“Christian rock” is a relatively vague 20th-century description that crept into music ranging from pop stars (Irish group U2) to hard rockers (Missouri-launched trio King’s X) to metallic acts (California band Stryper), all of which rose to prominence between the late 1970s and early 1980s. Times have clearly changed. The current, rechristened Contemporary Christian … [Read more...]
Capacity audience on hand for throwback show from ‘Mr. Swindle’s Peculiarium’
JUPITER — Gimmickry has always been a draw in live entertainment, and never more so than since the COVID-19 pandemic. People now seem more drawn to things they’ve never seen in person, perhaps to counter the effects of the likes of a virus they’d never experienced (as opposed to the latest music gimmick, tribute act bookings from local to Daryl Hall’s Live From Daryl’s … [Read more...]
Master of the vibraphone steeped in instrument’s history
Vibraphone. The mention of the instrument conjures up historic jazz figures from Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson and Terry Gibbs to Cal Tjader, Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton. And as the latest recording by Baltimore native Warren Wolf (www.warrenwolf.com) proves, this younger vibraphonist is as steeped in the instrument’s history and tradition as he is in its technique and … [Read more...]
Legendary drummer Appice, now of LWB, to play two Vanilla Fudge shows in Boca
Before he became a western Lake Worth Beach resident, drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice (www.carmineappice.net) was part of one of the all-time great live shows in South Florida. At the venue formerly known as the Hollywood Sportatorium in 1977, the New York City native played an out-of-control concert with Rod Stewart while touring in support of the vocalist’s rocking, Tom … [Read more...]
Beast Mode Trio does South Florida proud with powerful rock-jazz fusion
Power trio. It’s a tag generally applied to rock acts like the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, or Rush. Piano trio. It’s a tag generally applied to jazz acts led by the likes of Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, or Chick Corea. Beast Mode Trio (beastmodetrio.com) is a South Florida collective that split the differences during its 70-minute show for a three-quarter capacity … [Read more...]
Florida drummer’s new fusion trio comes to Boca club
Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be drummers in South Florida. Miami-born Jonathan Joseph has toured and recorded with vocalists Ricky Martin and Joss Stone — two pop artists with oversized name recognition — but even that hasn’t made him a comparable star despite his own oversized technique, taste, and speed around the drum kit. The 58-year-old Port St. … [Read more...]
South Florida jazz duo has been ‘running toward the art’ for 30 years
Perhaps the preeminent jazz duo of all time, and definitely the top historic vocal-and-guitar jazz duo, was the pairing of singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996) and guitarist Joe Pass (1929-1994). The two larger-than-life artists primarily led successful separate careers, other than occasional live performances together, releasing only four duo albums between 1973 and 1986 … [Read more...]
Blues trailblazer Samantha Fish heads for Boca bash
It’s probably safe to say that the blues world never saw Samantha Fish (www.samanthafish.com) coming. The 35-year-old emerged from the historic Kansas City, Missouri, music scene 20 years ago with her ample vocal chops, heady songwriting and incendiary guitar playing, aided since by an attention-grabbing pinup gal sense of fashion. She’s appeared on a dozen albums, most … [Read more...]
Season Preview 2024-25: Stalwarts keep the flame alive for jazz fans
If all music forms encompassed a herd of prey animals, jazz might be the unfortunate member struggling to keep up at its rear flank. It’s unfortunate, and not the way it should be, but sadly the way it is in the modern music biz. South Florida has numerous music schools producing quality jazz musicians, yet many need to go into teaching, perform and record popular music, and/or … [Read more...]
Legendary UK band Squeeze marks 50th with performance in Pompano
Fifty years together as a band is rare, but the route toward such a golden anniversary isn’t often as circuitous as that of Squeeze (www.squeezeofficial.com). The heady British pop group’s celebratory tour of the United States started in Oregon in mid-August, and includes a stop at Pompano Beach Amphitheatre on Sept. 21. Best-known for late-1970s and early-1980s U.K. and … [Read more...]