By Chris Struck, Broadway World Birdland Jazz Club, NYC, January 9th, 2020 Kurt Elling: a name synonymous with jazz. He remains as much a luminary of the art form this year as last when I saw him pick up the mic on the same stage. His CDs from decades past are the sounds that should … Read More
By Elisa Shoenberger, She Shreds Brandee Younger is bringing the harp to new levels, following in the footsteps of her heroes: Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby. Brandee Younger was once determined to bring her harp into unconventional places. Not the easiest to carry around, the acclaimed musician has played the harp in studios, bars, and … Read More
By Jedd Beaudoin, PopMatters Svetlana‘s 2019 LP Night at the Movies pays tribute to some of the Russian-born musicians favorite music from the silver screen, including “Moonlight”, which appeared in the 1995 picture Sabrina. The tune was written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, and John T. Williams. “Film and music both express a fleeting beauty; … Read More
By C. Michael Bailey, All About Jazz Russian-American singer-composer Svetlana (she has a last name, Schmulyian, but prefers the monomoniker) is onto something. Her debut recording, Night at the Speakeasy(OA2 Records, 2016) with her self-appointed Delancey Five, was a structured affair which concentrated on the music of the “Jazz Age” (save for the Beach Boys’ … Read More
By Matt Micucci, Jazziz Lakecia Benjamin Celebrates Alice and John Coltrane in Upcoming Album:Saxophonist/bandleader Lakecia Benjamin celebrates the legacy of Alice and John Coltrane on her upcoming album Pursuance: The Coltranes. The album finds her leading a cross-generational ensemble of over 40 jazz musicians, including Ron Carter, Gary Bartz, Regina Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Meshell … Read More
VOCALIST, COMPOSER THANA ALEXA UNLEASHES THE UNIVERSAL WILD WOMAN IN ONA AVAILABLE ON MARCH 27, 2020 “Thana Alexa’s ONA is an exquisite work embodying boundless creativity and genre that stretches to every corner of the Earth, and the imagination. ONA is a story of strength, authenticity, and the deeply grounding nature of the divine feminine” … Read More
The Soul Message Band Takes it to the Road Following the Release of their Critically Acclaimed Debut Album Soulful Days on Delmark Performances in Ann Arbor, Cleveland and Worthington OH “Together, Foreman and Rockingham cook up a delectably greasy rhythmical groove that underpins this entire program and this debut from the Soul Message Band is … Read More
GRAMMY® Award Winning Pacific Mambo Orchestra celebrates 10 Years with New Album The III Side, Available Now! On January 4, 2020, the GRAMMY winning Pacific Mambo Orchestra released their new album The III Side. Known as the Pacific Mambo Orchestra Sound, the ensemble masterfully blends Timba, Cha Cha Cha, Mambo and Bolero with classical and … Read More
By Will Friedwald, The City View Yes, it’s another one of those amazing triple feature nights at Birdland, with three outstanding jazz singers. In the center ring is Kurt Elling, perhaps the most remarkable male singer of his generation, whose current show, The Questions, is so impeccable that we can well understand his impulse to … Read More
By Robin Lloyd, KNKX This week on Saturday’s Jazz Caliente, we’ll hear Dominican pianist Josean Jacobo and his group Tumbao play an instrumental version of “Aunque Me Cueste La Vida,” a ballad written by prolific Dominican songwriter Luis Kalaff and made popular by singer Alberto Beltran. Here’s a little background: The Singer: Alberto Beltran’s singing career … Read More
