By Devon Wendell There have been countless films made about the blues and about B.B. King. A large percentage of these films merely focus on how King (Born Riley B. King on September 16th, 1925, between Itta Bena and Indianola Mississippi) inspired a plethora of overdriven, unoriginal rock guitarists from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Very… Read More Film Review: B.B. King “The Life Of Riley”
Review by Michael Katz Photos by Bonnie Perkinson Hollywood CA. One happy problem with an eight hour music fest that runs uninterrupted through the shifting temperatures of a near-summer’s day at the Hollywood Bowl is a lineup so strong you don’t want to leave your seat. That was the occasion on Saturday, Day 1 of… Read More Live Jazz: The 35th Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl, Day #1
By Don Heckman Long time fans of the Playboy Jazz Festival are going to receive a surprise this year for the legendary event’s 35th anniversary. After having hosted virtually all of the previous Festivals, Bill Cosby has decided to retire. He’ll be replaced by George Lopez, stand up comedian, actor and host of the late… Read More Q & A: George Lopez and the Playboy Jazz Festival
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – June 5. (Wed.) Barbara Morrison. Despite her difficult medical problems, the courageous, musically versatile Ms. Morrison continues to make her ever-appealing singing available to Los Angeles audiences. Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill Jazz…etc. (310) 474-9400. She also performs at Steamers in Fullerton on June 7 & 8 (Fri. & Sat.).… Read More Picks of the Week: June 5 – 9
By Michael Katz I told myself I had finally come to terms with the Playboy Jazz Festival. This year I would enjoy it for what it was: an eight hour party at the Hollywood Bowl, a sort of Bar Mitzvah/Quinceanera for grown-ups, with perhaps half of it (on a good day) dedicated to actual jazz,… Read More The Playboy Jazz Festival 2012: Saturday’s Program at the Hollywood Bowl
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Oct. 26. (Wed.) Goran Bregovic Wedding and Funeral Orchestra. Sarajevo’s wildly eclectic bandleader Bregovic leads an orchestra that combines Roma gypsy music, a brass band, strings, a male choir, Bulgarian back-up singers and traces of rock into an inimitable evening of mind-bending music. Disney Hall. (323) 8502000. – Oct.… Read More Picks of the Week: Oct. 24 – 30
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – June 6. (Mon.) Candi Sosa: Bolero Meets Jazz. Cuban born singer Sosa finds surprisingly compatible musical linkages between jazz and the lyrical Latin ballad style. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905. – June 7. (Tues.) Jennifer Leitham Trio. Bassist/singer Leitham celebrates the release of her DVD, The Real Me Live!, the chronicle… Read More Picks of the Week: June 6 – 12
. . “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” -Bill Cosby . . To read a Q & A about Bill Cosby, jazz and the Playboy Jazz Festival click HERE. To read more Quotations of the week click HERE.
By Fernando Gonzalez Saxophonist James Moody, who died on December 9, 2010 of pancreatic cancer, was not only an extraordinary musician, but also a man of uncommon grace and generosity. Tonight, his life will be honored at the Blue Note in New York City in “A Celebration of Love and Life In Honor of James… Read More News:”A Celebration of Love and Life in Honor of James Moody” — Tonight at the Blue Note
By Don Heckman It’s no mystery that producing the Playboy Jazz Festival – a two day event for 18,000 listeners (each day) with eight straight hours of music – is a different task from what it was thirty or forty years ago. After all, at that time it was possible to program schedules including the… Read More Here, There & Everywhere: The 33rd Annual Playboy Jazz Festival Artist Line-Up
The International Review of Music 