As one of the premier jazz festivals in the world, the Montreal Jazz Festival has taken the impact of their festival’s cancellation this year and turned it into a musical happening that celebrates Canadian multiculturalism. As Canada celebrates the inclusivity of all ethnic groups inside their border, Canada Multiculturalism...
Articles by Doug Hall
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Low Reed jazz specialist Brian Landrus transforms hardship to melody on “For Now”(photo by Vince Segalla)
Low-register reed specialist and multi-instrumentalist and composer Brian Landrus confronted a difficult period in his life and used adversity to inspire a passionate declaration in song on his 2020 release For Now (BlueLand Records). He took advice from the late valve-trombonist, composer and educator Bob Brookmeyer, “book a recording...
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Jason Palmer’s trumpet reflects on Boston’s famous art theft: The Concert: 12 Musings For Isabella
As infamous as the 1990 heist of thirteen works of art from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum was, an approach to address the void has not been pursued artistically. Trumpeter Jason Palmer‘s release “The Concert: 12 Musings for Isabella” has taken on the challenge of composing original interpretations of...
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Charlie Rosen’s 8-Bit Big Band with special guest Grace Kelly merges video game themes with Jazz Orchestra!!!
When you think about video game themes, the word “jazz” does not easily come to mind. However, on March 1st at the Berklee Performance Center, Charlie Rosen, “gamer,” multi-instrumentalist and orchestral composer/arranger brought the two together with his 30+ piece jazz orchestra, the 8-Bit Big Band. He wowed an...
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Dianne Reeves Shines at Berklee Performance Center with prowess of legendary jazz voice
The voice as an instrument in the hands of a masterful performer never disappoints an audience. At Berklee Performance Center, Saturday evening, Dianne Reeves showed once again that her depth of vocal range, purity of sound and taking listeners through the note scale on improvisational scat-style singing, is a...
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Two Jazz Masters on stage performing together at last: Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés and special guest Chick Corea
Jazz at Lincoln Center, in the Rose Theater, witnessed a very special meeting which occurred on-stage between two legendary jazz pianists, Chucho Valdés and Chick Corea. Both musically prolific, and having won more than 30 Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards combined while redefining modern music in the process. Chucho Valdés hugged and...
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Country Singers Annie Brobst & Samantha Rae & Whiskey-6 Sell-Out Cancer Benefit for Women at Boston’s Hard Rock Cafe
Taking the stage for a “blow-out” sold-out performance, both Massachusetts-area country singers Annie Brobst and her band and Samantha Rae with Whiskey-6 delivered an over-charged performance from the heart, with full throttle voices to entertain and remind the Hard Rock Café audience of the importance of funding research...
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New England Conservatory Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Groundbreaking Jazz Department
In recognition and celebration of the 50thanniversary of the Jazz Studies department and the Jazz Studies program, New England Conservatory is hosting Jazz50, a year-long series of concerts and events. On stage will be the distinguished jazz alumni, faculty, students and special guests offering an incredible array of musical...
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Reggae’s Steel Pulse talks the talk with new release “Mass Manipulation”
When Bob Marley, the legendary reggae musician and spiritual leader of this Caribbean-based music, hit the UK and US charts in 1970’s, there was a wave of inspired Jamaican bands following on his popularity. Toots and the Maytals, Pete Tosh, Third World and Burning Spear also brought their version...
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2019 Newport Jazz Festival Excels with Musical Diversity
The 65th Anniversary Newport Jazz Festival continued an established tradition of delivering an exceptional level of high quality musicianship. Over the three fully packed days (and one special evening at the International Tennis Hall of Fame) from August 2nd to 4th, an amazing range of talent was on stage, from debut...
