Dee Dee Bridgewater didn’t exactly say that a diva can sing any damn thing she pleases. But she came close. Kicking off the Wells Fargo Jazz concerts at this year’s Spoleto Festival USA, Bridgewater told the crowd at Cistern Yard that it was tough luck if we didn’t get the memo: now that she has…Read More
Los Angeles’ Playboy Jazz Festival is often a mélange of R&B, pop, funk and smooth jazz, which leaves mainstream jazz and blues marginalized. However, for the event’s 39th edition there was a noticeable shift, resulting in one of the strongest lineups in recent years, with strong crowd reactions affirming the fest’s choices. June 10 Highlights…Read More
Jazz is always prominent when the Savannah Music Festival cranks up its eclectic assortment, with diehard jazz fans dropping anchor during Jazz Week, culminating in the epic Swing Central Finale concert at Lucas Theatre of the Arts. Three high-school big bands perform, finalists of the Swing Central workshops and competition, followed by a concert where the mentoring musicians…Read More
The interjection “Not to get political, but…” became a leitmotif in writer Gary Giddins’ speech honoring fellow critic Ira Gitler at the 2017 Jazz Masters tribute concert (held for a second year at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.). Not getting political was a difficult undertaking at the 35th anniversary of the National Endowment for the…Read More
For those of a certain age and musical bent, recollecting certain life events is made easier by pointing to release dates of Pat Metheny albums. Has it really been nearly four decades since I was a college freshman, blasting 1979’s American Garage, with its rock-edged textures and guitar bravado (and inimitable Airstream-park cover), from my…Read More
London chanteuse Deelee Dubé takes top prize…Read More
The city honors its own while hosting circuit headliners…Read More
Held over three days in Gapyeong…Read More
Featuring Andra Day, Monica Mancini, Lizz Wright and more…Read More
Editor Evan Haga on the Swedish capital’s annual jazz festival…Read More
