Stories for January 22, 2021
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Ed O'Keefe is the CBS news white house correspondent who came to play / 98.7WFMT Q&A
Posted At : January 20, 2021 12:00 AM
WFMT: Chicago 's Candice Agree writes....From the age of 3, CBS News political correspondent Ed O'Keefe toiled at a keyboard-not in typing, as unintended preparation for his 13 years at the Washington Post, but in studying classical piano in Delmar, a suburb of Albany, NY. Although he loved playing, his interest in current events and politics pulled him into a journalism career. No stranger to Chicago, in 2008, O'Keefe was in Grant Park the night that Barack Obama was elected president. O'Keefe, 37, is about to become a fixture in the White House press room, as he will cover the Biden administration for the TV network he joined in 2018. But he has never left his first passion far behind. He shared some musical memories with us before taking on his new assignment at CBS News as Senior White House & Political Correspondent. Photo courtesy CBS News) READ Candice Agree's Q&A with Ed O'Keefe.Jane Ira Bloom, Mark Helias 'Some Kind Of Tomorrow' is raw, intimate, and fearless / JAZZ VIEWS
Posted At : January 20, 2021 12:00 AM
Jane Ira Bloom, Mark Helias 'Some Kind Of Tomorrow' was Reviewed by JAZZ VIEWS Sammy Stein, who wrote........
Saxophone player Jane Ira Bloom and bass player Mark Helias are long-time collaborators. This album was born out of the need to create music in such a unique time where live audiences and in-person studio recordings were impossible. Recorded remotely from their homes, the music stands as a departure from any kind of release they have done together as all tracks are completely improvised. The resulting sound is raw, intimate, and fearless. I asked Jane Ira Bloom about the recording, and she explained, " Given how we had to make this made Mark and I rely on the most basic aspect of our collaborative impulse – our two sets of ears. Mark and I have known one another for over 40 years. We first met in New Haven CT in the 1970s, and when you think about it, you build up so much shared vocabulary when you've played with someone over such a long time. We really didn't plan this recording. It happened because we needed to improvise with one another and so the music emerged from a different place than normal when you plan a recording project." READ THE FULL JAZZ VIEWS REVIEWSignum Saxophone Quartet - Echoes is the WFMT: Featured New Release
Posted At : January 19, 2021 12:00 AM
An ensemble that attracts rave reviews and sell-out crowds at prestigious venues everywhere from Vienna to New York, the sensational Signum Saxophone Quartet presents their first Deutsche Grammophon album. Featuring inventive arrangements of music by composers from Dowland to Peter Gregson, as well as Guillermo Lago's Sarajevo, a saxophone quartet original, Echoes showcases the full potential of the saxophone – a modern instrument more than capable of capturing the echoes of the past. For January 19, 2021, the Signum Saxophone Quartet: Echoes is the WFMT: Chicago 'Featured New Release.'Sharon Isbin talks technique, collaboration, and guitar diplomacy with Montana Public Radio
Posted At : January 19, 2021 12:00 AM
"the Monet of the classical guitar" Sharon Isbin, returns to Montana Public Radio's - Musician's Spotlight to talk technique, collaboration and guitar diplomacy with host John Floridis. Isbin's accomplishments involve big numbers: she has recorded more than 30 albums, premiered 80 new works by composers like John Corigliano, Joseph Schwantner and Lukas Foss, performed as a soloist with over 200 orchestras around the world, appeared on numerous television and radio programs, hit #2 on Billboard, and won dozens of prestigious honors and awards. Montana Public Radio's Musician's Spotlight will Broadcast this segment on Tuesday 1/19/2021. READ THE FULL ARTICLE & LISTENRobin Spielberg's 'Re-Inventions' is beautiful, translucent, smokey marble with three sides of music / The Final on Vinyl
Posted At : January 18, 2021 12:00 AM
TFOV Founder - Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck writes.....RE-INVENTIONS takes talent and a lot of courage to take world-renowned and treasured classical pieces by the masters and rework them into your vision. After hearing this album, I think you will agree that Robin should put the crown on her head because she proves why she is piano music royalty. The 2 LP set is a beautiful translucent smokey marble with three sides of music. The sound for instrumental piano is exceptional. I would think most instrumental music is well suited for the vinyl format. Of course, when you have an equally exceptional musician such as Robin Spielberg performing, the sound is that much more beautiful and defined. Robin Spielberg has poured her heart and soul into this music, which becomes apparent quite readily. Track after track you have the opportunity to revisit classic compositions and the old blended with the new reborn into several variations. The color, ambiance, and heavenly beauty of this music is brilliantly performed. I can guarantee if you appreciate piano solo music, you will fall in love with RE-INVENTIONS. I know it did not take me long! READ THE FULL Final on Vinyl REVIEWUS Marine Band commission of Peter Boyer's 'Fanfare for Tomorrow' will be performed as part of Biden/Harris inauguration / The Violin Channel
Posted At : January 18, 2021 12:00 AM
THE Violin Channel writes......The United States Marine Band commissioned American composer Peter Boyer for special fanfare at Biden/Harris Inauguration, to be performed at the U.S. Capitol on January 20th, 2021. Boyer's new work, "Fanfare for Tomorrow," will be performed as part of the one hour prelude music of the inauguration, conducted by Colonel Jason K. Fettig., the Marine Band's Director. The piece was originally for solo French horn, was commissioned by the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra. Boyer significantly expanded and developed it for a full concert band for this inaugural commission. The United States Marine Band, the "The President's Own," is America's oldest continuously active musical organization. It is said that debuted in 1801 for Thomas Jefferson's inauguration. "I had just over a week to compose and orchestrate the piece," Boyer said. "Col. Jason Fettig had cautioned me about writing too high for the brass, due to the very cold conditions in which the piece would be performed outdoors. I had just a few hours to create and deliver this lower key version of the piece to the Marine Band. Happily, It seems to have worked out well!" READ THE FULL Violin Channel ARTICLEWith 'Four Questions,' Arturo O'Farrill finds inspiration, not just of the musical kind / Hollywood Soapbox
Posted At : January 17, 2021 12:00 AM
Hollywood Soapbox - John Soltes writes......Arturo O'Farrill, who heads The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, has always brought the real world into his musical compositions, and that's especially true of his latest release, Four Questions, featuring well-known academic Dr. Cornel West. The album was met with acclaim in 2020 and received a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album. The title of the album is pulled from the original composition featuring West on the album. The 16-minute piece pairs the academic's voice with the measured musical musings of the orchestra. Surrounding this central tune are other songs that speak to the versatility of O'Farrill's creative output, including "Baby Jack," "Jazz Twins," "Clump, Unclump" and the "A Still, Small Voice" series. "What happened was I had been very interested in Dr. West's speaking for many, many years," O'Farrill said in a recent phone interview. "You can't help but be aware of Dr. West, and periodically he would come to a show. And I'd see him in the audience." READ THE FULL Hollywood Soapbox ARTICLETop 10 for Jan
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SIGNUM saxophone quartet :
Echoes
An ensemble that attracts rave reviews and sell-out crowds at prestigious venues everywhere from Vienna to New York, the sensational SIGNUM saxophone quartet are now set to present their first Deutsche Grammophon album. -
Laila Biali :
A Case of You - LIVE
SOCAN Music and JUNO Award winner Laila Biali shares an intimate acoustic cover of Joni Mitchell's classic love song, A Case of You, captured live off the floor at Revolution Recording Studios. -
Ilan Eshkeri :
A Perfect Planet
Sony Music today announces the January 8, 2021 release of A PERFECT PLANET (SOUNDTRACK FROM THE BBC SERIES) with music by composer ILAN ESHKERI (Stardust, The Young Victoria). -
Jane Ira Bloom, Mark Helias :
Some Kind of Tomorrow
Soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom and bassist Mark Helias come together to create duets discovered in the moment in a way that is rarely heard today with Some Kind of Tomorrow. -
Yo-Yo Ma | Kathryn Stott :
Comfort and Hope
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott come together again, this time for Songs of Comfort and Hope, set for release on December 11, 2020 on Sony Classical. -
Catalyst Quartet :
Uncovered Vol. 1 - Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
On Friday, February 5, 2021, GRAMMY Award-winning Catalyst Quartet releases UNCOVERED Volume 1 on Azica Records. -
Chad Lawson :
When the Party's Over
Pianist and composer Chad Lawson shares his cover of Billie Eilish's song "When the Party's Over" today; listen/watch HERE. -
Ezinma :
Drummer Bae
Violin sensation, Ezinma, releases "Drummer Bae," (Decca Records) an imaginative medley of cherished Christmas melodies. -
The Comet Is Coming :
Imminent
"The London-based trio The Comet Is Coming-made up of the saxophonist King Shabaka, the percussionist Betamax, and the keyboardist Danalogue-thrusts empyrean jazz into an apocalyptic future, where raucous psych rock and danceable electro-grooves ride lush tenor lines to outer space. -
Nick Cave - Nicholas Lens :
L.I.T.A.N.I.E.S
Belgian composer Nicholas Lens & Australian singer and songwriter Nick Cave present their lockdown album L.
Jane Ira Bloom: Sixteen Sunsets gets 'Best Jazz of 2013' in 35th Annual Jazz Station Poll
Posted: December 30, 2013 12:00 AM | By: AdminMONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013
The results of the 35th Annual Jazz Station Poll conducted by jazz journalist, jazz historian & jazz educator Arnaldo DeSouteiro is in. and The Best Jazz of 2013 isAhmad Jamal (pictured below), Steve Lindeman, Ron Carter, Toots Thielemans, Gene Bertoncini, Mark Egan, Steve Gadd, Randy Brecker, Michael Pedicin, Ronnie Cuber, Jane Ira Bloom, Jamie Baum, Molly Holm and the late (and already much missed) George Duke are among the top artists of the year. Only albums recorded or released in 2013 were eligible.
2013 Soprano Sax: 1º Jane Ira Bloom ("Sixteen Sunsets" Blu-ray Audio – Outline/Pure Audio Records); 2º Wayne Shorter ("Without A Net" – Blue Note); 3º Larry Schneider ("Permission" w/ Molly Holm – Rinny Zin Records); 4º Geof Bradfield ("Melba!" – Origin); 5º Sam Newsome ("The Art Of The Soprano" – SM); 6º Dave Liebman ("Circular Dreaming" w/ Quest – Enja); 7º Anthony Braxton ("Echo Echo Mirror House" – Victo); 8º Sergio Galvão ("Phantom Fish" – Pimenta Music); 9º Danny Markovitch ("Last Chapter of Dreaming" w/ Marbin – MoonJune); 10º Branford Marsalis("Bob, A Palindrome" – Bebob Music); 11º Chris Potter ("The Sirens" – ECM); 12º Joshua Redman ("Walking Shadows" – Nonesuch); 13º Mark Gross ("Blackside" – Jazz Legacy Prod.)
Crossover Media Projects with Jane Ira Bloom
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Jane Ira Bloom
Wild Lines / Improvising Emily Dickinson
American original Jane Ira Bloom does it again. This time the 21st-century soprano saxophonist reimagines the poetry of 19th-century visionary Emily Dickinson in two different settings. This new 2 CD pack, has the quartet (Dawn Clement (piano), Mark Helias (bass)& Bobby Previte (drums) interpretating Dickinson's poetry both instrumentaly and in spoken word settings that feature readings by popular stage & film actor Deborah Rush. After the success of her 2016 trio album release Early Americans, Bloom shifts gears with Wild Lines / Improvising Emily Dickinson. Bloom composed Wild Lines when she was awarded a 2015 CMA/ Doris Duke New Jazz Works commission. She was inspired to musically reimagine Dickinson when she learned that the poet was a pianist and improviser herself.
309 TOTAL
SYND: PRI/Jazz After Hours, Jazz FM
Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Miami, Cleveland, Portland, Seattle, Detroit, Austin, St. Louis, Kansas City, New Orleans, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Albuquerque, Berkeley CA, San Antonio, Louisville, Knoxville, Orlando, Madison WI, Long Island NY, Omaha, Hartford CT, WV(Statewide), OR(Statewide), ME(Statewide), Honolulu, Vancouver, Berlin, Pisa, Oslo
INTER: Canada, Mexico, UK, Ireland, Wales, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Austria, Norway, Russia, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
Online: MOJA, Jazz From Gallery 41, Downbeat, Soulandjazz.com, salt peanuts, Contemporary Fusion Review, LEMON WIRE, Midwest Record, Green Arrow, Jazz Views, Radio Valencia, Jazzandrock.com, Keys and Chords, era jazzu14 Jazzweek ADD's
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Jane Ira Bloom
Early Americans
You never know what American original soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom is going to do next. After the success of her 2014 all-ballads release "Sixteen Sunsets" Bloom shifts into another gear showcasing the kinetic energy of her acclaimed trio playing with the musicians that she knows best on Early Americans (OTL142). It's her first trio album, sixteenth as leader and sixth recording on the Outline label. Her sound is like no other on the straight horn and she lets it fly on every track. She's joined by long-time bandmates Mark Helias on bass & drummer Bobby Previte and with over fifty years of shared musical history together the album is sure to be a winner. Bloom's collaboration with Helias dates back to the mid 70's in New Haven CT and her unique chemistry with Previte has been ongoing since 2000. She brought the group together in summer 2015 to Avatar Studio B in NYC to capture their breathtaking sound in both stereo and surround-sound with renowned audio engineer Jim Anderson. The album features twelve Bloom originals ranging from the rhythmic drive of "Song Patrol" and "Singing The Triangle" to the spare melancholy of "Mind Gray River." She closes the album with a signature solo rendition of the American songbook classic, Bernstein & Sondheim's "Somewhere." World-renowned portrait photographer Brigitte Lacombe contributes a stunning cover image of Bloom. "Playing in threes" has always held a special fascination for jazz artists - it offers the possibility that something can be slightly off balance and that's just what fires the imagination of players like Bloom, Helias, & Previte. With Early Americans Jane Ira Bloom stands in the vanguard of her generation carving out new territory in the heart of the jazz tradition. Don't miss this trio of "fearless jazz explorers who share a commitment to beauty & adventure."
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Jane Ira Bloom
Sixteen Sunsets
"I grew up listening to these songs and knowing the lyrics. They were a part of my earliest listening experiences so playing them is like breathing to me. As time's gone by it's been easier to let the meaning of the songs come through the horn."- Jane Ira Bloom
Award winning soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom has always had a special feeling for ballad performances. So much so that she has now finally released: Sixteen Sunsets, a beautiful new recording featuring expressive interpretations from the American Songbook along with five compelling slow tempo original compositions. With this her 15th album as leader and her first all-ballads album, Sixteen Sunsets pairs JIB with long-time colleagues Cameron Brown on bass and Matt Wilson on drums, along with an exciting new pianist we will all be hearing a lot more from: Dominic Fallacaro.
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Jane Ira Bloom
Mental Weather
After thirty years, Award winning soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom has returned to her original label, Outline Records, for a disc employing an electro-acoustic band which brings together fellow 70's New Havenite Mark Helias on bass, drummer Matt Wilson, and Seattle new comer Dawn Clement on keyboards for Mental Weather. After premiering the piece with the Doris Duke new jazz works program, Bloom then brought the band into Avatar Studio B in NYC with audio engineering legend Jim Anderson and laid down nine thrilling tracks.
4 New 'ON' this week: 198 'Total
SYND: NPR: Fresh Air PRI: All That Jazz, WFMT Net: Jazz with Bob Parlocha, CMJ & Jazzweek Charts
Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Wash DC, Philadelphia, Seattle, Minneapolis, Miami, Atlanta, Cleveland, Baltimore, St. Louis, Detroit, Portland, Las Vegas, San Diego, New Orleans, Buffalo, Albuquerque, Berkeley CA, Louisville, Jacksonville, Orlando, Honolulu, Buffalo, Omaha, Raleigh, Toledo, Santa Fe, San Jose, San Antonio, Knoxville, Stanford CA, Puerto Rico
CANADA: Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Quebec
INTER: France, The Netherlands, Australia, Germany, Poland, Portugal, New Zealand, Russia, Austria, Columbia
Charts: CMJ & Jazzweek
Press includes: Downbeat, All About Jazz, JazzTimes -
Jane Ira Bloom
Wingwalker
Whether adventuring into interior or outer space in her music, award winning soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom continues to navigate her unique musical path with creative abandon. Wingwalker, her 14th album as leader and fourth album on the Outline label reunites Bloom with long-time bandmates Dawn Clement on piano, bassist Mark Helias, and drummer Bobby Previte. After two years since Bloom's last release "Mental Weather," she brought the band together in June 2010 to record new compositions written during time made possible by a Guggenheim Fellowship. Wingwalker was recorded in Avatar Studio B in New York City with renowned audio engineer Jim Anderson. The album features eleven Bloom originals and a solo sax rendition of Lerner & Lowe's classic "I Could Have Danced All Night." From the groove inspired "Life on Cloud 8" to the spare simplicity of "Adjusting to Midnight," Jane has journeyed further into jazz dimensions without a safety net. The CD also features an extra mp3 downloadable version of the music condensed into a 5 minute 49 second event.
8 New 'ON' this week: 336 TotalSynd: Voice Of America, PRI/Jazz After HoursDirect: SiriusXM, Music ChoiceMarkets include: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Wash DC, Philadelphia, Seattle, Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, Baltimore, Portland, San Diego, Detroit, Long Island NY, Austin, Milwaukee, Memphis, Albuquerque, Orlando, Tampa, Puerto RicoInternational: Canada, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, The Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa, JapanOnline: The Jazz Session, Moja, Live 365, Taintradio, Jazzweekly.com, All About Jazz, amazon, Aggie Radio, UKJazzRadio, Jazz Virtuosa, Hot House, Cory Weeds, Jazzreview.com, Jazz Police, PopMatters, Big Butter and the Eggman, IAJRC