Author's posts
New Music Monday for May 10, 2021
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Renowned saxophonist Vincent Herring battles back from a bout with Covid-19 and career-threatening side effects with a defiant and joyful new album, “Preaching to the Choir,” with swinging help from pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and drummer Johnathan Blake. Herring speaks for nearly all of us when …
New Music Monday for May 3, 2021
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and SpotifyThe charismatic performances that distinguish “Outrospection” center on eleven expressive compositions from Gregg Hill, an under-the-radar composer of imagination and emotional depth. Renowned bassist Rodney Whitaker first recognized Hill’s music several years ago when they worked on a project together. Warmth and humanity resonate throughout the new recording, …
New Music Monday for April 26, 2021
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and SpotifyBass trombonist Jennifer Wharton might be considered by many a unicorn in the world of music. In decades from the not-too-distant past, it was a rarity to even have a woman in prominent jazz bands and orchestras, but to have a bass trombone-slinging woman as leader was thought …
New Music Monday for April 19, 2021
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Fans of Greg Skaff may know him as one of modern jazz’s premier organ jazz guitarists through his own trios with hard grooving greats like Mike LeDonne and Pat Bianchi; or as a veteran first-call sideman, from his early years with soul-jazz titan Stanley Turrentine through decades of …
New Music Monday for April 12, 2021
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify The newest recording from renowned guitarist and composer Roni Ben-Hur includes a fascinating collection of “Stories” from his genre-busting 40-year multicultural musical journey. “Recording ‘Stories’ has been a unique and very fulfilling experience,” the Israeli-born Ben-Hur says, “allowing me to incorporate songs I loved since my childhood, and …
New Music Monday for April 5, 2021
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Award-winning pianist Michael Wolff, known for an impressive and eclectic career that has spanned nearly five decades, presents “Live at Vitellos.” Surfacing a decade after its capture at the iconic Los Angeles club Vitellos in 2011, the disc showcases the dazzling chemistry between exquisite instrumentalist and composer Mark …
New Music Monday for March 29, 2021
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify With her recorded projects ranging from post-bop arrangements of Israeli songs from youth to commissioned new works for classical saxophone, Idit Shner has been a tireless advocate for ‘making things happen’ since receiving her DMA from the University of North Texas 15 years ago. On the …
New Music Monday for March 22, 2021
Listen to this week’s playlist on YouTube and Spotify Born in New York to Colombian parents, Nelson Riveros grew up learning about the music and cultures of the Americas. After playing a gig of some of Wes Montgomery’s vaunted repertoire a few years ago, he had the idea of reimagining the legendary guitarist’s music in Latin American …