Newport 2013 - an abundance of jazz riches

The 2013 edition of the Newport Jazz Festival dilemma is fast approaching. The weekend of August 2, 3 and 4 offers more than 30 bands to check out of varying demographics and styles.

Other than the opening night festivities with Natalie Cole, her uncle, Freddy Cole, and the Bill Charlap trio at historic Newport Casino (the International Tennis Hall of Fame), the others are blended across three different stages on Saturday and Sunday at Fort Adams State Park overlooking Newport Harbor.

It's virtually impossible to catch more than a snippet of everything, with staggered starting times on all three stages. Some of us trot from one to another for a few songs of each. Others will camp in one location and savor a full set of a favorite musician or two. There is no set listener formula. Just do what works.

Fortunately there is music for virtually every jazz taste.

Here are some that I'm really anxious to check out:

An Elgart alumni reunion of sorts, a nod to Shearing - maybe

Lew Gluckin and Len Murphy
Robbie Rose (piano), Dominic Mancini (bass)

Tonight's edition of the South County Jazz Club's weekly jam session at the Ramada Inn's Wave Grill in Venice FL had some interesting twists. These things always do - as the crowd and the music-making attendees vary from week to week
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Two alumni of the Les Elgart Orchestra were on hand. Saxophonist Len Murphy and trumpeter Lew Gluckin (on flugelhorn this evening) took separate solo moments with the rhythm section during the opening set. They joined forces to open the second set, mixing it up very nicely on "Blue Monk."

CDs of Note - Short Takes

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Cécile McLorin Salvant, Giacomo Gates,  Wayne Shorter and Steve Slagle …

A Montreal Jazz Festival preview

The 34^th annual Montreal International Jazz Festival is fast approaching. The dizzying event – which often seems like two festivals in one – runs June 28 through July 7. The schedule also features a couple of preliminary concerts on the 27^th.

An outdoor evening show

There’s the vast array of indoor ticketed concerts. Then there are the 300 FREE concerts on 10 outdoor stages featuring some 3,000 musicians before the 10-day run concludes. Those sets run the gamut from jazz and blues to pop and world music.

 
Each year, the festival presents awards to significant artists for their contributions to their various forms of music. Here’s a rundown of the 2013 honorees: