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Nick Veronin on August 4, 2016
Rising above the din of boisterous, drink-fueled conversation and clinking glassware, a saxophone’s squawk snakes through the crowd. Parting the cigarette smoke haze and ambling over sticky tabletops, a wandering double bass, a splashy trap kit and a peppery piano plod on. It’s the kind of place where a private eye might…
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John Flynn on August 4, 2016
Over the course of his career, Rahsaan Roland Kirk was not always appreciated. Nonetheless, he inspired many still-active jazz musicians. Running the gamut from a trombonist and conch shell player to a pianist and composer to a Bill-Clinton-approved saxophonist, the following artists either played with Rahsaan or deeply studied his works, making…
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Mike Huguenor on March 30, 2016
Let’s get the word out of the way. Because in many ways, the word itself has become the problem. I’m talking of course about the J word. The big J. Jazz. Arturo Riera has been curating Latin jazz at SJ Jazz for over 10 years, but has only recently been given a formal…
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Tad Malone on March 2, 2016
L.A.-based producer Daedelus has a reputation as a musical wizard. Known for his genre-hopping, unique brand of electronic music, he is a veteran of the L.A. scene and his work a constantly evolving gem in a sea of monotonous electronica. Kneebody is a jazz-fusion band based out of L.A., which also has…
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John Flynn and Tad Malone on March 2, 2016
San Jose Jazz Winter Fest is bringing 24 live performances from veteran and emerging jazz acts, as well as student groups. Here is a selection of some of the most interesting musicians playing at this year’s gathering.
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Nick Veronin on February 24, 2016
San Jose Jazz Winter Fest is back with a lineup of classic and cutting-edge jazz performances from some of the world’s best-known performers, as well as some exciting up-and-comers. Beginning Feb. 28 and running through March 8, Winter Fest will host 25 concerts at a variety of venues around downtown San Jose,…
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For many twentysomethings electronic dance music is the latest and greatest form of musical expression. Producers like Kaskade, Skrillex and Avicii pack festivals full of college-aged men and women with their high energy, synth-based beats. But for 24-year-old San Jose denizen Jackie Gage, horns, upright bass and analog, brush-beaten drum kits are…
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Erykah Badu is at the top of the list of some recent additions to this year’s San Jose Summer Jazz Fest. The neo-soul legend won’t be singing however; she’s spinning records under her the moniker DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown. Her DJ side project began in 2011, and she spins frequently at…
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San Jose State professor Aaron Lington’s tribute to trumpeter Donald Byrd last week launched a new cycle for Blackbird Tavern’s Thursday series, The Residency.
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There’s no way to know what exactly to expect from Proverb Trio—the latest project by renowned Latin-Afro-Jazz drummer Dafnis Prieto—because even the band members don’t know.
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