By Don Heckman The death yesterday of the brilliant multi-jazz instrumentalist Toots Thielemans ends the remarkable career of one of the jazz world’s incomparable artists. I was fortunate as a jazz journalist to have heard Toots in performance and occasionally interviewed him over four or more decades. His guitar was brisk and swinging, often more… Read More Toots Thielemans Passes
By Don Heckman Singer/songwriter and pianist Ella Leya makes her New York debut at Joe’s Pub on Sunday night. It’s a rare performance by a gifted artist who should not be missed. “It’s the voice of Ella Leya that first grabs you,” wrote the Los Angeles Times in reviewing her first album releases. “Simmering with… Read More HIGHLIGHT OF THE NEW YORK WEEKEND: SINGER/SONGWRITER/PIANIST ELLA LEYA PERFORMS SUNDAY NIGHT AT JOE’S PUB
By Don Heckman Hollywood, CA The first thought that came to mind during Tuck & Patti’s opening set at Catalina Bar & Grill Friday night was a sense of wonder. Wonder over the magical music that these two gifted performers were presenting. And wonder over the fact that they perform so rarely here in Los… Read More Live Jazz: Tuck & Patti at Catalina Bar & Grill
By Don Heckman Jane Monheit is at Catalina Bar & Grill this week, following up on last year’s stellar performance at the venue. Once again, she’ll be there for the rest of the week, through New Year’s Eve on Monday night. And her opening night appearance on Wednesday was a superb display of the warm,… Read More Live Jazz: Jane Monheit at Catalina Bar & Grill
Eva Cassidy Simply Eva (Blix Street) By Don Heckman I can still remember the first time I heard Eva Cassidy. I had no expectations, since I’d never been aware of her before. It was 1998, and her first nationally released album Songbird had just arrived with a press release describing the circumstances of Cassidy’s short… Read More CD Review: Eva Cassidy “Simply Eva”
By Don Heckman Like everyone else who ever heard Mary Cleere Haran perform, I was stunned last weekend to see the news of her death. It couldn’t have happened in a more unlikely, even absurd, fashion. Riding a bicycle in Florida, where she’s been taking a break from performing, she was struck by a car… Read More Here, There & Everywhere: R.I.P. Mary Cleere Haran
by Casey Dolan It’s almost too obvious what must be said about the recent promotions at the Los Angeles Times in Calendar. The media news and job resource website, http://www.mediabistro.com/, says “It’s not about slashing jobs so…we like it,” but even a cursory examination of the dual appointments of Sallie Hofmeister and Craig Turner should raise some… Read More State of Mind: The LA Times and the Business of Culture
By Don Heckman A number of jazz fans who wrote to the Los Angeles Times complaining about the reduction in jazz coverage over the past four months have just received an email response from Times Editor Russ Stanton. The message includes the following information: “I am pleased to announce that Times Staff Writer Chris Barton… Read More Here, There and Everywhere: The Times — Update
by Casey Dolan [I name a lot of names in the following. I’ll forego the hyperlinks; you can find them easily by Google or another search engine. I want to be clear, however, that although I am critical of some of the decisions and policies of my former colleagues, I bear no one any bad will and… Read More State of Mind: The Los Angeles Times and Me, Pt. 3
by Casey Dolan (This is a chronicle of sorts. I’m dividing it into three parts with the third part making up the largest, and weirdest, portion). I’ve deliberated long and hard about writing the following since I was laid off by the Los Angeles Times in July. Many memories of working there are fond and it was… Read More State of Mind: The Los Angeles Times and Me, Pt. 1
The International Review of Music 