iRock Jazz Live! with Singer Al Jarreau

Al Jarreau’s unique vocal style is one of the world’s most precious treasures. His innovative musical expressions have made him one of the most exciting and critically-acclaimed performers of our time with seven Grammy® Awards, scores of international music awards and popular accolades worldwide. It’s not surprising that he has …

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iRock Jazz LIVE! with Pianist Robert Glasper

Breakthrough success can often be a tough act to follow. But with a little help from some notable friends, Robert Glasper Experiment is set to up the ante with the follow-up to his successful GRAMMY-winning album Black Radio. Flaunting a diverse array of featured guests including Common,Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, Brandy, Jill Scott, Dwele, Marsha Ambrosius, Anthony Hamilton,Faith …

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Lenny White: Jazz Prepared Me to Play All kinds of Music

Very rarely does a musician get to play on a legendary recording such as Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew so early in their career, but drummer Lenny White is no ordinary musician.  Taking a cue from his drumming hero Tony Williams, White thrust himself completely into the burgeoning fusion scene of …

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Jonathan Butler: Baring His Soul and Living His Dream

While Jonathan Butler was growing up as a youngster in Cape Town, South Africa living under the racist Apartheid system, dreams had to be very important.  What’s more important to Butler is the ability to live those dreams.  Butler became the first black South African artist to be played on …

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roncarter3_2200

Ron Carter: The Most Recorded Bass Player In History

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 …

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Trombone Shorty

The 35th Annual Tri C Jazz Festival Reaches New Heights

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 …

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iRock Jazz LIVE! with Bassist / Vocalist Nik West

“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 …

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Lil' John Roberts

Lil John Roberts: The Space Between The Heartbeat

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 …

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iRock Jazz LIVE! with Bassist Marcus Miller

When it comes to jazz, funk, R&B and bass guitar, Marcus Miller is truly a pioneer. By the age of 15 he was already composing music and was proficient on the clarinet, piano and bass guitar. In subsequent years he became one of the hottest musicians in the New York …

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Ahmad Jamal: Jazz Promotes Itself

clas·sic  /klasik/ adjective 1. judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind. Synonym: Ahmad Jamal Playing the piano by the age of 3, composing at 10, and performing at Carnegie Hall with Duke Ellington at 22, Ahmad Jamal has proven that …

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