There’s a veteran rock act that emerged from Houston, one with style and staying power that’s literally both little and old. Just don’t confuse it with “that little ol’ band from Texas.” Because while ZZ Top was a force through the 1970s after coming out of the southeastern Lone Star State hub, that trio fell prey to 1980s video trappings and has become a caricature tribute … [Read more...]
The season in jazz, 2025-26: Stalwarts keep essential American art form vibrant
In 1975, a song titled “All That Jazz” debuted in the musical Chicago. Fifty years later, in regard to the South Florida scene, its title could be amended to “Jazz — Is That All?” Without the few presenting venues and organizations here, and several of the artists who return every one to two years listed below, the genre would largely be missing in action for 2025-2026. … [Read more...]
The season in pop, 2025-26: Eilish, King’s X, Sting and Byrne offer bright spots in a tribute-band time
Even if you’re old enough to remember the 1980s, you might not notice modern popular music’s visual similarities to that bygone decade. For most, in an era where licensing is now practically a prerequisite to attract viewers over listeners, they’re more covert than overt. The ’80s actually started promisingly. Artists who’d emerged in the late 1970s (U2, Prince, The … [Read more...]
Delray’s The Flyers isn’t just your average cover band
Going to a nightclub to see a cover band is practically a time-honored rite of passage, especially in a tourist-driven market like South Florida. And in many cases, what you’ll witness is unsurprising and reasonably well-played renditions of classic rock material, since most patrons are conditioned to think they want to hear and see only what they already know. Which is … [Read more...]
Guitarist Noy and trio bring modern jazz muscle to Boca
Like clockwork every three years, Israel-born, New York City-based jazz/fusion guitarist Oz Noy’s trio comes back to the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton for early and late shows. And like 2019 and 2022, its Aug. 21 concert featured a different accompanying rhythm section. In 2019, it was French phenom bassist Hadrien Feraud and longtime Chick Corea drummer Dave Weckl. In … [Read more...]
Careful with that ax: The Who launches another ‘farewell’ tour, starting in South Florida
Sixty-one years after forming in London, England, The Who (www.thewho.com) will perform the first show of its The Song Is Over: North American Farewell Tour at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on August 16. It’s what amounts to a local dress rehearsal, something touring acts sometimes do as beachside tuneups in our cylindrical coastal state, where the road toward the … [Read more...]
Oz Noy’s Boca return will include spotlight for young bassist
Israel-born, Manhattan-based jazz/fusion guitarist Oz Noy likes to play the field. Musically, that is. Noy is a recurring fixture with his trio every few years at the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton, where he appears again for two shows on August 21. In his 2019 debut at the venue, that trio was rounded out by young French bass virtuoso Hadrien Feraud (whose credits include … [Read more...]
‘3 Shades of Blue’ brings us close to three jazz titans, masterfully
If the best books indeed put readers in the mind’s eye of their authors, then James Kaplan’s 3 Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and the Lost Empire of Cool (Penguin Press) qualifies as an audiovisual masterwork. That’s because the author also puts readers in the mind’s eye of the three great jazz figures present in the title and beyond. Kaplan … [Read more...]
Local piano legend Copeland Davis holds court at West Palm café
When it comes to Florida natives who are still performing in the Sunshine State 50-plus years after starting their careers here, the list is very short. Unlike West Palm Beach-born jazz/fusion guitarist Scott Henderson — who wowed area crowds with the bands Pure Hell and Paradise before moving to Los Angeles; touring and recording with Chick Corea, Jean-Luc Ponty, and Joe … [Read more...]
‘We Are America’ celebration aims to be Northwood draw on Flag Day
There are times when the effort of searching for the right destination pays off. Artistically, such is the case with the Northwood Art & Music Warehouse. If you’re looking for a casual, comfortable venue with indoor and outdoor stages and a house PA system for live music; paintings, drawings and other crafts by local artists, and craft beers and imported wines, look no … [Read more...]