When the all-time great tenor saxophonists are discussed, one name is too often ignored, Don Byas.  He had the misfortune to come along at a time when attention was dominated by Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, and Lester Young.  Byas did not have the unique strength of personality that enhanced the artistry of these three players.  He came from swing roots, but easily understood and adapted many of the musical approaches developed by the pioneers of the bebop movement.  Frustrated by his lack of recognition, he found a new home base in Paris while playing with Don Redmond’s b ..read more

The Django á Gogo Music Festival, an annual celebration, is dedicated to honoring the legacy of jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and the incredible music tradition he created. Curated by Paris-born master guitarist and composer Stephane Wrembel (photo above), this four-day event, from May 1-4, brings together a stellar lineup of international talents. Wrembel’s deep immersion in gypsy culture has made him one of the foremost scholars and practitioners of Django-influenced music. Since its inception in 2003, Django á Gogo has been a beacon for fans of Reinhardt’s unique style, preserving the inn ..read more

The Sentimental Journey Big Band, founded in 1991 by the late trumpeter Frank Richetti, specializes in performing the music of the swing era — transporting its audiences back to the 1930s and ’40s when jazz was America’s popular music. On Sunday, April 28, the SJBB will return to the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts in Toms River, NJ, as part of its Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon series. The concert will celebrate “The Music That Won World War II”. That will undoubtedly include such popular standards as Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing ..read more

Trumpeter and seven-time Grammy winner Randy Brecker will help Red Bank’s Jazz Arts Project celebrate International Jazz Day on Tuesday, April 30. Brecker will perform at a fundraiser being held at 6:30 p.m. at Red Bank’s Triumph Restaurant and Brewing Co. Money raised will support JAP’s various education programs. Brecker will also be honored as a “Jazz Hero” along with Kathy Horgan, former Red Bank Councilwoman and a founding Jazz Arts Project Board member. The musical program will include a quintet led by Brecker with saxophonist Ada Rovatti (Brecker’s wife), pianist Dave Kikoski, bassis Al ..read more

In celebration of Newark Academy’s 250th anniversary, NA Jazz Director Julius Tolentino is bringing back some of the school’s jazz alumni to play with student jazz groups during the annual Evening of Jazz concert, a fundraiser for the Ana Grace Project. The AGP was founded by saxophonist Jimmy Greene and his wife Nelba, whose daughter, Ana Grace, was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting tragedy in 2012. Tolentino and Greene were roommates at The University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music. Among the alumni performing at the April 13th event are: trombonists Coleman Hughes and ..read more

Pianist Fred Hersch will premiere his new solo piano album, Silent, Listening, on Friday, April 26, at Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Hall in New York. The ECM album is a follow-up to Hersch’s 2022 album with Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava, produced by ECM Records founder Manfred Eicher. Reviewing that recording for AllAboutJazz, Chris May wrote: “Engrossing though the entire album is, the best moments are saved until last. Thelonious Monk’s ‘Misterioso’ and ‘Round Midnight’, the latter for piano only, are exquisite. Every jazz fan probably knows each of these tunes as well as anything else one ..read more

Wynton Marsalis once called multi-reedist Alexa Tarantino (photo above) “a one-woman wrecking crew, an indomitable force for expression, education, and absolute excellence.” Tarantino met Marsalis when her West Hartford, CT, high school jazz band competed in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition. In April 2021, Tarantino’s third Posi-Tone album, Firefly, was greeted positively by the jazz press, she appeared on the cover of Jersey Jazz in March 2022, has made several appearances as a performer with the JALC Orchestra, and is the newest member of Artemis, the all-female sep ..read more

In celebration of Newark Academy’s 250th anniversary, NA Jazz Director Julius Tolentino is bringing back some of the school’s jazz alumni to play with student jazz groups during the annual Evening of Jazz concert, a fundraiser for the Ana Grace Project. The AGP was founded by saxophonist Jimmy Greene and his wife Nelba, whose daughter, Ana Grace, was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting tragedy in 2012. Tolentino and Greene were roommates at The University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music. Among the alumni performing at the April 13th event are: trombonists Coleman Hughes and ..read more

The New Jersey Youth Symphony Jazz Orchestra, directed by Dion Tucker, performed Rufus Reid’s “City Slicker” on March 7 at Wharton Arts’ gala. The 80-year-old Reid was recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, saying “It might be Lifetime Achievement, but I’m not done yet!” Tucker added: “I tell students it’s important to develop your own voice. Rufus’ was the first voice on bass I was able to recognize and know it was Rufus Reid. His sound is still the most distinctive voice in jazz bass.” Wharton Arts, headquartered in Berkeley Heights, NJ, has four core programs: the Performing Arts ..read more

When the all-time great tenor saxophonists are discussed, one name is too often ignored, Don Byas.  He had the misfortune to come along at a time when attention was dominated by Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, and Lester Young.  Byas did not have the unique strength of personality that enhanced the artistry of these three players.  He came from swing roots, but easily understood and adapted many of the musical approaches developed by the pioneers of the bebop movement.  Frustrated by his lack of recognition, he found a new home base in Paris while playing with Don Redmond’s b ..read more