Singer/songwriter Lizz Wright has created music for every mood. A song for every season in our lives. Her debut Verve album "Salt" touches every emotio…

I have been enjoying guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Butler's music for several years and my favorite album until now was "Deliverance." He has also given some great per…

I ran (okay, walked!!) out to my local record store and got Kirk Whalum's new release, "The Gospel According to Jazz - Chapter II" and I was glad that I did. I reall…

Saturday evening was the crowning night of the SF Jazz Festival for me for two great jazz legends of our time were performing at the Masonic Auditorium, Shirley Horn and Ahmad Jamal. Shirley's set opened differently than it had in the past. George Mesterhazy replaced Shirley on the piano, Eddie Howard replaced the late Charles Ables on "the baas" (as Shirley would say) and her old faithful, Steve Williams was on the drums. They warmed up the crowd with an instrumental. Shirley was then wheeled o

Dynamic, magnificent and truly outstanding are just a few of the words that can be used to describe the Regina Carter Quintet. They recently performed at the Herbst Theatre as part of the San Francisco Performances series. I was first introduced to her music in 1994 when Regina was with the Detroit all-female band Straight Ahead. Early on, I noticed her outstanding musicianship and knew she was definitely a leader. Regina infuses her Detroit roots and her classical training into her jazz violin.