New Jersey State

Kansas City, MO

Amherst, MA

Fumi Tomita is Associate Professor of Jazz Pedagogy and Performance at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is the author of. The Jazz Rhythm Section: A Manual for Band Directors. He was active as a bass player in the New York jazz scene for over fifteen years. His recordings include The Elephant Vanishes: Jazz Interpretations of the Short Stories of Haruki Murakami, and on tenor saxophonist David Detweiler’s recordings, Celebrating Bird: The Music of Charlie Parker and There Used To Be Rain. I conducted the interview by email.

Author Fumi Tomita Delves into Early Jazz

Motown songs are iconic examples of soul, R&B, and pop music produced by Motown Records, a Detroit-based label founded in 1959. Characterized by their infectious melodies, smooth vocal harmonies, and rhythmic grooves, Motown songs often reflect themes of love, heartache, and social issues. Artists like The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and Stevie Wonder helped define the Motown sound, blending soulful vocals with polished production. Motown’s influence on popular music is profound, with its songs remaining timeless classics that continue to resonate across generations for their musical craftsmanship and ability to capture the spirit of the era.

15 Best Motown Songs of All Time

Cleveland, OH

Could use some new subscribers right now, and we’re offering a free CD to every reader who orders a new print subscription or to anyone buying a gift subscription, US addresses only. This offer is good as long as supplies last. The CDs available were produced by long-time TST...

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You may think you know Stax, but this seven-CD set of 146 tracks (140 never before released) proves again how much creative genius was contained in that old Memphis theater turned recording studio. These songwriter demos are loose and unfinished – usually without a full band backing, and sans horn section. But they’re still soulful, funky, and in most cases, stunners. Plus, if you’re a fan of Steve Cropper and the Memphis guitar sound, you can hear it here loud and clear.

Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos

Music bands often shine because of their lead singers and guitarists. But what about the bassists? They play vital roles too, keeping the rhythm and adding depth to the music. Unfortunately, some don’t get the recognition they deserve. Let’s spotlight seven bass players who’ve made significant contributions to music but haven’t always been in the limelight.

The 7 Most Underappreciated Bassists of All Time

Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music. Born Johnny Allen Hendrix in Seattle, Washington, he later changed his name to James Marshall Hendrix. Hendrix achieved fame in the...

10 Best Jimi Hendrix Songs of All Time

As I write this month’s column, Anne and I are in Scotland, performing at the Kirkcudbright (pronounced “Kir-coo-bree”) Jazz Festival (pronounced “Jazz” “Fes-ti-val”). It’s a beautiful seaside town in the south of Scotland bisected by the River Dee opening up to Kirkcudbright Bay, which in turn leads out to the Solway Firth. The festival itself has four venues, two of them being in the Parish Church and the Parish Church Hall across the street. The Scots are so hip! Although neither church-affiliated venue can sell alcohol, both will provide glasses so you can BYOB! Find that in the states! While it’s a terrific weekend—great music, even better people, fantastic whisky—our seven-week tour of the UK is wrapping up. One more session on Wednesday at the prestigious Concorde Club in Eastleigh (a venue south of London presenting jazz for 60 years; the list of who hasn’t performed there is shorter than the list of who has) and we’re homeward bound.

Never Say Nix to Bix!

Davis, Ricky Alexander (alto and clarinet), trombonist Josh Holcomb, banjoist Jared Engel, Andy Schumm (a great cornetist who is heard here with one exception on piano), bass-saxophonist Jay Rattman, and drummer Colin Hancock form a group that has the ability to sound a bit like a Frank Trumbauer unit with Bix Beiderbecke, Red Nichols’ Five Pennies of the ’20s, a smaller version of the California Ramblers, Paul Whiteman, or an unknown contemporary of those bands.

The New Wonders • Steppin’ Out

British trombonist Roger Marks led one of his finest groups during 2000-2001, a period when his Armada Jazz Band was captured on no less than eight albums. The Upbeat CD Best Days has 13 of the 26 selections originally released on a pair of sets (Roll Along Prairie and High Society) released by the Raymer Sound label. The group (trumpeter John Shillito, Ken Rennison on soprano and alto, banjoist John Whitlock, electric bassist Bob Jarvis and drummer Denny Hutchinson in addition to Marks) practically defines “hot jazz” during these stirring performances. Starting with a blazing version of Lovie Austin’s “Travellin’ Blues” (which is basically “Farewell Blues”), the pianoless sextet is consistently on fire. Whether it is the rarely performed “Magnolia’s Wedding Day,” a racehorse rendition of “Limehouse Blues,” “You’re Driving Me Crazy,” and even “Under The Bamboo Tree” and Marks’ showcase on “O Sole Mio,” the solos and ensembles are exhilarating. Each of the horn players are colorful soloists with their own sounds, and the many ensembles (often one or two more than one would expect) are filled with excitement. Shillito’s two vocals add to the piece’s momentum and clarinetist Pete Allen is a welcome guest on four numbers. He may not be quite a household name but Best Days shows that Roger Marks’ recordings are well worth searching for, pa.

Roger Marks’ Armada Jazz Band • Best Days

The future is so bright, we gotta cue up some Pat Metheny vinyl, STAT. Well, ECM must have gotten wind of our wishes, for the renowned label has just announced it will reissue Metheny’s groundbreaking debut LP, March 1976’s Bright Size Life, on 180g vinyl on August 2, 2024, as part of their rightly vaunted Luminessence Series.

Pat Metheny’s Debut Album, 1976’s Bright Size Life, Sees ECM Luminessence Series 180g 1LP Reissue on August 2

Happy Birthday to Deniece Williams, born June 3rd, 1951. Possessing one of the sweetest voices in soul music, Deniece Williams spent a decade at the top of the soul charts making unabashedly positive, thoughtful music, and then another decade as a significant Gospel artist. Her clear delivery and her understated, girl-next-door style won for her a slew of fans and established for her a solid -- if often underrated - catalog of hits.

Happy 73rd Birthday to the "songbird," Deniece Williams!

ComingSoon

Fans are curious to know American rock musician Billy Gibbons‘s net worth in 2024. The ZZ Top frontman continues to captivate audiences not just with his musical talent but also with his financial success. Read on to find out Billy Gibbons’s net worth in 2024, his sources of income, and how he makes his money. […]
The post Billy Gibbons Net Worth 2024: How Much Money Does He Make? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.

Billy Gibbons Net Worth 2024: How Much Money Does He Make?

Sedalia, MO

I could be the wrong person to report on a ragtime festival. My first piano hero was Teddy Wilson, so the crowd at the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival, celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, might eye me with skepticism. I heard one musician, perhaps whimsically, apologize for playing a song written in 1939.

A Subversive in Sedalia

New Orleans, LA

New Orleans has always stood alone for jazz, not simply as the birthplace or the southern frontier but also as a distinct sound. Jazz headed North but those who never left the city kept it culturally relevant; jazz isn’t folk music, but in New Orleans, it comes close. There is a continuity to find between the Halfway House Orchestra, the Bourbon Street of the post war period represented here, the music of Preservation Hall, and the generation playing Frenchman St. today. One can get picky about White New Orleans styles vs. Black New Orleans styles, but more broadly there is a feel of New Orleans that permeates all of it, a certain happiness, a punch. For what it’s worth even on his 1940s recordings Raymond Burke is heard with a mixed band in the still segregated city.

Raymond Burke • The Southland Recordings 1958 &1960

American Songwriter

Now that contemporaries like Journey and Foreigner have received their flowers from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, we think it’s time they give major consideration to Styx as well. The band that formed in Chicago was able to ride the shifting musical winds as well as any, proving adept at proggy song suites, charging hard rock, and sweet balladry.

What are Styx’s 5 Biggest Hits?

The guitar has long been a cornerstone of music, shaping the soundscape of various genres from rock and blues to jazz and metal. The sheer versatility and emotive power of the instrument have given rise to some of the most iconic musicians in history. In this article, we delve into the lives and legacies of the Top 15 Best Guitar Players of All Time. These virtuosos have not only mastered the technical aspects of the guitar but also brought a unique voice and personality to their playing, influencing countless others and leaving an indelible mark on the world of music. From the soulful blues licks of B.B. King and the fiery solos of Jimi Hendrix to the intricate fingerpicking of Chet Atkins and the innovative techniques of Eddie Van Halen, each guitarist on this list has contributed to the evolution of the instrument in significant ways. Join us as we celebrate these legendary figures whose skill, creativity, and passion have elevated the guitar to its revered status and continue to inspire new generations of musicians.

15 Best Guitar Players of All Time

I’m not much of a festival-goer, to be honest. I find myself getting a bit bored after two days of non-stop music and two nights kipping on the floor. I could count on two hands the number of music festivals I’ve been to in my 37-year-long life, if I leave out Cheltenham Jazz. Because I don’t have to go to Cheltenham Jazz—it comes to me. Ever since moving to this gorgeous Georgian town five years ago, I’ve hopped on my bike each May and pedaled a mile up the road to Montpellier Gardens with paper and pencil, a picnic and a press pass—sometimes four days in a row. Then, after consuming as much music as I can comfortably stomach, I’ve pedaled back down the hill to my own bedroom.

Rhythm in Gloucestershire: The 2024 Cheltenham Jazz Festival

Just a few days remain until Essence Festival Of Culture’s 30th anniversary and ThisIsRnB had the honor of speaking with the Queen of percussion, Sheila E. She’s slated to perform live on the festival stage on Saturday, July 6th. Grab your tickets now!. Sheila Escovedo known to fans...

Exclusive: Sheila E. Queen of Percussion Talks Latest Album “Bailar,” Essence Festival of Cuture and more

Missouri State

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CJ Coombs

The first time my family walked into a Ponderosa Steakhouse was in the late 1960s. It was new and the experience was great. Like other new restaurants, if the management doesn't stay on top, the quality of service can decline. The location we went to did change through the years, but in the beginning, it was great.

The 1960s: the Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses are still around in some states

Kansas City, KS

Independence, MO

Riverside, MO

Mission, KS

NewsBreak

Bennie Moten’s K.C. Orch: The Final Years, Part 2

Jeff Barnhart: You loyal followers of hot music and the dissection thereof will rejoice that musician and musicologist Dan Barrett again joins me with great insights,...

Bennie Moten’s K.C. Orch: The Final Years, Part 2

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