Pianist Michael Wolff Presents Live at Vitellos, A Dazzling Live Recording Releasing March 19, 2021 via Sunnyside Records Featuring Renowned Film Composer/Trumpeter Mark Isham Award-winning pianist Michael Wolff, known for an impressive and eclectic career that has spanned five decades, will release his latest recording Live at Vitellos on March 19th, 2021 with Sunnyside Records. … Read More
By Darren Harper, Jazzmatters Sounds of A & R (S.O.A.R) is the collaboration between vocalist April May Webb and trumpeter Randall Hayward. ‘Questions Left Unanswered’ is their second release as a partnership and, let’s not beat around the bush, it is brilliant. Read more here.
By BCR, Boston Concert Reviews First up is a kinetic CD that transcends borders with its irresistible grooves and soaring melodies. Lagos Pepper Soup [Worldwind Recordings; www.whirlwindrecordings.com], is a new recording from Michael Olatuja, gifted bassist, composer and arranger, who has gathered a stellar cast to deliver his cinematic creation. Olatuja plays both acoustic and … Read More
By Stephanie Jones, Downbeat During the past decade, vocalist Aubrey Johnson has explored different chambers of her artistry and performed with an array of musicians, including singers Bobby McFerrin and Sara Serpa, as well as Brian Carpenter’s Ghost Train Orchestra. Johnson’s leader debut, Unraveled (Outside In)—a program featuring original compositions and new sextet arrangements of … Read More
By Ross Boissoneau, Something Else! Then there’s the disc from the 8-Bit Big Band: Released on Jan. 8, Backwards Compatible explores the further reaches of the so-called Great Video Game Songbook. The third such album from Tony-nominated Charlie Rosen, his inspiration is some of the most beloved video game franchises of all time: Sonic the … Read More
Touring Amidst The Pandemic Svetlana and The New York Collective Receives Jazz Road Touring Grant; Will Tour New Project Night at the Movies This Year and Introducing Night At The Movies – on Vinyl First leg to bring award-winning singer through North and South Carolina in February Second leg this Fall; details announced soon Svetlana … Read More
Motéma Welcomes Jihye Lee Orchestra; Sophomore Album Daring Mind out on March 26, 2021 Motéma Music is proud to announce the release of Daring Mind, the sophomore album by the Jihye Lee Orchestra, which streets on March 26, 2021. Produced by Lee, in collaboration with the innovative composer and Secret Society bandleader Darcy James Argue, and … Read More
By Jonathan Blackman, Occhi Magazine Whoever says jazz is dead clearly has not heard Alonzo Demetrius. The young trumpeter not only has language on the instrument and paired it with electronic effects, but he is also an amazing composer. His live recording “Live from the Prison Nation” is as real as it gets. The performance … Read More
By Laurie Burnette, Jazz London Radio Laurie Burnette interviewed vocalist and composer Thana Alexa to discuss her excellent CD ONA, released in spring 2020 and nominated for a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Listen to this interview here.
by Delarue, Lucid Culture The 8-Bit Big Band are one of the most improbably successful brands in music. They own the franchise on lavishly orchestrated, jazz-oriented arrangements of video game themes. They have more of a following in the video game world than in jazz circles, maybe because much of what they play is closer to action … Read More
