By Willard Jenkins, Open Sky Jazz The first time I caught Ralph Peterson, Jr. live was a 1986 performance by the Blue Note Records band Out of the Blue (OTB). The band, befitting its era as a sort of Young Lions on steroids unit, included Kenny Garrett on alto sax, Ralph Bowen on tenor sax, … Read More
By Willard Jenkins, Open Sky Jazz After a bit of an absence from the recording studios, the perennial poll-winning violinist, MacArthur Foundation “genius” award recipient, and one of the finest people in contemporary music, the incandescent violinist Regina Carter has a brand new release. In keeping with these roiling times, thematically Regina’s new release “Swing … Read More
by Willard Jenkins, Open Sky The joyous alto and saxophone and flute sound of T.K. Blue (aka Talib Kibwe) has been part of my consciousness for many moons. Before we even met his sound was a subliminal presence. The first time I actually encountered his passionate horns was an 80s era duo performance with Randy Weston at Sweet … Read More
By: Willard Jenkins, Open Sky Jazz Trumpeter Kenyatta Beasley has released a record project he’s been considering for more than a minute, an exploration of the compositions of one of his mentors, the late saxophonist-composer Frank Foster. Known as one of Count Basie’s #1 sons, the late NEA Jazz Master Frank Foster, who took over … Read More
