Chieli Minucci: Three Generations of Musicians
Cheili Minucci represents the second of three generations of musicians. Like his father, Ulpio Minucci, Chieli is a composer and musician. This guitarist and bandleader has been nominated for ten Emmy Awards and has won three. He follows his heart as a musician and is influenced by The Beatles, Duke Ellington, Peter Gabriel, and Glenn …
T.S. Monk: Jazz is Driven by the Root Philosophy to the Music
Of those that studied under Thelonious Monk – a list that includes Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Bud Powell amongst many others – T.S. Monk may be his most successful pupil. Now before you cry foul, understand this: Education is not simply the accruement of knowledge, but its application. If …
Dominick Farinacci: 360 Degrees and Rising
To impress the likes of Quincy Jones it takes real talent, dedication and commitment to the art of music and jazz trumpeter Dominick Farinacci has just that – real talent, the dedication to hone is craft and commitment to be the best musician. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Farinacci grew …
Roy Hargrove: The State of Jazz Education
Music education in American schools has steadily declined over the past few years. No one form of music has suffered more than that of jazz. In this interview with iRock Jazz, master trumpeter and award winning composer Roy Hargrove discusses the state of jazz education and the importance of jazz …
Pharoah Sanders: A Spiritual Journey Through Music
Jazz, the genre that has sub-genres within the culture itself. There is Swing, Bebop, Harmony, Afro-Cuban, Modern, Smooth, Cool, Avant-Garde and Free or what some call Cosmic/Mystic/World Fusion Jazz. This sound of the 1970’s includes artists such as Sun Ra, Lonnie Liston Smith, Ronnie Laws, Yusef Lateef, Alice Coltrane …
Jazz Icon Clark Terry’s Life Commitment Mentoring Young Musicians
Legendary Trumpeter Clark Terry “If Clark Terry told me I was playing shit, man, I’d take that seriously. I’d take it to heart.” – Miles Davis Musicians can be a selfish or cryptic people. Even though it may or may not be a fair assessment to make, the truth of …
Miles Davis’ Legacy Continues to Transcend Time and Generations
iRock Jazz Founder/CEO John Moultrie, Cheryl Davis, Erin Davis and Vince Wilburn, Jr. photo by Louis Byrd III The legacy of the ultra-legend, Miles Davis will outlast several eternities. One has to wonder if he knew that he would be a major musical influencer and innovator when his lips first …
“Music Is Just Music” Gary Bartz
The Beginnings Legendary saxophonist and composer Gary Bartz was born in Baltimore, Maryland during the 1940’s. His father worked on a railroad and also worked part time at a local jazz club, later purchasing the night club, “North End Lounge”. He felt fortunate to visit many jazz clubs in the …
The Prototype: Betty Davis Lit the Spark That Ignited Today’s Music Inferno Pt. I
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 …