iRock Jazz

Feature Interviews

Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts: From A-List Side Man To Band Leader

Added by irockjazz 1 day ago

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Multi-Grammy Award winning percussionist Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts is one of the most sought after musicians in the world. Watts’ extraordinary career includes a role as Rhythm Jones in Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues, a thr...

Guy Eckstine: Preserving My Father’s Legacy

Added by irockjazz 1 day ago

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When the grown folks were educating me on Billy Eckstine, this was the third part of the lesson. It's a funny choice of words when you consider the fact the first two were about his charm and his attire. The tale...

Jacques Schwarz-Bart: The Jazz Racine Haiti Project

Added by irockjazz 2 days ago

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Jacques Schwarz-Bart was born in Guadeloupe where he was first exposed to voodoo ritual chants and found his musical expression and voice. As an infant, his mother sang voodoo chants to him, which settled deep in ...

Jean and Marcus Baylor: It’s A Family Affair

Added by irockjazz 1 week ago

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It is no mystery that music is a great way to unite people. It forges bonds, inspires change, carries us through difficult times, clears away differences and brings people together in a way only music can. Ofte...

Casey Benjamin: The New Standard

Added by irockjazz 2 weeks ago

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Casey Benjamin is a Grammy Award winning multi-instrumentalist. He is prolific as both a sideman and bandleader. In addition, he has recently worked with artists such as Kris Bowers, Robert Glasper, Derrick Hodge,...

Ramsey Lewis: A Life with the In Crowd

Added by irockjazz 1 month ago

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Ramsey Lewis has enjoyed an incredible career of more than 50 years in jazz. From his early days, he has maintained strong ties with the people and culture of Chicago. In this recent exclusive interview with iRock...

Yeni Kuti: Celebrating A Legacy of Fela

Added by irockjazz 1 month ago

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Yeni Kuti, is the first child and daughter of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Yeni remembers her father’s legacy, life, and music by hosting, Felabration, a celebration of life. Fela was born in Abe...

Michael Stradford: Seeing What Others Cannot

Added by irockjazz 1 month ago

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Situating Michael Stradford is no easy task. To some, he is the prognosticating program director that injected life into The Beat. To Quincy Jones, he is the fresh-faced A&R with an acumen for musical recognit...

Tony Zawinul: Reporting on the Weather

Added by irockjazz 1 month ago

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Tony Zawinul is the son of Joe Zawinul, one of the founding members of the band Weather Report. He is the director for a documentary on the band called Calm Before the Storm. This documentary has been crowd-funded...

Angelique Kidjo: The Power Of African Womanhood

Added by irockjazz 1 month ago

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The daughter of an actress, dancer, and theatrical producer Kidjo was born in Quidah, a coastal city in the West Africa country of Benin. Inheriting her mother's love of performing, she made her stage debut with her ...

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Show Review: Kris Bowers Live At Yoshi’s

Added by irockjazz 2 days ago

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Heros and Misfits - This wasn't exactly uncharted territory. He had, after all, been here before—several months prior, to be exact. He shined in this capacity, supporting the efforts of Mr. Jose James. Playing the...

BRIAN BLADE & THE FELLOWSHIP BAND RETURN TO BLUE NOTE FOR APR. 29 RELEASE OF “LANDMARKS”

Added by irockjazz 1 month ago

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Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band will return to Blue Note Records for the release of Landmarks, the stunning fourth album from the remarkable collective which is led by acclaimed drummer and composer Brian Bl...

Ambrose Akinmusire Premieres New Album March 11th

Added by irockjazz 1 month ago

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On March 11, trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire will return with the release of "the imagined savior is far easier to paint", an impressive and expansive new album that broadens the palette of his quintet with ...

Jose James Announces New Album “While You Were Sleeping” Out June 10th

Added by irockjazz 1 month ago

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José James has announced a June 10 release date for his new album, While You Were Sleeping, his fifth studio album and his second album for Blue Note Records. While You Were Sleeping is the follow-up to his widely...

CD REVIEW: Takuya Kuroda; Rising Son (Blue Note)

Added by irockjazz 1 month ago

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Since the 1950’s, Japan has been a major fan base for American jazz. This interest led to a number of Japanese musicians to migrate to the States for the express purpose of learning and performing the music. Trump...

CD REVIEW: Zara McFarlane – If You Knew Her (Brownswood)

Added by irockjazz 1 month ago

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British vocalist Zara McFarlane is part of the new-jazz/soul movement which became prominent in the UK during the 90’s. However, while her peers followed in the steps of such Brit soul/jazz groups as Brand New Hea...

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Joe Locke: My Thoughts About Jazz

Added by irockjazz 5 months ago

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Joe Locke is widely considered to be one of the major voices of his instrument. He has performed and recorded with a diverse range of notable musicians, including Grover Washington Jr, Kenny Barron, Eddie Henderso...

Who is Grammy Award winner Casey Benjamin

Added by irockjazz 5 months ago

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Casey Benjamin is a Grammy Award winning saxophonist, vocoderist, keyboardist, producer and songwriter from South Jamaica, Queens, New York City. He attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art a...

Marc Cary: The Culture of Jazz

Added by irockjazz 5 months ago

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Jazz pianist, keyboardist, producer and composer Marc Cary holds tight to his roots in Washington, D.C.’s go-go music scene, but they represent only one more element to fuse with the many other musical forms he ex...

Advice from the Classroom to the Bandstand

Added by irockjazz 6 months ago

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Victor Goines is a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Goines talks about performing with this former students, dressing for the bandstand and taking care of your music business.

Who is Genius Pianist Robert Glasper

Added by irockjazz 6 months ago

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Grammy Award winning pianist Robert Glasper tells us who he is, why people describe him as the modern day Thelonious Monk and he take us behind the Black Radio 2 creative process.

A Candid Conversation with Delfeayo Marsalis

Added by irockjazz 6 months ago

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Delfeayo Marsalis talks candidly about Jazz, what it means to be a serious musician, why New Orleans musicians have a musical advantage and the Marsalis family values

iRock Jazz LIVE Archives

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iRock Jazz LIVE! From Paris with Meemee Nelzy

Added by irockjazz 8 hours ago

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Born in Paris, France and a native of the French West Indies, Meemee Nelzy has been infatuated with black and caribbean music since her childhood. Challenging herself as a teenager, she wrote her first texts in fren...

iRock Jazz LIVE! From London with Jumoke Fashola

Added by irockjazz 1 day ago

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Jumoké Fashola is an award winning Radio & Television Broadcaster & Jazz Singer. Her Debut Album, ‘The Condition of Being A Woman’ has just been released. Jumoké currently presents, Inspirit with Jumok...

iRock Jazz LIVE! with Singer Mara Hruby

Added by irockjazz 2 days ago

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Introducing the new and fast rising twenty-two year old artist, Mara Hruby, from Oakland, CA. She burst onto the scene in the beginning of 2010 playing shows all around the Bay Area and is now releasing her debut...

iRock Jazz LIVE! with Exit 0 Jazz Festival Producer Micheal Kline

Added by irockjazz 1 week ago

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Michael Kline Artists is an international management and booking agency representing musicians at the very height of their artistry, and artists who aspire to reach those heights. We provide personalized, individu...

iRock Jazz LIVE! with Music Icon Brenda Russell

Added by irockjazz 1 week ago

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With a unique musical perspective, intimate voice and prolific treasure-trove of lyrics, singer-songwriter Brenda Russell proves that a truly glowing talent only deepens with time. Composer of the classics “Get Here...

iRock Jazz LIVE! with Singer Nicki Richards

Added by irockjazz 1 week ago

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The most important thing to know about Nicki Richards – The Musician – is that she records luxuriantly expansive modern soul music. And when you drop the metaphorical needle on said record, OVERSTAND that this lady co...

iRock Jazz LIVE! with Drummer John “lil” John” Roberts

Added by irockjazz 2 weeks ago

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One of the most sought after Jazz and R & B Drummers of his generation, John “Lil’ John” Roberts has maintained his status in the industry as the ultimate heartbeat. A native of Philadelphia, John quickly beca...

iRock Jazz LIVE! with A&R Executive Guy Eckstine

Added by irockjazz 2 weeks ago

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Throughout his 25 year career, Guy Eckstine has distinguished himself as an A&R executive, artist manager, record producer, digital music pioneer, and musician, with a keen eye for finding and developing new tal...

iRock Jazz LIVE! with Bassist Ben Williams

Added by irockjazz 3 weeks ago

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Grammy Award-winning Jazz bassist Ben Williams is a forward-thinking musician who crosses easily between straight-ahead, funk, and gospel-influenced jazz. A native of Washington, D.C., Williams graduated from the ...

iRock Jazz LIVE! with Singer Dianne Reeves

Added by irockjazz 3 weeks ago

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DIANNE REEVES is among the pre-eminent jazz vocalists in the world. In her first studio album in five years, Reeves delivers what is destined to become a soul-jazz classic. The album, Beautiful Life, also marks a ...

iRock Jazz LIVE! with Pianist Kris Bowers

Added by irockjazz 4 weeks ago

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Pianist Kris Bowers is one of the newest and brightest lights on the jazz landscape. Schooled in jazz and classical music, raised amid the rap and hip-hop of the 1990s, inspired by the cinematic power of the great f...

iRock Jazz LIVE! with Singer Akua Allrich

Added by irockjazz 4 weeks ago

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Jazz vocalist and DC-native Akua Allrich has proven herself to be a musician of extraordinary talent and crowd-moving passion. With finesse and charisma, this vocalist, composer and teacher, has successfully etched ...