Apr 30, 2012
At 8:15 this morning, musicians, students and others (that means me) were asked to perform Herbie hancock's "Watermelon Man" with Hancock via streaming video. Here is my faithful, if a bit clumsy, bass part for the song. Special guest appearances in the video from my dogs Angus and...
Apr 30, 2012
Despite a tremendous body of work, pianist Steve Kuhn remains somewhat an afterthought when the great pianists of the past fifty years are named. From his days backing greats like Kenny Dorham, John Coltrane, and Art Farmer; through his days recording trio and solo albums of almost universal excellence, he has been a...
Apr 29, 2012
The inaugural International Jazz Day will be celebrated by millions worldwide on Monday, April 30, and will begin with an all-star sunrise concert in New Orleans' Congo Square, the birthplace of jazz and culiminate with a sunset concert at the United Nations. Presented by UNESCO in partnership with the Thelonious...
Apr 27, 2012
A live recording of Louis Armstrong playing his trumpet for one of the last times is being released to the public for the first time.
The recording is being played Friday at the National Press Club in Washington where it was created in January 1971. Armstrong was a featured performer celebrating the inauguration of...
Apr 26, 2012
Today is Yom Ha'atzmaut (Hebrew for "Independence Day") and commemorates Israel's declaration of Independence in 1948. It was preceded yesterday by Yom Hazikaron, the Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day.
Yom Ha'atzmaut centres around the declaration of the establishment of the State of...