Pianists who play solo concerts, even ones who have made their names in jazz, realize that they're best-served to have some classical acumen because of the inherent recital expectations of an unaccompanied atmosphere. In that regard, New York City-based Fred Hersch arrived at the Arts Garage in Delray Beach well-armed Friday night. The Cincinnati native, who turns 59 on … [Read more...]
2014-15 arts preview: The season in pop
Amid the usual South Florida classic rock concerts in 2014-2015, plus a couple shows by popular indie stars like The Black Keys, it’s a surprisingly singer/songwriter-oriented season that ranges from blues and pop to country and folk. In addition to rootsy crossover artists Lyle Lovett, Jimmy Webb, Leon Russell and Emmylou Harris, and various blues incarnates like Robert … [Read more...]
2014-15 arts preview: The season in jazz
Jazz isn’t exactly the genre best-known for producing superstars, but a chosen few will appear in South Florida this season. The most notable is likely legendary crooner Tony Bennett, who plays both the Knight Concert Hall in Miami and the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach (the latter on Valentine’s Day). The gifted pianist and silky singer Diana Krall, who had been scheduled, … [Read more...]
Jazz guitarist Najar flies in on Byrd’s wings
If he had it to do again, nylon-string jazz guitarist Nate Najar would be playing a different instrument. “If I could start over, I'd play piano,” he says. “I once had a wonderful teacher named Frank Mullen, and he often brought a classical guitar to my lessons before I played one. He talked me into trying it, and made me realize how much more piano-like a nylon-string guitar … [Read more...]
The big noise from Naples: Bob Stone’s jazz band plays Delray
Bob Stone, the founder, musical director and drummer for the Naples Jazz Orchestra (www.thenjo.com), gained renown by leading his popular self-titled big band from 1976-1989 in Chicago. Yet he didn’t exactly move to the west coast of Florida 25 years ago intending to do the same thing. “I was hitting the road with some major artists then, and flying out of O’Hare International … [Read more...]
Remembering Corey Dwyer, gone before long strange trip was over
In early April, I received what I thought was a casual inquiry on Facebook that turned into a snowballing tragedy. Renee Solis, vocalist and guitarist for the progressive local band Equinox, asked if I knew how to get in touch with Corey Dwyer, the Boynton Beach-based musician who sang and played nearly every instrument, who was a longtime owner, operator and engineer at the … [Read more...]
Jazzman Batiste looks ahead while looking back to New Orleans roots
The recently completed four-season HBO series Treme brought post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, and the city’s deep musical history, back into the spotlight. Appearances by New York City-based jazz pianist and vocalist Jon Batiste also elevated the stylish young rising star a rung higher, something that’s no coincidence, since Treme was partly based on his own family’s … [Read more...]
Essay: Remembering six area musicians
As a musician, I've come to the conclusion that playing music in a live setting works best when it parallels, well, life. There will be some of the inherent up moments, like harmony among the vocals and the instruments, and conversations both with and without words, plus some of the downs like mistakes that you have to recover and learn from. But being a veteran musician … [Read more...]
Saxman Garrett finds new worlds with stint at piano
If 53-year-old Kenny Garrett wasn’t already well-known as one of the leading alto saxophonists of his generation, evidence might otherwise suggest he was a jazz pianist. “My main inspirations are Art Tatum and McCoy Tyner,” he says of the blind virtuoso pianist Tatum (1909-1956), who dominated jazz in the first half of the 20th century, and the 75-year-old Tyner, who rose to … [Read more...]
Three blues masters find the jamming is easy as a supergroup
Bandleaders in general, and blues bandleaders in particular, are notorious lone wolves -- stereotypical alpha males who often seek stardom by being songwriters, lead vocalists and their band’s primary soloists and dominating the spotlight. So how is it that three of them, all rising young blues stars with their own bands, combined forces to create a regional all-star group? … [Read more...]