Jazz Master

  I often wonder if, as a young boy growing up on E. 85th and Quincy in Cleveland, Ohio, sneaking licks on his father’s precious guitar, Bobby Womack even imagined the impact he would have on the music industry. Womack or “Mr. Womagic” as the old heads still call him, …

  With 30 years in the music business under his belt and 17 original solo albums, Richard Elliot has earned all of the acclaim and accolades thrown his way.  But resting on his laurels and allowing others to define him is not how he has stayed relevant for so long.  …

We love legends, don’t we? Not only do they use their talents to break barriers and achieve levels of greatness that few have seen, but they also use those very talents to lead a new generation to that same level of excellence and beyond. Master bassist, composer, leader, doctor and …

Multi-Grammy nominated artist, Patrice Rushen, is fashioning her career after the legacy of her long-time friend and mentor, Quincy Jones. Composer…Producer…International Recording Artist…Rushen has definitely earned the respect she has been awarded by her peers in the music industry. Admired by many for her groundbreaking achievements, Rushen has amassed an …

Originally, the term “stretch music” was used to describe the powerful way in which trumpeter Christian Scott elongated the boundaries of music by fusing elements of jazz with various other musical genres.  Today, the term has been stretched far beyond the musical stylings of the critically acclaimed Berklee grad, to …

Marcus Miller This year marked the 35th Anniversary of the Tri C Jazz Festival in Cleveland, Ohio, and I must say it was a great start to the summer for the Rock and Roll City. The organizers of the event went big this year, really big! By incorporating the classic …

“Holy Funkadelic, I felt this girl’s energy the first time I was in her presence, I knew there was something special about her and that hair” –Steven Tyler “Great stage presence”-Prince With credits that include work for artists such as, Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame, Prince, John Mayer, and most …

What do you get when you combine four of the most talented male R&B/soul vocalists in existence right now on one song by the next big producer? Popular drummer Lil John Roberts follows up with “Space,” which features Eric Roberson, Stokley, Anthony David and Musiq Soulchild. One of the most …

Some people have argued that we now live in a society where everyone wants to be a star. 15 minutes of fame is all that is needed so that, if only for a moment, the world will know their names. For these people, making headlines is more important than making …

To say that John “Lil John” Roberts is a hot commodity in the R&B and jazz drumming world, is like saying that water is wet.  Roberts has backed up an eclectic range of artists, but now, it’s his turn to shine, with his new release, The Heartbeat.  Roberts has the …

In a space defined by its progressive thought and forward-thinking, Sonny Rollins maintains his place as one of jazz’s most eccentric personalities. And as such, it affects the way in which we examine his life. For most artists, we track their lives through the lens of artistic output, because what …