38th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival: Jazz Is Its Own Reward

The 38th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival (AJF) kicked off on a beautiful Memorial Day weekend in Piedmont Park. If I could name one constant that people have come to expect from the AJF, it would have to be the eclectic sounds that fuse jazz elements with every genre known to …

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iRock Jazz LIVE! with Saxophonist Flow Fourlin

Florian Flow Fourlin is a saxophonist from Paris, France. Born in a musical family, Flow started playing the saxophone around age 14. He quickly managed to make a name for himself in the European musical landscape by playing and recording with world-renown artists in various genres such as John Legend, …

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iRock Jazz LIVE! with Singer Andy Allo

Every so often, an artist comes along that transcends the norm. An artist who is truly paving her own path with a sound and vibe that is uniquely her own and connects to fans on a deeper level. Such an artist isn’t bound by genre and is intent on creating …

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iRock Jazz LIVE! with Drummer Otis Brown III

Drummer Otis Brown III – an invaluable sideman with the likes of Esperanza Spalding, Joe Lovano, Terence Blanchard, Oliver Lake, Somi, and others – has announced the release of his debut album The Thought of You, which will arrive September 23 via Revive/Blue Note, a new partnership between Revive Music and Blue Note Records. Pre-order …

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iRock Jazz LIVE! with Singer Bradd Marquis

“Today’s music is either over-ego or over-sex. There isn’t a conversation of what went wrong; not everyone cheats or is a bad person because they no longer want to be with you. What are the reasons people do what they do in relationships, including me? Where are those songs that …

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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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CD Review: Jose James, While You Were Sleeping

On June 9, 2013 I stood amongst the throngs of concertgoers waiting for the arrival of Kanye West. The location was Randall’s Island in New York, and it was the final night of Governor’s Ball. When the lights dimmed and the backing screen began to flash, there was something noticeably …

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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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Gerald Albright: Making a Slam Dunk in Jazz

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 …

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iRock Jazz LIVE! with Trumpeter Roy Hargrove

Trumpeter Roy Hargrove has firmly established himself as among the premier players in jazz and beyond. Ever-stretching into more challenging and colorful ways to flex his musical chops, Hargrove has left indelible imprints in a vast array of artful settings. During his tenure on the Verve label alone, he has recorded an …

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iRock Jazz LIVE Paris! with Singer Lisa Spada

“Family Tree” are stories, full of stories, stories of family, father, mother, stories of childhood, hopes and regrets. Love stories grazed, hoped, failed, or successful. Desires caresses and hugs, mergers and extravagance. Soft and violent than the Soul rocks and ship complaints, confessions swinging blues quiet or energetic unsheathe in …

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Maxwell at Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival

The 23rd St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival came to a dream-like conclusion thanks to the soulful sounds of R&B crooner, or for many ladies, “swooner,” Maxwell. The enigmatic soul superstar made a classy reappearance at the ocean side dream venue to tune up his live show in anticipation of …

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