by Brian Arsenault As a cool September breeze pushes the mists of summer down the bay, ushering in a new season, Carol Welsman’s Alone Together — to be released Friday, Sept. 18 — freshens some old songs you know and some you may not have ever heard. And how good is that? Good enough that… Read More CD Review: Carol Welsman’s “Alone Together”
By Michael Katz Northridge, CA. There were lots of good vibes, not to mention some friendly apparitions, circulating through the Valley Performing Arts Center Wednesday night, as the Monterey Jazz Festival All-Stars brought their tour to the campus of Cal State Northridge. The sextet, which had closed the curtain on the 55th MJF last September,… Read More Live Jazz: The Monterey Jazz Festival All Stars at the Valley Performing Arts Center
By the iRoM Staff Los Angeles – Jan. 22. (Tues.) Vicki Ray. Piano Spheres. Exploration of contemporary music is at the heart of the Piano Spheres program. This time, adventurous pianist Ray (with a chamber ensemble of musician friends) interprets the music of Stravinsky as well as new works by composers from Asia, Europe and… Read More Picks of the Week: Jan. 21 – 27
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – Jan. 9. (Wed.) Ariana Savalas and Corky Hale. Yes, the name “Savalas” is familiar; Ariana is the daughter of the veteran actor Telly Savalas. But as a singer, she has an appealing style that is uniquely her own. She’s backed by the musically supportive accompaniment of pianist/harpist Hale. Vibrato… Read More Picks of the Week: Jan. 7 – 13
By Michael Katz Los Angeles, CA. Looking back over the year’s worth of live performances I covered, mostly in jazz, is a bittersweet experience. There are surely enough terrific moments to fill a column, but in a city with L.A.’s diversity of talent, you can’t help wishing for more. Our club scene is struggling, with… Read More Live Music: 2012 in Review
By Michael Katz It is Monday morning, and a layer of fog has settled over Monterey Bay. The 55th Monterey Jazz Festival is now an empty fairgrounds. Places with names like Dizzy’s Den and the Nightclub are now bland outbuildings connected by an empty midway. But if you close your eyes, you can still imagine… Read More Live Jazz: Monterey Jazz Festival Notebook; Day 3
By Mike Katz Every year the Monterey Jazz Festival program features a Top Ten list from Artistic Director Tim Jackson, and I always think that’s interesting, but what does he tell everybody else? And how can he not mention (your favorite here). So I figured I’d take a stab at my own Top Ten, but… Read More Live Jazz: Mike Katz’s Monterey Jazz Festival Top Ten
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – June 5. (Tues.) “And Then She Wrote.” Peter Marshall, Carol Welsman, Calabria Foti. Five time Emmy Award-winning Marshall (Yes, he sings, too) is joined by the lovely singer/instrumentalists Welsman and Foti in an evening of great standards written by women. Vitello’s. (818) 769-0905. – June 5. (Tues.) Corliss Dale… Read More Picks of the Week: June 5 – 10
By Michael Katz The 55th Monterey Jazz Festival announced its complete schedule yesterday, adding Tony Bennett and Michael Wolff (leading his Cal Tjader tribute band) to a program already rich with stars that include Pat Metheny, Showcase Artist Jack DeJohnette, Esperanza Spalding, Trombone Shorty, Bill Frisell and Artist-in-residence Ambrose Akinmusire. More on all that later.… Read More News: The 55th Monterey Jazz Festival Final Line Up.
By Michael Katz I’ve made it no secret over the years that I consider The Monterey Jazz Festival one of the world’s great musical weekends. This morning MJF, celebrating its 55th anniversary September 21-23, released a preview of its program: Pat Metheny, Esperanza Spaulding, Trombone Shorty and a new edition of the Monterey All-Stars highlight… Read More News: THE 2012 MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL – FIRST LOOK
The International Review of Music 