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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 …

Very few artists can be proficient behind the scenes as a studio musician, and then break out with a successful career as a solo artist.  Gerald Albright is one such artist.  He has worked with musicians across the board in all genres, which has prepared him well for his own …

Tim Campanella is a drummer / composer originally from the south of France (close to Nice), and established during those last years in Amsterdam, New York and now Paris. Even though his roots comes from Jazz, his first love, his playing and music contains a lot of influences from Soul, …

Maya Angelou once said, “All great artists draw from the same resource: the human heart, which tells us that we are all more alike than we are unalike.”  I hadn’t thought about her quote in quite some time, but it resonated in my mind as I watched Robin Thicke’s video, …

ZACK O’MALLEY GREENBURG is a senior editor at Forbes, where he covers the business of music & entertainment in his column, The Beat Report. His first book, a Jay-Z biography called Empire State of Mind, was published by Penguin’s Portfolio imprint in 2011. His second book, a business-focused biography of Michael Jackson, was published by Simon & Schuster’s …

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 became noted as a child prodigy, playing along side Christian McBride and Joey Defranceso …

Maxine Jones is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Jones rose to fame in the early 1990s as a member of the R&B quartet En Vogue, one of the world’s best-selling girl groups of all time. In 2001, Jones departed from the group only to rejoin in 2003. The following …

Saxophonist, keyboardist and super producer Michael Ghegan’s discography reads like an artist’s dream book. His on screen collaborations with music icons Aerosmith, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Michael Bolton, and his work with major television shows like Extra, Entertainment Tonight, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, are only a sample of his …

For American fans of Kingston, Jamaica-born pianist Monty Alexander, the chance to see him in concert – in the Caribbean – at the “Saint Lucia Music & Arts Festival” was a highly anticipated treat, and the artist did not disappoint. With his sleeves rolled up on a cool white shirt …

The Ravinia Festival is North America’s longest running outdoor festival in Chicago.  The quality of music from Ravinia over the years has featured some of the greatest musicians known to man.  From this festival has emerged the Steans Music Institute, a summer conservatory that is not only a quality training …

Karyn Parsons (Founder and President of Sweet Blackberry) is best known as the character “Hilary Banks” on the long-running television show, “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” Karyn created the Sweet Blackberry foundation after being inspired by the true tale of a determined slave and the remarkable lengths he travelled to find his …