Anyone who claims that jazz is dead is clearly not familiar with the resurrecting powers of Cécile McLorin Salvant. Her new album, Dreams and Daggers, proves she deserves a space among jazz legends.
On Sunday October 20, 2019, the Chick Corea Trilogy—pianist Chick Corea, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Brian Blade—returned to Boston during their 2019 world tour, this time playing in Symphony Hall in a concert organized by the Celebrity Series of Boston.
“People keep asking certain questions about Anthony Braxton, questions such as what does he think he is doing?,” writes Robert Palmer of the New York Times. This orgy is an examination of what exactly the MacArthur winning, genre-evading, composer, multi-instrumentalist, improvisor and Jazz Master is doing.
Including jazz created during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, such as "Alabama," John Coltrane's response to the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing by the KKK which killed four African-American girls, as well as more recent works, such as Terence Blanchard's "Breathless," a response to the last words of Eric Garner: "I can't breathe," this is the Protest Blues playlist, broadcasted on June 10th. The revolution will not be televised.
Makaya McCraven, Cory Wong, Esperanza Spalding, and Cécile McLorin Salvant captivated the crowds with vibrant performances on the second day.
The newcomer to the Newport Jazz Festival made it clear that she stands among the greats.
Shabaka Hutchings, Terence Blanchard, and Norah Jones set the stage for an extraordinary weekend on the first evening of the historic festival.
An interview with Jazz composer and pianist Lisa Hilton.