Choice Concerts
Dennis Mackrel was ready at the age of 19. He moved to New York City and landed a job playing drums in the pit band for "A Chorus Line." He then became the youngest member of the Count Basie Orchestra and the last drummer hired by Basie himself. A
Choice Concerts
When it comes to soul-jazz, tenor saxophonist Houston Person has few rivals. He's been at the top of the genre for five decades. Perhaps best known for his work with singer Etta Jones, Person has set the standard for mellow and melodic playing. Over his long career, he's been
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When you grow up as an only child with two high-profile performing artists for parents, your fate may be sealed. It took a while, but Kristen Shiner McGuire has finally released her debut album, and it's a satisfying feeling. "It was one of the most thrilling things in my life,"
Choice Concerts
Saxophonist Tia Fuller turned heads with her muscular style while on tour with pop star Beyoncé. On the jazz scene she's collaborated with Don Byron, Jimmy Heath, Don Braden, and others. But she took it up a notch last year with the release of "Decisive Steps." The title's reference
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It's not hard to find examples of jazz records dedicated to great songwriters. Miles Davis recorded an album of Richard Rodgers tunes, Herbie Hancock released an all-Gershwin CD, and The Wee Trio has just put out an album of David Bowie songs. One of these things is not like
Choice Concerts
The Swooners excavate the Great American Songbook with no shortage of swing. The Bob Sneider Trio is upstate New York's premier hard-bop guitar combo. Keyboardist-vocalist Todd East combines the styles of Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder in his R&B repertoire. And the University of Rochester YellowJackets take a cappella
Choice Concerts
The Malcolm Moore Band's tunes are influenced by a range of eclectic musicians wide enough to include Thelonious Monk, David Bowie, Tom Waits, and Radiohead. Conceptually, the group's recent album, "REANIMATION," draws inspiration from the albums of Kate Bush (specifically "The Dreaming" and "Hounds of Love") and the 1985
CD Reviews
Pianist Silvano Monasterios was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and had a substantial career going there as a teenager when he decided to strengthen his jazz chops with study in the United States. Over the next decade he won numerous awards in competitions along with his degrees. "Unconditional," his second
CD Reviews
"Cumbanchero" is a slang word south of the border, referring to one who is an expert in the fine art of having fun. That would be an apt description of Mark Weinstein and, by extension, anyone who has the pleasure of listening to his wonderful new CD. Weinstein is
Choice Concerts
Madeline Forster's voice bridges the best of both worlds. She studied classical voice at the Eastman School of Music and then took off for York University in Toronto, where she majored in jazz studies, so her classical chops are enhanced with a jazz flair. If her recent album, "Just
Choice Concerts
Just back from club gigs in Barcelona, Spain, trumpeter extraordinaire Mike Kaupa is bringing his Duo Project to the Little Theatre Café every Monday night in January. A featured soloist in the Dave Rivello Ensemble, Kaupa has also lent his gorgeous tone to Ray Charles, Steve Gadd, Gary Bartz,
Choice Concerts
If you like your salsa bold and rich, try Sofrito. No, this is not the food page; I'm talking about the music played by the Latin group by that name. And salsa isn't the only ingredient; the combo also throws in a generous helping of bossa nova. Sofrito consists
CD Reviews
If the sound of pianist Josh Nelson's new album strikes you as somewhat otherworldly, the Los Angeles-based musician has succeeded. "Discoveries" was inspired to a great extent by the fanciful novelists Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, but far more than the names of the tunes --- "Dirigibles," "Weena (Love
CD Reviews
There are many excellent CDs released every year in the realm of jazz, but it remains a rare occurrence when an album takes the listener on a unique journey from start to finish. Maybe it's because Oscar Peñas, the superb guitar player who wrote all eight compositions on "From
CD Reviews
Tenor, alto, and soprano saxophone may be more commonly heard, but there's something about the earthy sound of bold baritone. Brian Landrus, who specializes in the lower end of the reed family --- bari sax along with bass clarinet and bass flute --- has honed his craft playing with
CD Reviews
At the age of 21, pianist Emmet Cohen is creating a buzz in the jazz world. A precocious talent, he recently finished third in the 2011 Thelonious Monk Piano Competition. His excellent first album is not going to quiet things down. Whether he is artfully reigniting a standard or
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Nat King Cole sang it beautifully, Elvis made it suave, and Ella made it swing. The Roches harmonized it, Donny Hathaway turned it soulful, and the kids from "South Park" grossed it out. What else could possibly be done with Christmas music? How about an avant-garde rendition of "Hallelujah Chorus"
Choice Concerts
If smooth jazz/fusion is your cup of tea, guitarist Chieli Minucci is the man to see. As leader of Special EFX for three decades, Minucci has built a large following all over the world by placing his catchy new-age melodies over Latin rhythms. Over the years Minucci has also
Choice Concerts
And now for something radically different. The Eastman New Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dave Rivello, is known for taking on the more innovative side of the jazz-band canon, but this is unprecedented. Thursday evening the band will play 12 jazz-orchestra arrangements of tunes by the progressive British
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Listening to René Marie's "Voice of My Beautiful Country," you might be stirred by her gorgeous reinventions of American classics like "O Shenandoah" and "John Henry" or struck by her fresh take on pop songs like "Just My Imagination" and "Drift Away." But, toward the end of the album,
