Q&A, Vivian Sessoms: Songs in the Key of Life by MATT MICUCCI, JAZZIZ Singer/songwriter Vivian Sessoms’ new album, Life II, is out now via Ropeadope Records. This 12-track collection of originals and interpretations of songs by such artists as The Fixx and Stevie Wonder is a companion piece to Life I, released last November, through which she tells … Read More
Kevin Press, All About Jazz Vivian Sessoms has built a career in collaboration with a range of world-famous artists. P. Diddy, Michael Jackson, Donna Summer, Sinéad O’Connor, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Stevie Wonder all have a place on her resume. With a new Ropeadope contract in hand, Sessoms has produced a two-part album release called Life. They make … Read More
Susan Frances, Modern Jazz Today Jazz practitioner Vivian Sessoms has made a name for herself as an international vocalist, composer, and arranger. Three separate skill sets which she employed on her compilation Life, consisting of Life I (released November 2, 2018) and Life II (released May 17, 2019). She has a lot to say about Life, how the recordings came to … Read More
Andrew Jervis, Bandcamp Weekly Guests NY-based harpist Brandee Younger and Brownswood Recording’s Skinny Pelembe make music between the lines. Listen to full interview here.
Lorens Chuno, Doing Jazz Podcast Harpist Brandee Younger’s latest release, Soul Awakening, is a collection of 8 well executed compositions, complete with easily felt energy and introspection. Join Brandee and Lorens as they talk about Beyonce, harp pedals, and other things. (Song credits: Games, Respected Destroyer, Soul Awakening, Blue Nile, Save the Children, and Love’s … Read More
Michael Jewett, WEMU Drummer Ralph Peterson Brings his Art Blakey tribute to the Blue Llama Jazz Club in Ann Arbor this weekend. He joins 89.1 WEMU’s Michael Jewett for music and conversation. LISTEN HERE!
Marcus Baylor’s coalescence of various American music styles into his playing has already secured him a spot in the history of post-modern jazz drummers. In the book, The Jazz Book: From Ragtime to the 21st Century (Chicago Review Press, 2009), authors Joachim-Ernst Berendt and Günther Huesmann cite Baylor as one of an exclusive list of drummers that … Read More
The Jazz Session #480: Sam Newsome Podcast: Play in new window | Download Soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome is about to release Chaos Theory: Song Cycles for Prepared Saxophone. It’s a surprising and fascinating album that highlights Newsome’s explorations with the variety of sounds the soprano saxophone can make. In this interview, Newsome talks about how he started experimenting with prepared saxophone; … Read More
by Matt Micucci, Jazziz Genre-defying harpist Brandee Younger’s fourth album, Soul Awakening, is a collection of eight unearthed gems surfacing years after they were originally recorded, that blend freewheeling improvisation and spiritual jazz with classical and experimental music. Produced by acclaimed bassist Dezron Douglas and featuring such first-rate musicians as saxophonists Ravi Coltrane and Antoine Roney, … Read More
Stephanie Jones, Jazz Speaks Sense Memory: Emma Frank Speaks Photo by Shervin Lainez, courtesy of the artist. The ability to be vulnerable in performance is a vital trait for singer-composer Emma Frank. With the release of her third album Ocean Av (Susan Records, 2018), Frank draws listeners in to the depth of her intention. Within each song, … Read More
