Archives for February 2007

To jazz fans, Annie Ross will always be a third of the nonpareil singing group Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. But she left L-H-R in 1962. Ever since, she has been up to her ears in a variety of music and entertainment ventures. Will Friedwald caught up with the indefatigable Ms. Ross in New York and … [Read more...]

Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival Moscow Idaho 2/25/07 After presentation of student winners, Saturday evening's final concert began with one piece by pianist Benny Green, bassist Christian McBride, guitarist Russell Malone and drummer Jeff Hamilton--the festival house band--who then … [Read more...]

The Hampton festival's core purpose is the development of young jazz musicians. Students from several states converge here to play in big bands and combos, vying for group and individual honors. Nearly 400 youngsters competed in the final day's events. Before the professionals played on Saturday … [Read more...]

The Seasons Performance Hall has launched its own CD label with a Jessica Williams solo piano recital on the hall's nine-foot Steinway. Go here to read about Jessica Williams Live At The Seasons and listen to one of the tracks. Full disclosure: I wrote the liner notes, which are reproduced on The … [Read more...]

Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival Moscow, Idaho 2/25/07 In the packed ballroom of the University of Idaho's student union building, The members of the festival's house rhythm section were answering questions. Jeff Hamilton, Benny Green, Christian McBride and Russell Malone now and then … [Read more...]

Later, I'll have a report on the final concert of the Hampton festival, the changing of its artistic leadership, and a few thoughts on jazz education and the future of the jazz audience. At the moment, the hotel's checkout deadline is looming. I'm packing up and hitting the road following an intense … [Read more...]

Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival Moscow, Idaho 2/24/07 At this jazz festival doubling as a music education experience for young people, there are as many as a dozen events in every hour of the day. They are scattered across the University of Idaho campus and the town of Moscow. It is … [Read more...]

Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival Moscow, Idaho 2/23/07 Here's a quick update on highlights of a few of the dozens of festival events since the last posting. Last night's concert ran past midnight. It was dedicated to the late bassist Ray Brown and featured colleagues who achieved fame as sidemen in … [Read more...]

Local wisdom has it that the population of Moscow, Idaho, doubles during the week of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Half of the temporary immigrants seem to be Russian musicians and others from the former Eastern bloc. At the opening concert in the University of Idaho field house, we heard … [Read more...]

To his amazement and, apparently, that of his doctors, my brother had recovered enough to be checked out of the hospital today and sent home. Going into major surgery a week ago, his situation was touch and go. Thanks to all of you who expressed concern. He knows and is grateful. … [Read more...]

Thanks to Bill Reed, aka Dr. Chilledair, for alerting us to recent video of Pinky Winters performing. The occasion was a concert during her December tour in Japan. You may recall that in the Rifftides review of her new CD recorded in 1983, I emphasized that she is singing beautifully these days. To … [Read more...]

No, not that Moscow, the one in Idaho. I'm off later this morning to the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival. In its fortieth year, the twenty-second under his name, the festival goes on without Hamp, worse luck, but with an array of peformers including Benny Green, Jeff Hamilton, Christian … [Read more...]

A benefit is scheduled for next week to help pianist Larry Willis, who was burned out of his home last month. The January 7 fire in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, destroyed the living quarters of the house he shared with a friend. Willis is one of the great journeyman pianists in modern jazz. His resumé … [Read more...]

A message came in yesterday from a Rifftides reader who did not identify himself except to write, "I am going to be 25 in July and I consider myself not to be like most young people who at my age are probably getting their news from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert." The anonymous correspondent said … [Read more...]

My brother is flat on his post-operative back, tethered to his hospital bed like a docked freighter, tubes going into every natural and created orifice. A nurse circumnavigates the bed checking monitor screens for vital signs, adjusting catheters, smoothing sheets. Then, heading for the door, the … [Read more...]

I left my hometown hospital after sitting with my brother in the intensive care unit for several hours. He is sedated up to his eyeballs, thank goodness, but seemed to know that I was there. Well, he knew that someone was there. The doctors tell me that the operation--a risky one--went well. We are … [Read more...]

Following the hospital visit, I had a terrific salmon dinner, then went to a bistro for a glass of wine. I ordered a Russell cabernet, which turned out to be a good choice. At a nearby table was a distinguished looking man of about sixty sitting with a couple who appeared to be in their late … [Read more...]

Nearly a year ago, reviewing The Shadow Of Your Smile: Pinky Winters Sings Johnny Mandel...with Lou Levy, I went on at length about that remarkable release by the vocalist and the pianist. Here is a bit of the review. Pinky Winters does not scat, swoop, or indulge in any form of "jazz singer" … [Read more...]

For the moment, I am back at Rifftides world headquarters, following a hundred-mile drive through dense fog in the wee hours to be with my unexpectedly hospitalized brother. Arriving after 2:00 a.m., I "slept" for four hours on a cot in his room. If you have ever done time in a hospital, you will … [Read more...]