Stephanie Jordan Sings a Tribute to the Fabulous Lena Horne; Yesterday When I Was Young:  "Great lyrics permeate this beautifully rendered homage, and Jordan has the skill sets to do them justice—a voice that projects from a whisper to a scream, impeccable diction, dead-center pitch, fluid phrasing. Backed by a breathe-as-one 8-piece unit of top-shelf New Orleanians that sounds twice its size, and counterstated by a cohort of virtuoso soloists, she finds fresh, unfailingly swinging approaches to this well-traveled repertoire, melding into a personal argot elements garnered from such distinguished mentors as Shirley Horn, Abbey Lincoln, Nancy Wilson—and Lena Horne herself—while sounding like no one other than Stephanie Jordan. As she aptly puts it, "it's a tribute, not a copy." - Ted Panken    

A traditional slow swing song from Alice & Björn featuring Marty Keil on clarinet

One could alternately describe these five young Canadian musicians as a New-Orleans-style brass band, a funk band, an R&B band, or simply an eclectic group who play what pleases them.  They're very good, versatile musicians, with a tight, well-rehearsed sound, clearly very much into the music that they're creating.  So why has it taken me so much time to warm up to their debut album?

Aficionados and neophytes alike should feel equally welcome when listening to Jazz, the accessible history lesson produced by Putamayo. Although this 12-song compilation presents an audio array that reaches as high as Blossom Dearie's top-shelf timbre on "They Say It's Spring," to the joint-jumping horns on Maxine Sullivan's " 'Taint No Use," the consistent core from start to finish remains a simple, steady swing that says plenty in a very limited time. For the aficionado, these classics are reminders about the art form's origins. For the neophyte, they serve as starting points that invite further exploration.

Upcoming masterclasses in Tuscia, Italy by Tuscia In Jazz.  

Reprise Records Presents Highlights From The Duo's Unprecedented, Sold-Out Jazz at Lincoln Center Performances; Also Features Special Guest Appearance By Taj Mahal

2011 Tanglewood Labor Day Weekend Jazz Festival, September 2-4 Judy Carmichael's Jazz Inspired with actress Blythe Danner and special guests from the worlds of Jazz, Broadway, and Hollywood to take place September 3 at 2pm Angelique Kidjo, Dianne Reeves, and Lizz Wright Featured in Sing the Truth with all-star band Geri Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington, James Genus, Munyungo Jackson, and Romero Lubambo on September 4 at 8pm A Latin Jazz Tribute to Cachao with Federico Britos Sextet and John Santos Sextet to take place September 3 at 8pm Coast to Coast Septet featuring NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Cobb with vocalist Mary Stalings and the Mingues Orchestra with conductor NEA Jazz Master Gunther Schuller to Perform September 4, at 2pm Festival Opens with Ulysses Quartet (6:30 pm) and the Robin McKelle Quartet and Michael Kaeshammer Sextet (8pm) on September 2 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Life award provides additional Festival Activities including Interviews with Jimmy Cobb and Gunther Schuller (9/3. At 4:15pm), Screening of Charles Mingus "Epitaph" (9/3, at 4:15pm), and Master Class with Jimmy Cobb and Coast to Coast Septet (9/4, at 12:30pm) Taking place in conjunction with the annual Labor Day Weekend Jazz Festival, the Wine and Food Classic returns to Tanglewood September 1-4

San Jose, Calif., — Mike Portnoy, considered one of the most powerful players in the world, has garnered his first “Drummer” Of The Year” award in Enter Music Publishing’s 16th Annual Drummies reader’s poll awards. Definitely a dream come true for Portnoy, he also took “Best Metal Drummer” and came in second place in the “Progressive Drummer” category. Addditionally, Stanton Moore won "Best Funk Drummer" for a second straight time.    

Filmmaker Ken Burns, whose 10-part documentary "Jazz" was honored with a 2001 Television Critics Association Award, is teaming with travel industry leader Tauck to offer an all-inclusive jazz event in New Orleans.  The event, to be held October 5 – 9, will trace the roots and evolution of jazz, include private performances by Ellis Marsalis and other musicians, and be highlighted by  a keynote address delivered by Burns.

In computer lingo WYSIWYG is What You See Is What You Get. In PRESERVATION HALL it's What You See is the Musicians - JAZZ men that SWING in the TRADITION and in the MOMENT. That's the theme, published by Louisiana State University Press, that's played out by 45 seminal and youthful New Orleans style musicians in time for a 50th Anniversary Celebration.  And, Expressive, richly colored, photographs by Shannon Brinkman of their own environment.

Guitarist, trumpeter and vocalist Jeff Healey was known to most for his blistering guitar work as a leader and with bands like Dire Straits, Stevie Ray Vaughan…

No music manages more crushing misery or greater joy--Dixieland expresses emotional extremes. Though its corny syncopations are decidedly out-of-fashion beyond the borde…

Crooner is a singer that sings popular songs in a soft, sentimental manner. On Larry Franco other projects like his album 3 for Nat, one might call him a crooner, but on th…

While it may seem that Eddie Condon’s performances have been exhaustively recorded, such is not the case. After all, the Classics series has documented Condon’s early Chica…

Include Stride Piano Duets as one of the noteworthy historical jazz releases of 2008. Recorded before a live audience in Toronto in 1966, the recording of this event…

Listening to this CD is like taking a trip back in time to the roots of jazz. It is hard to believe there are only four musicians playing on Willie the Weeper, the…

Theo Croker's In the Tradition ends with a Teddy Wilson gem, " Little Things That Mean So Much." In two minutes of beauty, with just piano backing and a sound that's…

Danger! Danger! Syncopation Overload! Dick Hyman has been crafting wonderfully nostalgic recordings for over half a century. He's an expert in the history of earl…

A great pot of beef stew always seems to taste better the second time around. So it is with the newest album by the Jack Brass Band is even more exciting than their 2005 CD…

The history of jazz has perhaps moved too quickly. Seemingly coming up with a different stylistic bent every decade or so, we have been forced too quickly to consider re…

Any artist making a commitment to the music scene in post-Katrina New Orleans merits celebration. It helps when you can lay down infectious grooves and songs the way Pap…

Judicious placement of swinging originals and timeless standards within a solid framework of acoustic traditional jazz defines Jon-Erik Kellso's newest effort, Blue R…

If you’re looking for a CD that reflects all that is good about New Orleans and why its musical and cultural importance is unequivocally important, then look no further …

Europeans have always approached jazz from their own unique perspective, treating it as an art form to be studied and preserved, yet simultaneously savoring it as a vital e…

How to build cool is not so much a science but an art! The foundation is the concept, what makes it happen is the artists, what makes it all work is the inner "feel." In…

As Branford Marsalis continues with his worthy idea of honoring overlooked but important musicians by recording them on his own label, he has come around to producing a CD …

Jazz is built on dialogues. On this release the participants are reed masters and good friends, Ken Peplowski and the late Kenny Davern, joined in the conversation by an ou…

For the past thirty-years, revered New Orleans drummer and bandleader Bob French has carried the torch for the "Tuxedo Band," which is approaching a one-hundred year ann…

Allen Lowe is a guitarist, tenor player, composer and musicologist. He is also a sound restoration specialist, and it is evident in the clean quality of these recordings. L…

No one brings to life the New Orleans sound better than Dr. John. In case anyone forgot, he reminds us with his fine Blue Note release Mercenary, which was recorded …

Jeff Healey: An unusual, passionate, committed musician Okay, two simple facts first: Jeff Healey is arguably one of the most distinctive guit...

Here’s a two-CD set to tempt lovers of stride piano. Probably the last of the vintage stride players, Ralph Sutton, is presented in solo performance in 1992. The setting is…

Here’s another release of material gathered from Las Vegas hotel broadcasts during the 1960s. The sessions went out live from various hotels via Mike Gold’s KLUC radio stat…

Wycliffe Gordon’s rich deep timbre opens This Rhythm On My Mind with some fine scatting. Wycliffe pulled out all the stops with his opening number on t…

How’s this for openers: The greatest jazz trumpeter in the world and his all-star band are in town! The concert is sold out. A very happy event is at hand. The king will…

Traditional jazz fans in Toronto don’t consider a weekend complete without attending the Saturday matinee at the C’est What and the music of the Hot Five Jazzmakers.…

Marcus Belgrave has released a new compact disc and it’s my pleasure to give it a spin. A swinging, exuberant, good time recording, with a party atmosphere, that is dete…

British-born clarinetist, Chris Burke, is no stranger to travel. Over the years, Burke has played in Belgium, England, Tunisia, Mexico, Venezuela, French West Indies, Roman…

New Orleans Delight is no stranger to fans of Crescent City jazz nor of this website. This CD is the eighth to be covered in these pages since 2001. The Danish band …

French trumpeter, Dan Vernhettes, penned the notes for this classic set of CDs. While the text is predominately in the French language, a short history of the music is adde…

Jeff Healey and his Jazz Wizards have earned a place in the hearts of lovers of music from the real "Jazz Age." Canada’s Stony Plains Records will re-issue two of…

This is probably the first time that Jazz Crusade has re-issued material originally recorded by the label itself. It’s a landmark project from Big Bill Bissonnette who will…

A massive stroke felled Ralph Sutton in December 2001, ending a musical career that started when a small boy in Missouri first heard Fats Waller on the radio. He was one of…

At the very beginning of recorded Jazz, record companies took note that any song with "Blues" in the title or listed as a "blues" on the label, was a sure seller. Whethe…

Jay McShann's Hootie Blues contains mostly fast playing piano -- more 'Hootie Jazz' than anything. "Yes Sir That's My baby" is instrumental but McShann makes available to t…

Marcus Belgrave in the lead chair with a new CD, Tribute to New Orleans, Ray Charles and the Great Ladies of Song, well, at least a promotional CD featuring Cha…

Here is Jeff Healey’s first release for Stony Plain Records. Happily, his two earlier traditional jazz recordings will be re-issued shortly and given the wider coverage the…

Listeners will never suspect that the piano heard on this disc is being played by ten 90 year old fingers. Actually, they would be technically correct as Jay McShann was a …

May 16th 2006 heralds the release of New Orleans - That’s Our Home featuring American pianist John Sheridan, Australian cornetist Bob Barnard and Canadian drummer Do…

It’s always exciting to open a new disc from Big Bill Bissonnette’s Jazz Crusade label. Bissonnette, a trombonist and drummer, has long admired Zutty Singleton and l…