Interview with Canadian acoustic duo Rott’n Dan & Lightnin’ Willy: A music journey through the American south and the first half of the 20th Century, a time capsule ...

Startling inventiveness, moment-to-moment creative sparks, and alchemical reactivity combine in always surprising ways throughout the work of cornetist and composer Kirk Knuffke. It may come as something of ...

On the weekend of February 14 and 15, 2020, Dag Bergesen hosted the sixth edition of The Little Blues Festival at Madam Felle in Bergen. Helga was a ...

Jazz interview with jazz vocalist Rebecca Kilgore. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – First let’s start with where you grew up, and what got you interested ...

Pat Metheny’s new album, From This Place, will be released on Nonesuch Records on February 21, 2020. The record features ten compositions by Metheny, who is joined by ...

For some 60 years, beginning in the early 1950s, pianist-composer Dave Brubeck was one of the most famous jazz musicians alive. During the height of that fame, he ...

Jazz interview with jazz pianist and composer Mike Holober. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter ...

‘Carl Saunders, Jazz Trumpet’ is a blend of Jazz standards, American songbook standards and originals which could be referred to as future ‘New Jazz Standards’ featuring the great ...

Jon Christensen, a Norwegian drummer whose firm yet flowing pulse helped shift the parameters for European jazz, notably as one of the most widely recorded sidemen on ECM ...

Jazz interview with jazz saxophonist and fluteist Niko Zeidler. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – First let’s start with where you grew up, and what got you ...

Including the latest from Reverso, co-led by Ryan Keberle and Frank Woeste. Kamasi Washington, “Street Fighter Mas” Almost exactly one year ago, saxophonist Kamasi Washington made his debut ...

Rocker George Thorogood and his Destoyers are announced as one of the headliners for this year’s Notodden Festival. This will be his first visit to Norway after playing ...

Interview with singer-songwriter, slide guitarist Jim Roberts – his new album “A Month of Sundays” takes us once more down the Blues-Rock-Americana highway from Detroit City south to ...

These stories of exceptional talents discovered at an early age are probably appropriate in the case of the violinist Alexandre Cavaliere. At the age of 12, he met ...

Among the many things Jason Moran has demonstrated over the last 20 years is this: the man knows his way around a love song. Not that they take ...

Jazz interview with jazz pianist and saxophonist Gordon Goodwin. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter ...

The eldest daughter of an American pastor, Rhoda Scott was immersed in the atmosphere of gospels throughout her childhood. Passionate about the Hammond organ, The Barefoot Lady was ...

Norah Jones, Charles Lloyd, Makaya McCraven and Diana Krall are among the artists set to appear at the 2020 Newport Jazz Festival, Aug. 7-9 at Fort Adams State ...

Lyle Mays, a jazz keyboardist whose work, chiefly with the Pat Metheny Group, won nearly a dozen Grammy Awards, died Monday in Los Angeles. He was 66. Mays ...

Jazz interview with jazz pianist and composer Francesca Prihasti. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter ...

Two totally infectious sets from Decoy — the trio of John Edwards, Steve Noble, and Alexander Hawkins — reunited with pocket trumpet and saxophone player Joe McPhee on the closing night of his four day residency ...

Roy Nathanson is most often identified as a jazz saxophonist, but he is also an actor, a teacher and a poet. When he plays on stage, he is ...

Jazz interview with jazz pianist and composer Lisa Hilton. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – First let’s start with where you grew up, and what got ...

Let’s make the blues great again. Like a certain political slogan from the 2016 election, the blues, like America, has always been great. Guitarist Ross Hammond‘s blues are ...

Love is a many-splendored thing. Abbey Lincoln in the late 1950s, around the time she recorded ‘That’s Him!’ for Riverside. So goes the lyric to the songbook standard, ...

Interview with committed world roots singer-songwriter Bai Kamara Jr. – music with soul, blues, funk, R&B and jazz influences. How has the Blues and Soul music influenced your ...

After more than 30 concerts and many excellent reviews about their first trio albums “Tales From The Unexpected” and “European Trio”, the Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi and the ...

One of Mali’s most prominent musicians, Ballaké Sissoko, has alleged that the Transportation Security Administration [TSA] destroyed his specially designed instrument during a trip from New York to ...

Jazz interview with jazz saxophonist Miguel Zenon. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter of taking ...

Renowned bassist, bandleader, composer, artistic director, and preeminent jazz spokesperson Christian McBride has turned his childhood fascination of Black American history into a 20-year-long Civil Rights project highlighting the ...

Lawrence “Lo” Leathers was a drummer much beloved in the jazz community, in his adopted home of New York City as well as his hometown of Lansing, Mich. ...

Jazz interview with jazz drummer Jae Sinnett. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter of taking ...

Along with choice new music from Jeff Davis and Kandace Springs. Kenny Barron & Dave Holland Trio, “Without Deception” The history of collaboration between pianist Kenny Barron and ...

Lucien Barbarin, a playfully suave and boisterous trombonist who carried a torch for traditional New Orleans music, most visibly as a featured soloist with Harry Connick, Jr. and ...

Interview with one of the original blues road warriors, Bill Blue: His new album “The King of Crazy Town” crackles with energy and edgy guitars with authentic and ...

Once again, The Metamorphosis lives up to its name. On their new album, the top-class quartet of award-winning musical personalities (a total of six jazz echoes, New German ...

I prefer to pay attention when I listen to music, so if I need background noise while I’m doing something else, I put on a TV show that ...

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Jazz interview with jazz guitarist Ross Lambert. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter of taking ...

Joey Alexander, the Grammy-nominated jazz pianist, composer and bandleader unveils the music video for the title track and new single, “Warna.” At 16, Joey Alexander has already recorded ...

Jamey Aebersold gladly gave a small reward to a student who came up with the name of a jazz tune he played that was based merely on several ...

Jazz interview with jazz gutarist and composer Charlie Ballantine. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter ...

In the midst of a turbulent and shocking season for the Recording Academy, some signs of stability could be found in the results of the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. One ...

Bob Gullotti, an endlessly creative jazz drummer hailed as a guru by several generations of musicians, both for his instruction at the Berklee College of Music and his ...

Jazz interview with jazz drummer Guillaume Nouaux. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – First let’s start with where you grew up, and what got you interested ...

Chilean pianist and composer Fran Suárez, based in Barcelona and immersed in a constant creative musical search, presents his new work in trio with Jordi Mestres on double ...

At last night’s Grammy Awards the five Jazz Category Award winners were: Best Improvised Jazz Solo SOZINHO Randy Brecker (with the NDR Big Band) Best Jazz Vocal Album LITTLE SPELLS ...

Jazz interview with jazz baritone saxophonist Keith O’Rourke. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter of ...

In a recording studio somewhere, the drummer drops into a groove: a ghost of a backbeat; a shuffling, even quavered, funky vibe, punctuated by propulsive kicks. Joey Baron has got ...

The term “jazz” conjures the sound of pianos and horns, a drum kit and upright bass. Sometimes a guitar is thrown into the mix. Occasionally an organ or ...

Interview with guitarist and songwriter Sid Whelan: NYC based blues-influenced Americana musician with an unapologetically old-school vibe. How has the Blues and Roots music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken? The Blues teaches finding joy and redemption against the odds; in the throes of misery or despair; and in the face of heartbreak and loss. As a person who has struggled against depression since my teen years, not only have the lyrics of the blues often described my condition when I couldn’t find the words myself; they have inspired me to persevere and prevail. Roots music in general teaches doing more with less. The more accomplished we become as musicians, the more tempted we are to get fancy and complicated. That’s not always bad; sometimes there’s a place for that. But usually focusing on roots simplicity is the best course of action. Lastly performing this music has connected me with a vast diversity of people all over the world of hugely different heritages, politics and perspectives. And in this music we’re all finding a common space where we can be enthusiastically human and understanding towards each other. Talk about redemption! How do you describe your sound and songbook? What characterize your music philosophy? When they say “the blues and country had a baby and called it rock n roll” they were literally describing me. My mom introduced me to Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and Hank Snow; my dad introduced me to Ledbelly, Alberta Hunter and Bessie Smith. And I grew up on the Beatles, the Who, Zeppelin, the Clash, Santana, U2 etc… While in college I discovered a passion for African and Caribbean music, which you can hear in the amazing percussion arrangements on my new album, particularly on “The Promise” and “Legba Ain’t no Devil.” With influences from Robert Johnson to Bob Dylan, from Steve Earle to Santana, I call my overall musical sound “Dark Blue Americana.” The truth is that my guitar sound is confounding. Usually guitarists have an identifiable sound. Think BB King, SRV, EVH, Wes Montgomery; Pete Johnson, Elizabeth Cotten… I take a completely different approach. What all the session guitarists did for David Bowie, Joan Armatrading, and/or Steely Dan in a diversity of approaches for their recordings over the years is what I do for myself on a per-song basis. So, I am like a bunch of session guitarists on my own gig.  This is a hard thing for people to wrap their heads around and probably something no significant blues-associated guitarist has done. On my new album “Waitin’ for Payday,” my co-producer Lora-Faye and I deliberately tried to mitigate that and make it easier on the audience by sticking to one Strat sound and performance approach on the title track, on “Midnight in the Country,” on “the Promise” and on “Break it Down.” But certain songs like “Nina Simone” and “Make Some Time” didn’t work out with that approach and had to be re-recorded, so we’ve still got a diversity of guitar palette that sounds like a few different players. My musical philosophy is to push myself out of my comfort zone with every new project, whether it’s the acoustic guitar chord-solo on “Nina Simone” or the Curtis Mayfield-style head voice on “Legba Ain’t no Devil,” or to write a sentimental love song that melodically centers on the break between my baritone and tenor registers like “Make Some Time.” I always look for something I haven’t done before and which is totally terrifying to attempt (at first.) In my songbook I take structural, harmonic, melodic, groove and lyrical principles from country, blues, rock, soul and jazz standards and creatively re-purpose them into my Dark Blue Americana sound. Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us? A few years ago, I did a short solo tour in Ireland. One of the gigs, though open to the public, was at what we would call a middle school in the US. The school takes music very seriously and the kids in the audience were on point. In short order I had them singing along, stamping and clapping in time to songs they had never heard before. It was pure audience participation magic – total euphoria – none of us wanted the show to end. More recently, I played a showcase of regional songwriters at the stunning White Eagle Hall in Jersey City. It was an incredibly diverse and eclectic show with a lot of contemporary styles. When my trio lit into “Every Time I See Her,” which is a finger-picked country blues from my second album, the entire room boiled out onto the dance floor and started boogieing. Once again it was pure euphoria between audience and performers. It was also a tremendous affirmation of both the enduring appeal of that style as well as my band’s ability to perform it. To see singer-songwriters, goths and hip-hop cats dancing together to my neo-retro blues was stunning. Lastly, on my first album I had arranged the song “Dog in the Fight” as a finger-picked mountain minor in dropped D tuning with a chugging train rhythm, like Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.” We were struggling with take after take when the bassist Doug Berns said “this isn’t working; I have an idea.” With no rehearsal he got us to play the tune in a manner that sounds like Miles Davis classic “In a Silent Way.” Everything changed completely including the tuning of the guitar. It was a completely spontaneous unrehearsed performance based on an off-the-cuff suggestion from a hired hand.  As we recorded it, I literally felt like I was floating in space. What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of? The music of the past is still with us so I don’t miss the music itself so much as the loss of the mid-level venues that made it possible for unsigned artists to have a career. That scene is almost extinct now. I recently played at a famous roadhouse in Jersey, where artists like Aretha and SRV used to play. But it was empty: the audience just isn’t there anymore to make it work financially. One of my favorite Jersey venues is going out of business at the end of this month and they were never empty, but even then the numbers didn’t work out. Also, without that circuit it is really hard for ensembles to mesh and develop their group interplay.  So, to my ears ensemble performance quality has declined noticeably in live music. Though there are still shining examples out there like Los Lobos and Tedeschi Trucks where everything from the kick drum to the lead guitar is working together. ...

Saxophonist Jeff Rupert has performed and recorded with the likes of Diane Schuur, Mel Tormé, Kevin Mahogany, Ernestine Anderson, and Benny Carter’s Grammy winning Harlem Renaissance album. Rupert ...

An exclusive first play of ‘We’ve Landed’, the lead single taken from the upcoming release of a new project from legendary drummer Tony Allen. The album is called ...

Jazz interview with jazz saxophonist Nikola Bankov. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter of taking ...

“There’s a mystery,” Kurt Elling sings softly. “An enigma.” Then, gathering momentum: “There’s a memory oh so slight.” His words come near the opening of “A Certain Continuum,” ...

Christoffer “Kid” Andersen is again nominated for the Blues Music Award as best guitarist. The awards from the American Blues Foundation are the highest award in the international ...

Jazz interview with jazz guitarist Brad Farberman. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter of taking ...

For a lot of jazz fans, the interest in this album will lie more with the side players than the leader, and fair enough. Tim Ray is a ...

Claudio Roditi, whose lyrical poise and burnished warmth on trumpet and flugelhorn helped make him one of the most accomplished jazz musicians from Brazil, died on Jan. 17 at ...

Jazz interview with jazz pianist and composer Peter Lieuwen. An interview by email in writing. JazzBluesNews.com: – When you improvise, you know where you’re going. It’s a matter ...