|
Written by Joe Montague
|
|
Tuesday, 12 December 2006 |
 Roger Kellaway © Kent Lacin It is not very often that one has an opportunity to speak with a music icon as celebrated as Roger Kellaway and it is even less often that one gets to talk to him on his birthday (67th). I had the opportunity to do both recently and found the pianist/composer to be one of the more congenial people that I have spoken to inside or outside of the music industry. Kellaway took time to reflect about the relationships he has forged, time spent in the late sixties as the arranger and pianist for Bobby Darin, the numerous films he has scored and his forty-one year marriage to Jorjana. Now entering his sixty-eighth year Kellaway is not a man stuck in the past but quite the contrary. He spoke of the need to ensure his own music and career is more firmly entrenched in the digital age. Inspired by Maria Schneider’s success in the digital age Kellaway says, “I am much more interested in it right now than I ever have been because I just don’t think there is any other possibility (for selling music on a large scale)”. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor
|
|
Tuesday, 22 November 2005 |
Saxophonist Pat Mallinger returns to his native St. Paul this weekend to perform at the Artists Quarter. Now based in Chicago, Mallinger’s jazz roots run deep in the Twin Cities. The Jazz Police nabbed Pat online, and he graciously surrendered for the following interview. JP. How (and when) did you get interested in jazz? PM. Listening to the Grass Junior High Jazz Band when I was in seventh grade inspired my professional interests from dentistry to being a jazz musician. My first records came from a piano teacher across the street named Norma Cashill. She loaned me all her Dave Brubeck albums. I recall rushing home from school to spin those sides and try to emulate Paul Desmond. Also lessons with my Uncle Tommy Bauer inspired me to do the same, go home and imitate his sound. JP. Did you attend high school in St. Paul? Who were your music teachers and mentors in the Twin Cities? PM. Yes. I did attend Henry Sibley High School. My most influential teacher was Bob Klein who led the renowned Grass Junior High Jazz Band. I was inspired by earlier saxophone players in that band, Jim Brown and Chris Stuhlman. My most instrumental saxophone teachers were [Uncle] Tommy Bauer and Brian Grivna. Other mentors from that period, who lived blocks away from me, included saxophonist Ray Komishke and drummer Connie Villars. I also attended many shows featuring saxophonist Eddie Berger. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Written by Don Berryman
|
|
Friday, 19 August 2005 |
|
“Free Jazz is the ultimate expression of one's own creativity as well as a reflection of one's beliefs. It combines passion, composition, validation, and acceptance through collaboration with other musicians towards a common goal of musical celebration.” - Kelly Rossum  Photo by Howard A. Gitelson Kelly is a trumpet player and composer currently living in Minneapolis. He is a master performer of jazz trumpet, although all of his university studies have focused on classical trumpet playing. Kelly said, "Since the trumpet is such a difficult instrument to master, classical training will give you the technical ability to play anything you want. Once you thoroughly understand the instrument, stylistic choices become just that, choices. Not limitations." And Rossum has made some very inclusive choices combining the traditions of swing, bop, and free jazz with the innovations of electronica, ambient, and trance music. This summer at the International Trumpet Guild annual conference in Bangkok, Thailand Kelly Rossum was invited to perform and speak about the specifics of free jazz and the trumpet. (See: website for more details). I also had the pleasure to speak with Kelly about free jazz this summer, the interview follows: |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 Next > End >>
|
| Results 21 - 23 of 23 |