Album Reviews

Gilbert Castellanos – Espérame en el Cielo

by Ken Laster As a pillar of the west coast jazz scene, San Diego's Gilbert Castellanos has appeared on dozens of recordings. He often shares the stage with Charles McPherson, Willie Jones III, Gerald Clayton and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. As an educator, Gilbert is the founder of the Young Lions Jazz Conservatory, teaching the [...]

By |January 16th, 2023|Categories: Album Reviews|Comments Off on Gilbert Castellanos – Espérame en el Cielo

Notable Releases from 2022 (podcast)

As we turn our calendar to the New Year, it's always a fun to look back at some of the best jazz releases from the previous year. As the current webmaster to the Hartford Jazz Society and now a resident of San Diego California, I have a hand in each of these cities jazz scenes. [...]

By |January 4th, 2023|Categories: Album Reviews, Hartford Jazz Society|Comments Off on Notable Releases from 2022 (podcast)

Latest Hartford Album Releases

In recent weeks we have seen a batch of new album releases from musicians with roots in the Hartford jazz scene. I have listened to them all, and they are excellent. Support these local jazz artists through purchasing their albums, or streaming them through your prefered music source. Click on the links or cover art [...]

By |November 20th, 2022|Categories: Album Reviews|Comments Off on Latest Hartford Album Releases

Renfroe’s Run in the Storm, a return to fusion

by Ken Laster Do you yearn for those heady days of the early 1970's, where Jazz/Rock fusion reigned supreme? Miles Davis had forged the sounds of Sly Stone, Jimi Hendrix and Prince with the virtuosity of jazz music. Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report would fill large concert halls and be featured in [...]

By |November 30th, 2021|Categories: Album Reviews|Comments Off on Renfroe’s Run in the Storm, a return to fusion

John Hasselback III makes a grand Entrance

by Ken Laster Entrance is the debut album from trumpeter John Hasselback III. The Hasselback family is a familiar name to the Hartford jazz scene. Following in the footsteps of both his parents, John Hasselback III also graduated the Hartt School of Music. John benefited from growing up in a musical family in upstate [...]

By |April 11th, 2021|Categories: Album Reviews|Comments Off on John Hasselback III makes a grand Entrance

Force Majeure a musical expression of these times

by Ken Laster Bassist Dezron Douglas and harpist Brandee Younger released a duet album, Force Majeure, from material excerpted from their Friday morning "brunches" during this pandemic. These live-streamed performances from their apartment were a window into the uncertainty, anxiety, inspiration and spirituality that pushed these artist to overcome adversity and continue creating their music. [...]

By |December 11th, 2020|Categories: Album Reviews, Media|Comments Off on Force Majeure a musical expression of these times

A new way to listen to jazz

by Ken Laster This summer, my wife and I made a life altering decision to move cross-country to be near our granddaughter and family. We sold most of our belongings; home, cars, furniture, etc, packed just a few essentials and moved to San Diego to start anew. Selling my stereo system, all my CD's and [...]

By |November 18th, 2020|Categories: Album Reviews, Apps, Hardware review, Media|Comments Off on A new way to listen to jazz

Warren Byrd launches underground debut-CD

Hartford/Netherlands pianist Warren Byrd re-releases rare CD from 1999, “Truth Raised Twice”... **PRESS RELEASE** May 6, 2020 A one-hundred percent American underground post-bebop CD fielded a modest release in America 20 years ago. The album was performed by a group of like-minded musicians led by Hartford, CT. USA-born pianist/composer Warren Byrd. The CD, “Truth Raised [...]

Star Wars Inspired Video – Mike Casey

Mike Casey is a Hartford trained, New York based saxophonist. He attended the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts and University of Hartford’s Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz (BA). He then completed Berklee’s master’s program in Contemporary Performance and Music Production at their Valencia, Spain campus. "On Monday May 4 to celebrate International Star Wars Day [...]

By |May 5th, 2020|Categories: Album Reviews, Media|Comments Off on Star Wars Inspired Video – Mike Casey
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