By Devon Wendell When it comes to purchasing an essential jazz recording, one often only has to look at the group of musicians listed on that specific record sleeve to know that the music is going to be incredible. That’s one of the great joys of being obsessed with this music; looking for that perfect… Read More Doc Wendell’s Prescription For Bop Bone: The Curtis Fuller Sextette’s “Imagination” (Savoy)
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”
Impressions from MJF 56, Saturday By Michael Katz. Saturday at MJF is a sprawl of music, food, and a friendly wave of humanity washing over everything. After years of vacillating between the supposedly bigger names in the sun-baked arena and the fun of the Garden Stage, I opted this year to grab a bench seat… Read More Live Jazz: Saturday at the Monterey Jazz Festival 56
Summer at the Ocean and a Box of Chocolates By Brian Arsenault The Michael Treni Big Band Pop-Culture Blues My favorite piece on Pop-Culture Blues is “Summer Blues.” Maybe because it’s still summer, the very heart of it. The tune begins on a languorous afternoon with a beverage — perhaps several — looking at the… Read More Record Rack: The Michael Treni Big Band, Hadiza Dockeray
By Michael Katz Jazz on the Westside found a cozy nook to curl up in Monday night, as radio station KCRW presented an Up Close event with pianist Alan Pasqua and music host Tom Schnabel at the New Roads School in Santa Monica. The goal of the evening, a one hour tour of the history… Read More Live Jazz: A Brief History Of The World (Piano Division) with Alan Pasqua and Tom Schnabel
By Devon “Doc” Wendell The 2013 NAMM (National Association Of Music Merchants) convention took place in Anaheim California between Thursday, January 24th and Sunday, January 27th. Despite throngs of inebriated metal heads roaming the Anaheim streets, instrument booths in the convention hall, and thousands of music merchants packed into the Anaheim Convention center like sardines,… Read More A Twist of Doc: The 2013 NAMM Convention Performance Highlights
By Brick Wahl Beverly Hills, CA. Saw Jon Mayer Tuesday in Beverly Hills at a club called H.O.M.E. A trio gig, with rock solid down the middle Chris Conner on bass, always good, and Roy McCurdy on drums. They don’t make drummers like Roy anymore. All that power. Not Elvin Jones power, but metrical power,… Read More Live Jazz: The Jon Mayer Trio at H.O.M.E.
By Don Heckman Los Angeles Nov. 7. (Wed.) John Proulx CD Release Party. Pianist/singer Proulx celebrates the release of his new CD, The Best Thing For You, In addition to a stellar back up band, Proulx’s guest artists include singer Sara Gazarek and pianist Bill Cunliffe. Catalina Bar & Grill. (323) 466-2210. – Nov. 8.… Read More Picks of the Week: Nov. 7 – 11
Eddie’s Space By Devon Wendell Very few people in the history of Latin music and jazz have blended those two genres as successfully as pianist, composer, and band leader Eddie Palmieri has over the past 50 years. The New York born offspring of Puerto Rican parents, Palmieri has fearlessly broken down musical cultural barriers throughout… Read More Profile: Eddie Palmieri
By Don Heckman Los Angeles – June 20. (Wed.) Jane Harvey. The remarkable Jane Harvey’s career dates back to gigs with Benny Goodman in the ‘40s. Now well into her ‘80s she continues to draw critical raves for her performances. Click HERE to read a recent iRoM review of a Harvey appearance. Catalina Bar… Read More Picks of the Week: June 20 – 24
The International Review of Music 