A Half Century of Sondheim Collaborations

Paul and Alex Gemignani, a father-and-son conductor-singer duo, kibbitz about their long-running engagement with the composer in “the house that ‘Gypsy’ built.”

Joey DeFrancesco, with Pharoah Sanders – ‘In the Key of the Universe’ (2019)

Here is what magically happens when you cross spiritual soul-jazz with bluesy soul-jazz.

For his latest album, Joey DeFrancesco chose to name it In the Key of the Universe, which is a very Pharoah Sanders type of title. Perhaps that’s because the iconic saxophonist himself is on this record: the de facto heir to the legacy of Jimmy Smith features the de facto heir to late-period John Coltrane mysticism.

Signing Story: Jesse Palter

A melancholy yet exuberant reflection on a love left behind, “Paper Trail,” the title track to Jesse Palter’s debut EP, is the perfect metaphor for the journey the multi-talented singer-songwriter has been on these past few years. As serendipity would have it, just as she was transitioning from being an accomplished jazz singer, Aristry Music, a division of Mack Avenue Records, was looking to expand from its jazz foundations into other genres. She is now the label’s first signed developing singer-songwriter.

Raul Midón: If You Really Want

Not every singer knows how to connect with a full orchestra and, certainly, not every orchestra is equipped to accompany a non-classical vocalist. But Raul Midón and the 50-pluspiece Dutch Metropole Orkest have it down. The orchestra, founded in 1945 and conducted on this latest collaborative effort by Vince Mendoza, has been working with vocalists for years.

Tia Fuller, fierce woman in jazz, takes shot at 1st Grammy

Saxophonist Tia Fuller was crying in bed. And praising God.

She’d just received the news that she was nominated for her first-ever Grammy Award — but it’s not just any nomination: Her inclusion in the best jazz instrumental album category is a historic moment for women because they have rarely been nominated for the coveted award throughout the Grammys’ 61-year history.

And if Fuller wins, she becomes just the second women to take home the prize.

‘The Window’ Showcases The Wide-Ranging Talent Of Singer Cécile McLorin Salvant

McLorin Salvant's powerful voice takes center state on her new album, a duo with pianist Sullivan Fortner. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says the music on The Window is riveting.