Boy. I was eager to learn more about his…
The Best Jazz Albums Released in 2020
2020 wasn’t a great year for culture. Luckily, we still had jazz music and its ability to adapt to any situation. A new generation of musicians emerged and they are…
New Orleans Jazz in a Nutshell: From Bolden to Armstrong
New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz and the home of many of its pioneers. New Orleans jazz is a forerunner of the many forms of jazz music we know…
Jazz Album Cover Designs That Inspire – Part 1
My record collection is growing every day and what attracts me to purchasing an album apart from the music is the sleeve design. For this article, I dove into my…
Old Folks at Home (Way Down Upon Swanee River)
One of my all-time favorite boogie-woogie piano songs is Swanee River Boogie performed by Albert Ammons And His Rhythm Kings. Ammons plays a steady and repeating boogie baseline with the…
The Real Nitty Gritty – A Tribute to Shirley Ellis
This article is written in memory and honor of Shirley Elliston († October 5, 2005, New York City) Shirley Ellis is one of the most exciting performers in the world…
Boogie-woogie: An Invitation to Dance
Boogie-woogie is, without doubt, one of the most complex piano styles developed in America. The pianist needs to demonstrate exceptional hand-independence skills and an excessive sense for rhythm and timing…
Jim Dandy To The Rescue
With a recognizable drum intro from David Albert ‘Panama’ Francis, and with guidance on the tenor sax by Sam ‘The Man’ Taylor, LaVern Baker hit the charts in 1956 with…
Work with Me, Annie
“Don’t be ‘shamed”, “Call my name”, “Oh, our hot lips kissing, Girl, I’ll beg mercy, Oh, hugging and more teasing, Don’t want no freezing” are fragments of the original song…
Shake, Rattle, & Roll
It was the co-founder of Atlantic Records, Ahmet Ertegun, who approached Jesse Stone with the question to write an up-tempo 12-bar blues song for Big Joe Turner. Little did he…
Introduction To 45 rpm Record Collecting
As a deejay and music collector, I purchase as many 45’s as I buy LP’s. Columbia Records copyrighted the term LP (Long Playing) so, let’s use the word ‘album’ going…
Comparing the Sound – Mono vs. Stereo
The mono (monaural) vs. stereo (stereophonic or binaural) sound is an important aspect to take into consideration when purchasing a record. But what does it mean and what influence will…
The Origin And Influence Of Doo-wop music
The sound of doo-wop music was born out of the creativity of the African American youth who dealt with the impact of segregation during its peak in the late 1940s…
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