Most of us hard-core jazz fans are familiar with the ever changing club and concert scene in the Greater Hartford area. However, East of the river often goes unnoticed. One of those venues that deserves greater attention, and has been hosting some great shows for the last four years is The Packing House. Their non-profit [...]
The Sara Hanahan Quintet opened up the finale concert of the Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series of 2018. Recorded August 13 from the WWUH radio simulcast on a rainy evening. Harvey Jassem and Ken Laster provide the on-air commentary and post concert interview. Sarah Hanahan Quintet: Sarah Hanahan - Alto Sax Nat Reeves - [...]
by Ken Laster photos by Maurice D. Robertson Make no mistake, there were clouds (and heavy rain) the evening of the 2018 Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz (PBMNJ) finale concert. But as I learned as a child, for every cloud there is a silver lining. That "Silver Lining" prevailed the evening of August 13 in [...]
by Ken Laster Complete photo gallery here. Friday at International Tennis Hall of Fame This is the first year I attended the special gala event at the historic International Tennis Hall of Fame; the original site of the Newport Jazz Festival starting in 1954. This affair is part Jazz concert and part "high society" event. [...]
by Ken Laster - WWUH I had the opportunity to speak with pianist Helen Sung following her set at the Newport Jazz Festival. We spoke about her performance (a Tap/Piano duet), her classical influences and an upcoming performance at Hartford Jazz Society's Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series. All this in less than 3 1/2 [...]
https://youtu.be/kIjGh-wsPEg
Monday July 9 was the opening night for the Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series. You could not ask for a more perfect evening. It was a gorgeous summer evening in beautiful Bushnell Park. The crowd was large and attentive throughout the nearly 4 hour night of music. As is the tradition, friends and families [...]
I see little of more importance to the future of our country and our civilization than full recognition of the place of the artist. If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him ... the highest duty of the writer, [...]
Willimantic Records is gaining a well-deserved reputation for consistently providing a welcoming space for free jazz - something greatly appreciated by the musicians who perform there as well as by their avid supporters. That this space exists at all acquired more urgency with the ending of Carl Testa’s Uncertainty Music series in New Haven after [...]
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 [...]