Celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, New York Voices is the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble renowned for their excellence in jazz and the art of group singing. Like the great groups that have come before, such as Lambert, Hendricks and Ross and the Manhattan Transfer, they have learned from the best and taken the art …
Category: KCCK Blog
Wednesday Night Special – Gordon
The Pat Smith Group at Kirkwood Guitarist Pat Smith grew up in Chicago playing in various blues and rock bands. He attended Coe College for two years and finished his bachelor’s degree at Cornell College. After graduating, Smith moved to the San Francisco bay area and played with various blues bands including the fusion band …
The Power Trios of Wolff, Clark and Egan – Bob Stewart
When two of the best musicians around, Michael Wolf and Mike Clark, combine their talents to create a band without boundaries, the result is “The Wolff & Clark Expedition.” Pianist Wolff has performed and recorded with several jazz legends, including Nat and Cannonball Adderly and Sonny Rollins, and was exposed to a mass audience as …
Lloyd/Moran Duo; Hiromi Explores Inner Voices – Bob Stewart
“Hagar’s Song” — the newest release from Charles Lloyd — is an interactive duo recording with Jason Moran, the star pianist who has been a key member of Lloyd’s latter-day quartet. The CD is a collection of intimacy and homage featuring pieces especially dear to Lloyd, ranging from compositions by Strayhorn, Ellington and Gershwin to …
Matta’s Black Orpheus; Goode’s Other Side – Bob Stewart
When Nilson Matta was a young child in his native Brazil, his father brought home an LP of the music from the play Orfeu da Conceicao by the playwright Vinicius de Moraes, which retells the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice in the then-contemporary setting of Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval. Matta was entranced by …
Marsalis Vibes; New Pelt Ensemble – Bob Stewart
Fresh from touring with acclaimed banjoist Bela Fleck and pianist Marcus Roberts, Jason Marsalis returns to his role as band leader and vibraphonist extraordinaire on “A World of Mallets.” The youngest member of the Marsalis family has an established reputation a one of today’s most talented jazz percussionists. As the All Music Guide says, “Just …
Sax and Violins – Bob Stewart
Saxophonist Chris Potter, who has been featured on several ECM albums by his mentor Dave Holland as well as a collaboration with Paul Motian and Jason Moran, makes his ECM debut as a leader with “The Sirens.” The disc features a cycle of original compositions by Potter inspired by Homer’s The Odyssey. “I’d re-read The …
Shorter Returns to Blue Note; New Work from Green – Bob Stewart
Legendary saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter makes his triumphant return to Blue Note Records after 43 years with the release of “Without a Net” — joined by his long-running quartet featuring pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade. Shorter first recorded for Blue Note in 1959 as the precocious 26-year-old tenor saxophonist …