Jazz Notes: Chick Corea performs in Beaver Creek on Saturday 
When you think of the most important pianists in jazz over the past 40 years, Chick Corea’s name comes immediately to mind. From his work with Miles Davis and his formation of Return to Forever in 1971 to his duets with vibraphonist Gary Burton, Corea (who just happens to have been born in my hometown of Chelsea, Massachusetts) is a player whose talent transcends musical boundaries. On Saturday evening, you can hear Corea live when he performs a solo concert at the Vilar Center for the Performing Arts in Beaver Creek.
Jazz Notes: Classical collides with jazz on Turtle Island
During the coming week, you can catch the Turtle Island Quartet in two very different contexts.
Jazz Notes: Guitarist Kreisberg and quartet play Dazzle
Tonight and Friday, jazz guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg pulls into Dazzle with his working quartet that has Wil Vinson on saxophone, Joe Martin on bass and Mark Ferber on drums. Born in New York, Kreisberg moved to Miami with his family at a young age and was based there when he released his first CD in 1996. The guitarist then settled back in his hometown where he continues to be a regular on city’s scene.
Jazz Notes: Trumpet excellence from Tom Harrell
Tom Harrell continues his visit to Dazzle tonight and Friday. Born in 1946, Harrell is frequently labeled, with good reason, as one of the greatest trumpeters of his generation. Not long after he graduated from Stanford University, Harrell began burning up the scene, playing with a number of people including Horace Silver. In the early 1980s, the trumpeter began a long stay as a member of saxophonist Phil Woods’ quintet after which he formed his own group.
Jazz Notes: Grammy some day for Gambarini
This past Sunday, Roberta Gambarini didn’t quite snag the Grammy for best jazz-vocal album. But there’s no question that it’s only a matter of time before the highly talented, Italian-born singer moves from the Grammy-nominated to the Grammy-winning category. It took Kurt Elling nine nominations before finally getting the jazz-vocal Grammy this year. I’m fairly certain that it won’t take Gambarini, who opens a three-night stand at Dazzle with Convergence tonight, nearly that long.
Jazz Notes: Sweum on sax has style to spare
Tonight at Dazzle, saxophonist Ricky Sweum performs music from his impressive CD Pulling Your Own Strings.
Jazz Notes: From business student to international touring star
A self-taught vocalist, whose father collected jazz albums back in the USSR, Sophie Milman reworks established tunes rather than writing her own original material. Yet her approach is anything but standard. As she puts it, “There is an art to interpretation.” And it’s an art she has mastered at a still young age.
Jazz Notes: Musical trifecta rolling into town
How’s this for a musical trifecta: the intriguing guitarist Charlie Hunter, the swinging Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and the imposing saxophone/drums/bass trio known as Fly. Over the next few days, each of these groups will be rolling through town, offering jazz fans an engaging mix of the music’s forms performed by top-shelf players.
