JAZZPLANET

All About Jazz is celebrating Fats Waller’s birthday today!

Jazz music\’s first organist and one of the giants of piano jazz Thomas Wright « Fats » Waller was born on May 21, 1904 in Harlem into a musical family. His grandfather was an accomplished violinist and his mother was the church organist. His family had moved to New York City from Virginia in the late 1880s and his father was the pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem… Read more…

Everybody loves the romance of a comeback: the phoenix-like rise from adversity, long-term exile, obscurity or defeat. Think of US President Abraham Lincoln’s travails, boxer George Foreman’s regaining the World Heavyweight title at the age of 45, actor Sean Connery’s return as Bond, David Bowie’s eternal reinvention or, indeed, the peculiar cycles of fashion that have brought back platform boots once more. In jazz terms, saxophonist m: Charles Lloyd‘s return from semi-retirement in the 1980s is mythologized, but it surely can’t beat bassist m: Henry Grimes‘ musical resurrection in the early 2000s after over 30 years of obscurity…

Boris (le) Poisson Rouge May 6, 2013

It’s hard to corral Boris into a metal-generic corner. Whilst this Tokyo trio’s prime reputation revolves around a spiraling psychedelic ascension, it is just as likely to get grubby and direct, or even poppy and spangled. This Poisson show was the first of two nights, dedicated to a general 20-year career overview. The second evening was destined to reproduce a specific album, Flood (MIDI Creative, 2000), and to concentrate on the abstracted drone facet of the Boris output. The first night was sold out, but the Poisson never packs in the punters to an excessive degree, so there was still space to roam around, seeking an appropriate vantage point…

Two-time Grammy Award winning jazz pianist, composer and arranger m: Alan Broadbent has long been a major force behind the scenes in jazz, whether it was accompanying Irene Kral on some of the most exquisite vocal albums ever recorded, contributing arrangements to Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Jane Monheit and Sir Paul McCartney or playing piano for Charlie Haden’s Quartet West…

Fundashon Bon Intenshon is very honored and proud to announce the presence of singer/actor Harry Belafonte at the fourth edition of CuraA ao North Sea Jazz Festival that will be held on August 30 and 31, 2013.

Belafonte will deliver a speech entitled: a€oeThe Confirmation of Commitment for Peace, Sustainability and Brotherhood for All through Musica€…

The Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet for 2013-14 is taking on a whole new look and a whole new vibe. For the first time since the group comprising some of the nationa€(TM)s top young jazz musicians was formed, there is a female member, and no pianist.

And, for very nearly for the first time, there is a completely new set of musicians…

The fact that Carmen Souza and Theo Pasa€~cal complement each other musically in an ingenious way has already been shown in their successful cooperation over the last few years. The latest studio-album called Kachupada, that was recorded in London and Lisbon will be released in North America on June 11, 2013, continues this tradition. The title of the album was inspired by the favorite Cape Verdean dish Kachupada that, with its wide variety of ingredients and spices, reflects the multiplicity of influences in Carmen Souzaa€~s music…

Columbus, OH a€’ The Jazz Arts Group of Columbus (JAG) has announced its winner of the 2013 Hank Marr High School Jazz Award. This award demonstrates excellence in musicianship and performance amongst central Ohio’s young students of jazz. Eight extremely talented high school students auditioned for the $500 cash award and the chance to perform with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra and Artistic Director Byron Stripling at the July 19th JazZoo! at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium…

big bang productions presents the sixth annual RED HOOK JAZZ FESTIVAL on two consecutive Sundays, June 9 and June 16 in the Urban Meadow, a community garden on the Columbia Waterfront District.

Both days start at 1pm and end at 6pm.

Celebrating its sixth installment of this homegrown jazz festival, this year’s line-up features some of the world’s most forward-thinking jazz musicians and composers playing in modern jazz today…

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