There’s something to be said about a band that waits nine years to release its first full-length album. Whether the motives for such a delay stem from perfectionism, laziness, or simply different artistic priorities, one thing you can bet on is that the final product will display a level of cohesiveness not generally found in [...]
Given the abundance of talent that New Orleans has to offer in the fields of both rap and instrumental music, it’s more than a little surprising that the two genres cross paths so rarely. Jealous Monk, the brainchild of New Jersey transplant Jermaine Quiz and West Bank rapper MC Intelligence, is a rare exception. Through [...]
Dr. Lonnie Smith is no stranger to New Orleans. Over the years, the venerable funk-master has recorded and performed with many of the Crescent City’s finest musicians and, most recently, he has become a staple during the Jazz Fest season with his regular appearances at the Blue Nile. Given this, its no surprise that the [...]
Blue Note Records—the name itself holds much weight in the minds of even the most uninitiated jazz fans. The legendary record label started by Alfred Lion in 1939 came to redefine the jazz aesthetic, especially with the records it produced through the 1950s and early ’60s. Albums by the likes of Art Blakey and the [...]
Silent Cinema’s debut album has been a long time coming. Since the band’s inception in 2004, it has morphed from a small, indie-folk outfit into a bombastic noise circus boasting as many as 12 members at one point. With Fins and Feathers, the group presents itself as a cohesive seven-piece unit that brings years of [...]
The influence of saxophonist Wayne Shorter on the world of jazz is undeniable. As a member of the 1960s Miles Davis Quintet and then as co-founder of the ’70s fusion phenomenon Weather Report, Shorter displayed an all-encompassing style of playing and a meticulous, sensitive approach to composition that helped reshape jazz music forever. Mysterious Shorter, [...]
Since his breakthrough The Way It Is album in 1984 Bruce Hornsby has worn many a musical hat. His collaborations with Huey Lewis, Ricky Scaggs and the Grateful Dead leave little doubt about his competence and versatility as a pianist, composer, and arranger. Still, it was something a surprise when he popped up in the [...]
Here are two words to describe the new Philip Manuel album: Ooooooh yeah. A collection of soulful slow jams and mellow R&B grooves, PM spotlights seductive lyrics sung by the silky-voiced New Orleans vocalist
Anyone familiar with Manuel’s numerous jazz recordings be forewarned: this is not a jazz album. The tone for the album is set [...]
Bay area guitarist Charlie Hunter is well acquainted with New Orleans and its abundant crop of musical talent. He has been a staple at local nightclubs during the Jazz Fest season and his past collaborations have included many Crescent City musicians, most notably drummer Stanton Moore with whom Hunter has performed and recorded with widely. [...]
