Nicki Parrott, who plays the JAMS seriestomorrow night at CityPlace.(Photo by Mary Jane Photography)By Bill MeredithFor every Jaco Pastorius or Charles Mingus, there are countless jazz bass players who never become household names, so most take up the workmanlike instrument for deeper reasons than attaining celebrity.In the case of Nicki Parrott, it was family.At age … [Read more...]
Arts feature: Susan Merritt, South Florida’s first lady of jazz
Susan Merritt, jazz impresaria. (Illustration by Pat Crowley) By Bill MeredithWEST PALM BEACH -- A strange thing happened to bassist and North Carolina native Susan Merritt when she came south for a gig in 1982 -- her working vacation turned into a relocation.And that eventually transformed her into a Floridian, jazz musician, club owner, and president of the non-profit Jazz … [Read more...]