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OKAN: Joy as Resistance, Rhythm as Home
by Steven Roby
Afro-Cuban duo OKAN creates music that bridges gaps--between Havana and Toronto, ritual and dance floor, refined conservatory training and raw street style. Their name, taken from Santería, means “heart." That rhythm energizes everything they perform: violin complemented by luminous vocals, batá drums, and cajón intertwined with jazz harmony and songs that emphasize joy as both an inherent right and a strategic choice. Co-leaders Elizabeth Rodriguez (violin, vocals) and Magdelys Savigne (aka “Mags") (percussion, vocals) originate from Cuba's classical ...
Continue ReadingMark Winkler: Hold On
by Pierre Giroux
Throughout his extensive career, Mark Winkler has been a steadfast presence on the Los Angeles jazz scene, earning a reputation as one of the most versatile and captivating vocalists in contemporary jazz. With Hold On, his 22nd album, Winkler continues to demonstrate that artistic growth and creative curiosity remain central to his work. While many artists with such a prolific discography might be tempted to rest on their laurels, Winkler continues to push forward, creating new material and thoughtfully reimagining ...
Continue ReadingCatina De Luna, Otmaro Ruíz, Roswell Rudd, Sheila Jordan
by Katchie Cartwright
A two-fer on this week's edition of Caminhos do Jazz... First up is Lado B Brazilian Project 2 (Sunnyside, 2025), from Brazilian singer-pianist Catina De Luna and Venezuelan guitarist and arranger-producer Otmaro Ruíz, the second installment of the illustrious duo's B-side project. Read our review here. The idea of the project is to interpret what we might call Great Brazilian Songbook--compositions by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Chico Buarque, Dorival Caymmi, Ivan Lins, Ary Barroso and their ilk--but focusing on their lesser-known ...
Continue ReadingBen Thomas Tango Project: The Hat with the Grin and the Chuckle
by Jack Bowers
On The Hat with the Grin and the Chuckle, his sixth recording as leader of the Tango Project, composer and multi-instrumentalist Ben Thomas once again invites his audience to put on their dancing shoes and sway to Argentina's unique and emblematic musical genre. In doing so, he affirms that there is far more than one way to tango, eliciting all the warmth and color he possibly can within eight of his luminous and rhythmic compositions. Besides writing ...
Continue ReadingCount Basie, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong & John Coltrane
by Joe Dimino
Welcome to a special themed hour of jazz as we journey deep into the pages of Larry Tye's acclaimed book Jazz Men. This compelling work brings to life the triumphs, struggles, and sheer brilliance of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Louis Armstrong--three giants who not only shaped jazz but also helped move America forward during an era when civil rights were still finding their voice. Throughout this hour, we weave in Larry Tye's insights with a handpicked soundtrack that tells ...
Continue ReadingAt The Deer Head Inn: The Complete Recordings
by Joshua Weiner
Pianist Keith Jarrett is the only artist with his own subheading on the main menu of ECM Records' new US website. That attests to his fruitful association, beginning in 1971 and continuing to the present day, with the independent German label known for its dedication to artistic freedom and beautiful sound. Though a series of strokes has sadly silenced Jarrett since 2018, ECM continues to enrich his discography with both new releases (a series of 2016 European concert recordings, including ...
Continue ReadingDowntown Tacoma Blues And Jazz Festival 2025
by Geoff Anderson
Downtown Tacoma Blues and Jazz Festival Tacoma, Washington August 24, 2025 .Tacoma, Washington held its first annual Downtown Tacoma Blues and Jazz Festival on August 24, 2025, with a first-class lineup of new blues players, veterans and some in between. And it was free. For each band, the leader's name doubled as the band's name. Not surprisingly, then, it was a day of big voices, belting the blues from many different angles. The city ...
Continue ReadingJim Witzel Quartet: Very Early (Remembering Bill Evans)
by Troy Dostert
While tributes to pianist Bill Evans have certainly not been in short supply over the years, he has unsurprisingly been given far more attention by pianists than from other instrumentalists. Efforts from guitarists have been particularly rare. There are some noteworthy exceptions: John McLaughlin took a stab at it in 1993 with Time Remembered (Verve) alongside three other guitarists, for example, and John Abercrombie worked with pianist Andy LaVerne on Timeline (Steeplechase, 2003) in an homage to Undercurrent (Blue Note, ...
Continue ReadingYoko Yates: Eternal Moments
by Jack Bowers
On her second album, Japanese-born, New York City-based pianist and composer Yoko Yates, ever the genial story-teller, presents ten of her elegant original compositions. Based on feelings and emotions she has experienced while living and working in and around the New York area, they encompass a wide range of phenomena--from outer space and a serpentine river to seasonal changes and even the penultimate day of a flower. Yates leads her quintet along an avenue whose bedrock is ...
Continue ReadingLarry Tye: The Jazzmen Who Changed American History
by Lawrence Peryer
Today, the Spotlight shines on bestselling author and journalist Larry Tye. Larry's latest book, The Jazzmen, tells the story of how Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie transformed America. But this isn't just another music biography. Larry explores nearly every aspect of the lives and music of these men and demonstrates how their artistry helped lay the groundwork for the civil rights movement. This is Larry's ninth book, following acclaimed biographies of figures like Bobby ...
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