What to do when you have a big band and all of you are friends? Nowhere to go and nowhere to perform in the COVID19 world of shelter-in-place. Paul Siekierski, the bassist for the Easy Street Big Band, decided that if they could not do it physically – let’s try digitally. Wading through the waters […]
(Photo: The late great Jimmy Cobb who left us this past week.) Are we ready to get back to live jazz concerts? It depends on the audience size for most people according to the survey results article below. Check it out if you haven’t yet. For now, more jazz live streams continue expanding. So, be […]
The prospect of reopening is something to be positive about. Yet, we still face the reality that returning to houses packed with jazz audiences for jazz concerts is a long way off. The silver lining is we continue to see, however slight, improvements in live streams. More exceptional jazz is appearing online. This week, Smalls […]
The immediate and abrupt halt to a thriving jazz scene filled with audiences in jazz clubs and jazz festivals has been pronounced. For countless jazz artists, jazz clubs, performing arts centers, and jazz festivals the COVID-19 pandemic has meant significant losses both in monetary and artistic value. People who make up jazz audiences are all […]
The legendary drummer and the last surviving member of the famed Kind of Blue ensemble led by Miles Davis, has died at the age of 91. Cobb reportedly died on Sunday, May 24th. According to Cobb’s wife, Eleana Tee Cobb, the cause was due to a battle with lung cancer. Early news of Cobb’s death […]
(Peggy Lee fans will want to take note of this press release by the Grammy and the Grammy museum. A virtual exhibit celebrating Peggy Lee’s 100th birthday.) NATE HERTWECK / GRAMMYS MAY 20, 2020 The GRAMMY Museum announced Peggy Lee 100th Birthday Celebration, a special event including a panel discussion, birthday toast and virtual exhibit in honor of Peggy Lee‘s […]
SFJAZZ, the Bay Area venue and nonprofit dedicated to jazz performances, is set to live stream four Wayne Shorter tribute concerts from January 2019. The special live streams are intended to raise money for ongoing medical needs the jazz legend requires. The live streams will mark the first time these concerts have been broadcast and will feature […]
(Photo Credit: Jack Zuff. Elio Villafranca performing at the 2018 Northwest Jazz Festival in Historic Lewiston, NY) Organizing with impressive speed, the newly founded Jazz Coalition announced its first round of commission funds grantees. A total of 51 jazz artists were awarded a $1,000 grant each for the creative purpose of composing new works. Brice […]
(Photo: A photo of Major Glen Miller and the U.S. Army Air Forces Big Band from the National WWII Museum.) We have reached Memorial Day weekend after enduring two months of #stayathome and NYS PAUSE guidelines. It will be a different holiday weekend this time around. The one thing that does not change is giving […]
It is hard to believe Memorial Day Weekend is here. The past two months have made time and place feel different. Many of us are turning to jazz and other art forms to help pass the time. More exceptional jazz is appearing online. The quality is improving and more are dipping their toe into presenting […]
