Angela Turone embraces the familiar, with personal flair
The Artistry of… Angela Turone Angela Turone is a much-welcomed, fresh-but-familiar take on a style so uniquely set in place. A tradition...
Bria Skonberg bridges the many eras and styles of jazz
The Artistry of… Bria Skonberg These words from Quincy Jones say it so well: “It’s such a groove watching my skol sister...
Alfredo Rodriguez dared to dream, no matter the cost
Aiming for your dream at all costs: That is some kind of massive, courageous conviction. Ask yourself what you would do to...
Jill Barber’s voice is the sound of the Canadian sensibility
The Artistry of… Jill Barber The bio on Jill’s website starts with this quote of her musing on great singers and the...
The unguarded moments of Ambrose Akinmusire
The music frees up time and space like it’s elastic. Melody is as dependent upon counter-melody and rhythm and harmony, just as...
The wryness and wisdom of Brandi Disterheft
The Artistry of… Brandi Disterheft The concept of that Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court presents the adventures of a smart, wry...
Mulgrew Miller made music out of love and faith
The Artistry of… Mulgrew Miller The foundation was playing in church as a child. The influences were book-ended by two of the...
The music of Cassandra Wilson is a rich mix of culture
The Artistry of… Cassandra Wilson Hers is a making of music marked by a blend of three integral roots music ingredients: blues,...
James Francies carries the torch of a new generation of jazz
The Artistry of… James Francies The direction is forward. The Houston-born James Francies is a member of an elite vanguard of young...
The music of Chet Baker sounds like the fleeting beauty of spring
The Artistry of… Chet Baker On a sunny, warm, spring day, if you take in a deep breath as you walk a...
Lionel Loueke weaves together a stunning musical tapestry
The Artistry of… Lionel Loueke The depth and richness of dimensions Lionel Loueke brings to his music is like that of an...
With a masterful sensibility, Manu Katché is the artist’s artist
The Artistry of… Manu Katché I think if you’ve laid down the grooves and held down the beat for the likes of...
The unmistakable definition of Tomasz Stańko
The Artistry of… Tomasz Stańko Influence. The word in the arts speaks to a kind of continuum. A momentum where a generation’s...
The voice of Norah Jones is a pleasant breeze, and we’re all floating on it
Norah Jones’s voice is like a pleasant breeze that has caught your sail on a perfect day on the water. Your ear...
Vijay Iyer plays jazz with the sophistication of science
The Artistry of… Vijay Iyer An upstate New Yorker of Indian heritage, Vijay Iyer started out playing the violin at an early...
The lasting legacy of Wallace Roney
The Artistry of… Wallace Roney We recently lost this giant, at a moment in time when it felt like giants were falling....
Curtis Nowosad is among the new vanguard of jazz’s rawest energy
The Artistry of… Curtis Nowosad Hip hop reflects what jazz has always been, what it will always be, and what it has...
With the saxophone, Ernie Watts is among the most familiar voices in music
The Artistry of… Ernie Watts His distinctive horn sound may have you saying things like, “Hey, I know that solo, I remember...
Karrin Allyson brings a Midwestern sensibility to jazz
The Artistry of… Karrin Allyson She is a Midwesterner, from the Great Plains state of Kansas. That presents a sensibility I understand....
The quietude of Gerald Clayton belies his greatness
The Artistry of… Gerald Clayton Imagine coming from a music-making family with an artistic universe that has orbited the artistry of the...
Molly Johnson gives you nothing but the real deal
The Artistry of… Molly Johnson Is she the child that got her own? I think so. She is no child, though. Her...
The sound of Dan McCarthy sings stories of Toronto
The Artistry of… Dan McCarthy Can where you live influence how you create and sound? Does it get into your blood and...
The music of Michael Kaeshammer is full of thrills
The Artistry of… Michael Kaeshammer Have you ever been to an airshow and seen the stunt pilots doing those brazen tricks with...