The Brown Bag Concerts are produced by 90.5 WICN & Mechanics Hall. Wednesdays at Noon, May 4th & 11th, June 8th & 15thFree Admission Mechanics Hall321 Main Street, Worcester, MA, 01608; 508-752-5608Broadcast live on WICN 90.5 FM and streaming at wicn.org For over 35 years, Mechanics Hall and WICN have been proud to provide quality […]
JazzBoston presents Jazz All Ways, bringing world-class creative music to Central Square, Cambridge, MA Zuzu Music Room, 474 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA7-9:30 pm Sundays in April, May, and June 2022. Now through June, resident jazz artists will deliver a three-month performance program most Sundays at Zuzu Music Room in Cambridge. Artists have been curated based on […]
If a compositional work of music such as a 500-page score was discovered in our current era, that when arranged and performed would be 2.5 hours long and require 30 musicians to perform, you’d assume this was a classical piece for a symphony. Yet Epitaph is a composition by American jazz composer, bassist, bandleader, and […]
New England Conservatory in Boston is recognized as one of the top music schools in the country, and at the forefront of leadership in educating and training musicians of all ages from around the world. NEC’s music students represent more than 40 countries, and per its mission statement, it “cultivates a diverse, dynamic community for […]
Known for his lyrical and relaxed style on the tenor saxophone, exceptional improvisor and seminal influence on his instrument, Lester Young, “The Prez,” was interviewed in a Paris hotel room just two months before he died. In response to a question about big bands like Count Basie’s Orchestra, where Young had become famous, he stated, […]
The telling originality and influence of a great innovator in jazz, based on their instrument, technique, and voicing, is often echoed by the number of outstanding musicians of future generations that advance the established style. The signature thumb-based strumming method, soft tone, and octave-chordal sound of Wes Montgomery’s Gibson is instantly recognizable from the opening […]
Often when a selection of bossa nova jazz is played by Stan Getz, Donald Byrd, or Dizzy Gillespie, it is attributed to them from an American perspective. The 1964 groundbreaking release in the US by Verve Records, Getz/Gilberto, sold over 2 million albums the first year and made Getz an international star. This overwhelming success, […]
Artbooks are unique. Artbooks are often, large, expensive, and typically are not for everyone. But some of them stand out and would be welcome additions to anyone’s library. I covered an amazing assortment of books about art this year and the ones listed below deserve special mention as unique. Mark Lynch, host: Inquiry. Nicholas Fox […]
I read 2-4 books a week, every week, to prepare to interview guests on Inquiry. I honestly can say that I have enjoyed almost all my conversations. NB: the ones I haven’t enjoyed took place years ago. Here are 10 of my favorite books by authors I have interviewed in 2021. Remember, books make great […]
In the arena of large jazz orchestras – whether it be Duke Ellington, Count Basie, or Dizzy Gillespie – the choice of an individual musician becomes a critical decision for any bandleader. Ray Brown, legendary acoustic double-bassist, DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame winner, and peer-less performer of his instrument, was the obvious choice for many […]