JazzWatch #55 | Dr. Lonnie Smith

February 2, 2016 by jazzwatch in JazzWatch Blog Posts, JazzWatch Podcast and tagged album, bam, band, black american music, blue note, charles lloyd, concert, conversation, Detroit, discussion, Don Was, Duke Pearson, Evolution, Festival, Frank Wolf, Hammond B3, improv, improvisation, Indie, interview, jazz, Jazz Fest, label, long form, manager, Michigan, music, nashville, New Orleans, new york, new york city, npr, podcast, quartet, Smalls, Smoke, Smoke Jazz Club, trio, web series, webisode | Leave a comment

As one of the most exciting Hammond B3 organists of all time, Dr. Lonnie Smith continues to take his combination of swing, groove and sound into new directions. His new CD, “Evolution,” documents just that – the Good Doctor’s blend of soulfulness and spontaneity with a special cast of musicians. There are new originals such as, “For Heaven’s Sake,” “African Suite,” and “Talk About This,” as well as re-imagined standards like, “My Favorite Things,” and “Straight No Chaser”. “Evolution” is a striking and attention-getting CD, but at the same time, familiar enough to make the listener feel right at home. It’s all part of the wizardry of Dr. Lonnie Smith. It was great to talk with the Doctor about coming back home to Blue Note Records and the similarities of late great producers Frank Wolf and Duke Pearson with current label president and producer, Don Was. Dr. Smith also gave us his ideas about how to keep young players and practitioners of the music evolving in the right direction. We hope you enjoy our chat with Dr. Lonnie Smith on Jazzwatch.

http://www.drlonniesmith.com

http://www.facebook.com/jazzwatch

https://twitter.com/gbjazzwatch

https://www.youtube.com/user/GBJazzWatch

JazzWatch #52 | Ulysses Owens

November 9, 2015 by jazzwatch in JazzWatch Blog Posts, JazzWatch Podcast and tagged AACM, album, art blakey, Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, bam, band, Benny Golson, black american music, charles lloyd, China, christian mcbride, concert, conversation, discussion, Downbeat Critics Poll, drummer, drums, Florida, Grammy Award Winning, improv, improvisation, Indie, interview, Jacksonville, jazz, jazz night in america, jazz release, Julliard, Kurt Elling, label, long form, Maceo Parker, manager, miles davis, Mintons, mulgrew miller, music, nashville, National Black Journalist's Association, new york, new york city, Nicholas Payton, npr, Onward and upward, podcast, producer, quartet, Rhythm, Smalls, Smoke, Smoke Jazz Club, song travels, soundcheck, The Simplicity of Life, tiny desk, tour, trio, Unanimous, web series, webisode, Wynton Marsalis | Leave a comment

Ulysses Owens Jr.’s multifaceted approach to music ensures that he’ll be with us in excellence for a long while. He’s an accomplished sideman, (Kurt Elling, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton), a bandleader featured on his own projects (Unanimous , Onward and Upward) and also features and presents live talent in concert (Minton’s). He’s a thoughtful young man with an ever-growing wisdom as a global citizen and ambassador for improvisational music. As I experienced in a recent concert, not only is his command of the drums powerful and filled with a dynamic pulse, but feeling the actual vibrations of his groove put me in the space of another one of improvisational music’s greatest ambassadors and masters of rhythm, Art Blakey.

We caught Ulysses just after a tour of China to talk to him about his recent road trips as a bandleader and his philosophy about cultivating new audiences at home and abroad. Enjoy our chat and learn more about him at http://www.usojazzy.com.

http://www.facebook.com/jazzwatch

https://twitter.com/gbjazzwatch

https://www.youtube.com/user/GBJazzWatch

JazzWatch #36 | Gerald Clayton

March 26, 2015 by jazzwatch in JazzWatch Blog Posts, JazzWatch Podcast and tagged album, bam, band, black american music, Bond, California, charles lloyd, Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, concert, conversation, discussion, Gretchen Parlato, improv, improvisation, Indie, interview, jazz, Jeff Clayton, John Clayton, Kenny Barron, label, Life Force, long form, manager, Manhattan School of Music, music, nashville, New Orleans, new york, new york city, npr, pianist, piano, podcast, quartet, Roy Hargrove, Smalls, Smoke, Smoke Jazz Club, trio, Two Shade, University of Southern California, usc, web series, webisode | Leave a comment

Gerald Clayton has earned a unique place among the current generation of pianists and composers. He’s equally versed in the rich tradition of jazz as well as its modern sounds and explorations. Not only has Clayton been called upon to perform with father John and uncle Jeff Clayton in their award-winning ensembles, he’s also been featured with a diverse array of A-list bandleaders such as vocalist Gretchen Parlato, drummer Gregory Hutchinson, trumpeter Roy Hargrove and saxophonist Charles Lloyd. Clayton’s trio and expanded ensembles have been featured over three acclaimed releases (Two-Shade, Bond and Life Force) and he has enjoyed leading these ensembles in tours across the U.S. and abroad. He spoke with us about his growth and development in the music while imparting some wisdom about sharing improvisational music with new listeners.

http://www.facebook.com/jazzwatch

https://twitter.com/gbjazzwatch

https://www.youtube.com/user/GBJazzWatch

JazzWatch #33 | Jack DeJohnette

March 9, 2015 by jazzwatch in JazzWatch Blog Posts, JazzWatch Podcast and tagged AACM, album, Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, bam, band, bill evans, black american music, charles lloyd, chicago, concert, conversation, discussion, drummer, drums, ecm, grammy, henry threadgill, improv, improvisation, Indie, interview, jackie mclean, jazz, jazz legend, jazz night in america, jazz release, jon patton, keith jarrett, label, larry gray, long form, made in chicago, manager, miles davis, mosaic, muhal richard abrams, music, nashville, National Black Journalist's Association, nea jazz master, new york, new york city, npr, podcast, producer, quartet, Rhythm, roscoe mitchell, Roy Wood Sr., Smalls, Smoke, Smoke Jazz Club, song travels, soundcheck, tiny desk, trio, web series, webisode, winner | Leave a comment

Acclaimed drummer and composer Jack DeJohnette is a true master of rhythm. As one of the last distinct voices to emerge from the golden era of improvisational music, DeJohnette is perhaps at the peak of his powers in 2015. His career has spanned through the ensembles of Miles Davis, Charles Lloyd, Bill Evans, Jackie McLean, Jon Patton and Keith Jarrett in addition to his unique ensembles as a leader. Following his 2012 NEA Jazz Master Award, DeJohnette was contacted by the Chicago Jazz Festival and asked to headline one of the evenings the following year with any ensemble of his choosing. Armed with reed-men Henry Threadgill and Roscoe Mitchell, bassist Larry Gray and pianist Muhal Richard Abrams, DeJohnette orchestrated one of his most adventurous live performances in recent years. This reunion of old friends was recorded, edited, mastered, and as is now available on the ECM release, “Made In Chicago.” In this chat, DeJohnette speaks about his origins in Chicago and many of the names and places that helped to develop his conception of music.

http://www.jackdejohnette.com

JazzWatch Podcast and Blog

"On the Watch for the Active Ear"

Tag Archives: charles lloyd

JazzWatch #55 | Dr. Lonnie Smith

http://www.facebook.com/jazzwatch

https://twitter.com/gbjazzwatch

https://www.youtube.com/user/GBJazzWatch

JazzWatch #52 | Ulysses Owens

http://www.facebook.com/jazzwatch

https://twitter.com/gbjazzwatch

https://www.youtube.com/user/GBJazzWatch

JazzWatch #36 | Gerald Clayton

http://www.facebook.com/jazzwatch

https://twitter.com/gbjazzwatch

https://www.youtube.com/user/GBJazzWatch

JazzWatch #33 | Jack DeJohnette

http://www.facebook.com/jazzwatch

https://twitter.com/gbjazzwatch

https://www.youtube.com/user/GBJazzWatch