Profiles

Nellie McKay’s sophomore album, Pretty Little Head, won’t figure into most die-hard jazz heads’ shopping lists because she’s as likely to hit the stage singing Bob Dylan as she is Hoagy Carmichael. But there’s just something about Nellie-a 21-year-old fiercely opinionated firecracker who’s turning the cabaret scene on its ear. And she might just do the same to Broadway with her theater-stage debut. Nate Chinen talks to McKay-but you can tell that she really did most of the talking.

As unheralded jazz masters go, Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson fits the mold to a tee. Since playing with Stan Getz and Sonny Rollins in the 1960s, and later becoming Charles Lloyd’s pianist of choice, Stenson has seen fit to stay largely in the shadows, releasing just seven albums as leader-the subtlety of his profile matches that of his music. Thomas Conrad fills us in on this Scandinavian’s story.

With two new CDs out, Jim Hall is still strummin’ at 75. Bill Milkowski catches up with the guitar legend.

The violinist has been a respected player on New York City’s avant-garde scene for 30 years. But Billy Bang’s two recent CDs about the Vietnam War are his defining moments. Thomas Conrad tells Bang’s tale.