Hartford jazz fans are used to hearing about Hartt School grads' musical success, but Mike Casey's premier in Downbeat magazine is more than worth a shout-out. The world's largest jazz publication just featured Mike's "West End" single, a fantastic testimonial to the world class talent coming out of Connecticut's original music scene. Inspired by Hartford's [...]
by Lisa Chase It doesn't get much better than this: live original jazz recorded at Hartford's Parkville Sounds with the city's emerging jazz masters. Jackie McLean grads Tommy Lehman on trumpet, Greg Carlton on tenor sax, guitarist Tony Davis, bassist Josh Uguccioni and Corey Garcia at the drums recorded Davis' "Caramel Eyes" and "Braeburn" for The Parkville Sessions. [...]
by Lisa Chase As we anticipate balmy jazz-filled evenings in Bushnell Park, we’re always on the lookout for jazz venues to fill the intervening months. The Musical Club of Hartford is well known for its long history of supporting classical music performance, but jazz fans may be surprised to know the Musical Club’s members also [...]
by Lisa Chase If Broca’s Area (http://www.brocasareamusic.com/) is any indication of the Jackie McLean Institute’s musical philosophy, then “no boundaries” defines the Hartt School’s jazz-trained musicians. On December 8th Broca’s Area, a project of four McLean Institute progeny, treated a Bridge Street Live (http://www.41bridgestreet.com/) audience to a funk-infused repertoire including original compositions and covers of [...]
by Lisa Chase Jazz fans can take heart that Monday Night Jazz will return to Bushnell Park in a mere forty-five weeks. In the meantime, we’re all on the lookout for new jazz venues around Hartford and beyond. A relatively recent addition to the Connecticut jazz scene and a surprising – at least to this [...]
by Lisa Chase The final evening of Monday Night Jazz’s six-week series showcased the genre’s almost limitless variety and its continuous reinvention. Saxophonist Allen Lowe and his quartet started off with a series of original compositions showcasing Aaron Johnson on clarinet, Louis Porter at the piano, Kevin Ray plucking the bass and drummer Ben Bilello. [...]
Asylum Hill Congregational church could not contain the joyful music of Monday Night Jazz in its rainy-day setting. For opening act Matt and Atla DeChamplain, the church was the ideal acoustic venue for Atla’s soaring vocals, set off by Matt DeChamplain at the piano, Matt Dwonszyk on bass, tenor saxophonist Jovan Alexandre and drummer Curtis [...]
by Lisa Chase A perfect summer evening sparkled with goddess energy as two jazz “mistresses” filled the air with their inimitable brand of jazz improvisation and interpretation. The Maxine Martin Quartet opened Monday Night Jazz with original compositions executed by Maxine Martin on tenor saxophone and clarinet, guitarist Jim Mercik, “Abu” Alvin Carter, Sr. on [...]
The tone was cool and soulful at Monday Night Jazz under cloudy skies and jacket-weather temperatures. For saxophone lovers, the first half of the evening showcased the instrument’s tonal diversity, with the Kris Allen Quartet’s original compositions centering around the interplay of two saxophones. Playing selections from the recently released album, “Beloved,” the Quartet featured tenor [...]
If Monday night in Hartford wasn’t sultry enough, Latin jazz rhythms turned up the heat in Bushnell Park for another very large and musically enthused crowd. Starting with Heshima Moja and Ofrecimiento’s “Afro Cuban Blues,” featuring Moja scat singing against the beat of David Allen Rivera’s conga drumming, the African and Caribbean influences were infectious. [...]