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Great Live Moments - Kevin Eubanks
April 7, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.
Add new comment | Filed under: bassist, blazing trails, branford marsalis, cameron brown, guitarist kevin, jay leno, Jazz Alive, jazz forum, jazz guitar, jazz musician, johnny carson, kevin eubanks, Listening Post, Live Music, music director, robin eubanks, sf jazz, solo career, television career, tonight show with jay leno, trombonist, weeknight, wes montgomeryYou may know guitarist Kevin Eubanks from the Tonight Show Band. Each weeknight, he sits in front of the band, acting as a comic foil for host Jay Leno. Kevin has actually been the music director for the show since 1995, when Branford Marsalis departed. Eubanks has been on the show since 1992. He even penned the show's closing theme song, "Kevin's Country."
Kevin Eubanks is a jazz musician by calling. In fact, music is genetically programmed into the Eubanks clan. Just ask trombonist Robin Eubanks, who is currently blazing trails with the SF Jazz Collective touring ensemble.
Check out Kevin on "Blues for Wes," a duet tribute to one of the heroes of jazz guitar, Wes Montgomery. This selection is a duet recording with bassist Cameron Brown. WBGO recorded it in 1983 at the Jazz Forum in New York. Johnny Carson was still the host of the Tonight Show. Kevin Eubanks was starting a solo career. His television career was yet to come.
-Josh© 2008 WBGO
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Great Live Moments - Harold Mabern
April 7, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.
Add new comment | Filed under: ahmad jamal, american museum of natural history, bassist, citicorp center, dizzy gillespie, drummer, gant, george coleman, gil fuller, harold mabern, heyday, history check, jamil nasser, Jazz Alive, Listening Post, Live Music, memphis native, museum of natural history, pianist, quartet, ray brown, veteran, wbgo
It's a Memphis Monday, courtesy of Harold Mabern. WBGO has recorded pianist Harold Mabern as a member of George Coleman's quartet. We've also recorded Mabern's own quartet at American Museum of Natural History.
Check out this version of Harold Mabern's trio, recorded in 1984 at Citicorp Center in New York. Bassist Jamil Nasser (like Mabern, a Memphis native) and drummer Frank Gant, two veteran trio performers (check out those Ahmad Jamal records!) make the trio. They play "Ray's Idea," a song composed by bassist Ray Brown and Walter "Gil" Fuller during the heyday of Dizzy Gillespie's big band.
-Josh© 2008 WBGO
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Marcus Strickland on We Insist: Jazz Speaks Out
April 4, 2008. Posted by Angelika Beener.
Add new comment | Filed under: Discovery, Interviews, Jazz Alive, Jazz Community, Jazz Education, Listening Post, NewsNot too long ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing a dear friend and an overwhelmingly talented musician. Marcus Strickland, winner of the 2006 Jazz Times Reader's poll for Artist of the Year, is a unique and special artist.
On this episode of We Insist: Jazz Speaks Out, we discuss the role of jazz in the "X" generation, and the new roles jazz musicians have to take in being proactive int heir careers, in the ever-evolving record business. Marcus talks about his new album Open Reel Deck his work with musicians outside of the jazz community and how hip-hop is influencing his music more than ever. He also discusses the idea of "young lions" in jazz, and how it's really not so different from Charlie Parker, and Trane. This was a great interview. Check it out.
www.wbgo.org/weinsist© 2008 WBGO









