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Christian McBride was 19, a vigorous young bassist just making his name on the scene, when he paid his first visit to the Newport Jazz Festival as a…

WBGO announcers and staff recommend their favorite tracks from pianist Ahmad Jamal who died on April 16, 2023 at his home in Ashley Falls, Mass.

As Michael Bourne turns 75, and steps away from the microphone, we're celebrating his incredible legacy at WBGO.

It’s never a bad time to celebrate Art Blakey, the indefatigable drummer, towering bandleader and peerless mentor.But the occasion of a new release by Art…

SEPTEMBER 16TH, FRIDAY - 8PM
SOAPBOX GALLERY, 636 DEAN STREET, BROOKLYN, NY, 11238
RESERVATIONS, CLICK HERE.

"Her delightfully casual and welcoming voice, defying gravity in a manner not unlike a legend such as Blossom Dearie or peer Kat Edmonson, has the special charm that’s easy on the ears with the potential to stir your heart."
- John Ephland

Coming to performing later in life, Chicago-based vocalist/songwriter Roberta Brenza makes the most of this debut recording experience - It's My Turn to Color Now - as she enlists a brilliant team of playmates - producer & drummer Matt Wilson, pianist Dawn Clement, bassist Cameron Brown, saxophonist Stacy Dillard, along with special guest, legendary vocalist Sheila Jordan. Together they sculpt an intriguing set of thoughtfully arranged songs such as "Watch What Happens" & "Bye, Bye Blackbird," jazz standards like "Take Five" & Don Cherry's "Art Deco," along with two revealing Brenza originals. Having lived in both French and Italian-speaking cultures, she also offers fresh takes on “Les Feuilles Mortes/Autumn Leaves” and “Estate." Channeling the long developing feelings of music she was first exposed to as a child listening to her father's collection, Brenza presents as a full-formed package, revealing new insights from the lyrics as she paints from a vibrant musical palette.

PERFORMANCE BAND:
Roberta Brenza vocals
Stacy Dillard tenor & soprano saxophone
Dawn Clement piano
Cameron Brown bass
Matthew Wilson drums
Sheila Jordan vocals

Doors: 7PM | Show: 8PM LPR COVID-19 Policies: https://lpr.com/about-lpr-nyc/covid-19/ With her captivating charisma and radiant spirit, Daymé Arocena effortlessly blends traditional Santerían chant, jazz stylings, contemporary R&B influences, and Afro-Cuban rhythmic complexity for audiences worldwide. Her passion for the musical traditions of her homeland is boundless – “reigniting the Cuban soundtrack wherever she plays” (NPR). At every performance, Daymé coaxes her audiences into lively call-and-response chants with an irrepressible smile on her face, enamoring the whole audience in her charm. “Scat-singing over her trio’s swaying rhumbas and cha-cha-chas,” (DownBeat), Daymé’s impact upon the history of Cuban music is undeniable. On September 6, 2019, Daymé released Sonocardiogram on Brownswood Recordings to resounding critical applause. Celebrating the rich elements of Afro-Cuban culture and Santería, Sonocardiogram also tells the story of Daymé as a creative spirit. The album is a finely crafted arc exploring her sources of Santería, dedication to legacy of Afro-Cuban musicians, an homage to family, and of course always inspired, sincere, and hopeful. Daymé was introduced to the world stage through Gilles Peterson’s Havana Cultura Mix project, which brought producers from around the world to Cuba to record with local musicians. Daymé enchanted a packed audience at the London launch of that album, and since then has released four breathtaking albums as a bandleader, including 2017’s Cubafonía – named one of The Arts Desk’s best albums of 2017. NPR claims there’s “never a dull moment” on the recording, and Billboard sums it up perfectly: Cubafonía is a “must-have on any playlist.” Daymé looks forward to the release of a new, upbeat Latin dance themed album in late 2021. The WOMEN’S VOICES series celebrates the role that female artists play in the preservation and promotion of their respective cultures and traditions.

Sam Newsome - soprano saxophone / Kirk Knuffke - cornet / Hilliard Greene - bass / Satoshi Takeishi - drums To continue safely serving our community of artists and audience members, Arts for Art is filming and releasing new performances on Tuesdays and Thursdays in January, February, and March. A pay-what-you-can donation is required to view each video. All donations will go towards AFA’s Artists & Friends Campaign. About Sam Newsome: New York-based saxophonist and composer Sam Newsome often works in the medium of solo saxophone, an approach for which he gained world-wide critical acclaim with his 2009 recording, Blue Soliloquy: Solo Works for Soprano Saxophone. This recording received a five-star review in Downbeat magazine. Newsome has since released several critically acclaimed solo saxophone CDs: Sonic Journey: Live at the Red Room (2020); Chaos Theory: Song Cycles for Prepared Saxophone (2019); Sopranoville: Works for Prepared and Non-Prepared Saxophone (2017); The Straight Horn of Africa (2014); The Solo Concert: Sam Newsome Plays Monk and Ellington (2013); The Art of the Soprano, Vol. 1 (2012). Ed Enright, from Downbeat magazine, called The Straight Horn of Africa, “a modern masterpiece.” Many of the notes and sounds used in his compositions and improvisations stem from his sound palette of extended techniques and saxophone preparations. Newsome often attaches tube extensions to the neck of the soprano that significantly changes the timbre of the instrument as well as extends the soprano’s range by an octave or two. Conceptually speaking, Newsome sees himself more along the lines of a visual artist who paints with notes and sounds rather than shapes and colors. Newsome has also received numerous accolades for his adventurous work, including this year’s 2020 Instant Award in Improvised Music, along with fellow avant-gardists Peter Brotzmann and John Butcher. He was also named a nominee for Soprano Saxophonist of the Year by the 2020 Jazz Journalist Association. Past recognitions include the 2018 New Music USA Grant, the 2018 Alpert/Ragdale Prize in Music Composition and the 2016 NYFA Fellowship for Music Composition In addition to his solo work, Newsome leads a trio with Hilliard Greene and Reggie Nicholson. He is a frequent collaborator with drummer Andrew Cyrille, vocalist Fay Victor, and tours regularly with Pepperland, a music and dance work by Mark Morris and Ethan Iverson that pays tribute to The Beatles.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews It's All in the Game, by tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander.

We note the passing of Jimmy Smith, the musician who creatively linked jazz and the Hammond B-3 organ.

A new off-Broadway play explores the career of legendary jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk. Award-winning actor and director Rome Neal stars in the one-man production.