55th Annual GRAMMY Awards Jazz Nominees!

Congratulations to all of the vocalists, groups, and musicians that were nominated for a GRAMMY!! You'll find the Jazz nominees listed below. Are you surprised, excited? Disappointed? You don't really care one way or another? Let me know in the comments section...

Click to read more ...

Arturo Sandoval and the Soundtrack for "Oscar's Cuba"

Today (6 November 2010) is trumpeter, pianist and composer Arturo Sandoval's 61st birthday! Typically on Twitter, I bring attention to a musician's birthday by tweeting links to videos so that everyone can enjoy watching performances by the artist.

While searching YouTube for a recent video featuring Mr. Sandoval, I came across this one where he is recording the soundtrack for a documentary entitled "Oscar's Cuba". During the video, he also discusses what's really going on in his homeland of Cuba and Dr. Oscar Biscet's heroic resistance to the oppressiveness of the government there.

Click to read more ...

Seven for Saturday - 7 Dizzy Gillespie Videos

"Seven for Saturday" is a great way to see some of the legendary men and women of jazz in action.

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer.

Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz. He taught and influenced many other musicians, including trumpeters Miles Davis, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown, Arturo Sandoval, Lee Morgan, Jon Faddis and Chuck Mangione.

“Dizzy Gillespie's contributions to jazz were huge. Arguably considered by both crtics and fans alike, Gillespie is remembered as one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time. Gillespie was such a complex player that his contemporaries ended up copying Miles Davis and Fats Navarro instead, and it was not until Jon Faddis's emergence in the 1970s that Dizzy's style was successfully recreated."

Click to read more ...

JAM 2010: 156 Artists for a New Jazz Experience (Part I)

There are hundreds and hundreds of jazz musicians & singers around - creating, touring, enriching people's lives with their music.

My contribution to the celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month is this ongoing list. It was made during a couple of sessions of free association. I thought of one artist which made me think of someone else. 

It is my hope that everyone will be able to find an artist, a style, a video or a backstory that resonates with them.

Click to read more ...