It’s a somewhat predictable 2015-2016 season in South Florida jazz. The biggest names, like the ageless, 89-year-old Tony Bennett, perform in our region often — and are realistically on the fringe of the genre. Jazz, especially at so-called jazz festivals, now seems to have expanded to include R&B, adult contemporary, pop, and any other style that includes horns (yet may lack … [Read more...]
‘Wedding Singer’ pleasant, but lightweight
Once you make your reputation with edgy, unconventional musicals like Bat Boy, Assassins and Side Show, it is hard to switch gears, go mainstream and be completely satisfying. That is the challenge facing the adventuresome Slow Burn Theatre Company, which feels obligated to pull back from the offbeat during the summer, when its available audience pool is smaller. So it has … [Read more...]
Guitarist Rodgers pays homage to the masters of jazz
Atlanta-born guitarist and vocalist Bobby Lee Rodgers (www.bobbyleerodgers.com) spent much of the past decade fronting The Codetalkers, a group he founded with former Aquarium Rescue Unit leader Col. Bruce Hampton. The band was a pop-rock vehicle for Rodgers’ quirky songwriting, playing and vocals, all of which showed only glimpses of his deep jazz background. But his recent … [Read more...]