Claire Ritter, Deanna Witkowski and Janice Friedman are not household names on the piano jazz circuit. But like the best ingredients, their taste and intrigue far outshines their notoriety. In late 2014 and 2015, each released a recording worthy of “top ten” status as well as repeated listening. Once a student of Mary Lou Williams […]
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A number of years ago, tenor saxophone legend Irv Williams hinted at retirement in his liner notes for That’s All (2004), but clearly that was premature. Three CDs later, the then 88-year-old known fondly as “Mr. Smooth” issued a more dramatic hint with the release of Finality (Ding Dong Music) in 2008. But apparently the […]
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Mardi Gras, aka “Fat Tuesday,” is perhaps the biggest party in New Orleans, capping two weeks of parades, costumes, and of course, traditional NOLA music. Even “Fat Monday” has become almost as famous for revelry. At the other end of the Mississippi River, Minnesotans have a number of opportunities to join in, thanks to our […]
Continue ReadingMuch of the Twin Cities metro area was simply closed on Tuesday night. While it was hardly the worst snowstorm in history–not even close, by midafternoon driving was treacherous and the forecast of blizzard conditions convinced many clubs and event centers to shut down for the night. The Pete Whitman X-Tet was pre-empted at Crooners; […]
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The banners draping the Carhartt Amphitheater and Hart Plaza gateways read “Choose Detroit.” Every Labor Day weekend for the past eight years, I have done just that. I’ve chosen to spend four days in the heart of one of the nation’s most challenged cities to challenge myself to sift through schedules for approximately 70 sets […]
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