Interviews

  Andy Allo Two of the most celebrated film franchises of the past 30 years have been The Terminator and The Matrix. Both deal with an ominous struggle between humans and machines. The underlining irony that binds the two stories is the conflict was birthed by the people’s embrace of …

Pete Escovedo Do what you love and love doing it. Simple, right? Legendary percussionist Pete Escovedo, an artist who broke down the barriers between Smooth Jazz, Salsa, Latin Jazz and Contemporary music, has thrilled his fans for more than 50 years. One only has to listen to one of his …

(L-R) BET’s Paxton Baker, Tracey Costello, Phyllis Toben Bancroft and Johnson & Johnson’s Anthony Carter hold the grand prize check presented for the movie “RENT” at the “Lens On Talent” grand prize winner reception at Taj Lounge on March 31, 2010 in New York City. (March 30, 2010 – Source: …

Lee England Jr.   Lee England, Jr. never imagined an introduction to string instruments as a child would foreshadow his future as a nationally-recognized instrumentalist. At six years old, he was immediately drawn to the violin and rushed home to tell his parents he wanted one. Although it gained his …

In 1973, 17-year-old Kenneth Bruce Gorelick landed a gig with the late Barry White and his Love Unlimited Orchestra at the Paramount Northwest Theater (now the Paramount Theater). After Arista Record’s president Clive Davis heard his rendition of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”, the saxophonist signed with the label as a solo artist …

Esperanza Spalding   On Tuesday, Dec. 4, Esperanza Spalding will be using her bass and her vocals to fight for a cause as she headlines “A Night of Freedom”, a benefit concert at New York’s City Winery. The Grammy-winning prodigy from Portland will be playing to raise awareness and funds …

Liz Whether it’s music or cuisine, Lizz Wright says she desires for all of her creations to be an extension of her life and her latest project, Fellowship, is no exception. In her fourth project, the artist fused her Gospel roots with her homage to the work of contemporary artists …

Betty Davis With a new task ahead, Betty Davis embarked on recording her first solo album. She had plenty of songs to choose from, including compositions meant for the Commodores, like “Game is My Middle Name”. As a writer, she would’ve entrusted Just Sunshine to distribute her songs to artists …

Betty Davis Brooklyn, NY. Saturday, October 6, 2012. It’s 8:45pm just outside the doors of the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Auditorium, located on the third floor of the Brooklyn Museum. Many people congregated there to witness a celebration of rare and innovative music. The auditorium was located on the …

Vincent Gardner   As a musician and an instructor, Vincent Gardner balances the scale of teaching the mechanics of playing Jazz music, yet values the importance of real-life experience in the industry. As one who performed with The Count Basie Orchestra, The Duke Ellington Orchestra and others while enrolled in …

Misty Copeland photo by Gregg Delman Ballet is the art of story-telling that is set to music and told through the fluid movement of skilled dancers showcasing sequences such as the faille, grande jeté and extensions of their arabesque. For centuries, audiences have been mesmerized by the repertoire of renowned …

Maysa Leak has a love for music that runs deep. From singing with the legendary Stevie Wonder to being the lead voice in the British acid Jazz group Incognito, Maysa has always shown her passion for music. With nine solo albums under her belt, this music veteran keeps moving forward. …