Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes

George Colligan, Come Together (Sunnyside) Pianist Colligan long has been in demand as a sideman for a wide range of jazz greats, from Cass...

The Thursday, September 24 edition of the Wall Street Journal contains a terrific piece by Larry Blumenfeld taking a clos e look on the pos...

My complete review of Tanglewood two weekends ago has now been published on the JazzTimes Web site, jazztimes.com , along with several phot...

James Moody, Moody 4A (IPO Recordings) At 84 he might be entitled to coast a bit musically, but James Moody never does. This gem was record...

(see contact update at the bottom) The jazz community has learned how to take care of its makers - past, present - and way in the past. The ...

Joel Frahm and Bruce Katz, Project A, (Anzic Records) Many efforts to cover non-jazz material as a concept don’t cut it. This instrumental ...

I’ve submitted my take on this year’s Tanglewood Jazz Festival to JazzTimes. I’ll advise here when it is published. In the meantime, suffic...

It sounds like the Newport Jazz Festival and Newport Folk Festival names are back in use by producer George Wein, starting with the 2010 edi...

When some things in jazz have been in retrenchment mode this year - festivals, magazines - here's a positive note for the future. Randy ...

To what lengths will fans go to hear great jazz? Depending on where you live, sometimes it's right around the corner or across town. Som...

Randy Brecker, Nostalgic Journey: Tykocin Jazz Suite (Summit Records) Three words come to mind after a listen to trumpeter Randy Brecker’s ...

There is a lot of programming diversity going on near and far for jazz and jazz venues in September. These caught my interest. I know I will...

You say you don't buy the tired old saw "jazz is dead"? It's time to show it's not so, and today's social networki...

On September 20, jazz great Dave Brubeck will have something in common with Bonnie Raitt, Sting, Loretta Lynn and Gloria and Emilio Estefan ...

Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge, The Comet’s Tail (MAMA Records) Tampa-based Chuck Owen is directs the University of South Florida’s Center...

My full review of George Wein's CareFusion Jazz Festival 55 in Newport was published today on allaboutjazz.com . It continues to be an a...

This Labor Day Weekend’s Tanglewood Jazz Festival in Lenox MA has tweaked its programming a bit to further bridge jazz and classical music f...

Donny McCaslin, Declaration (Sunnyside) When I first heard tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin in 1987, he was still a student at the Berklee ...

Once something goes away – or is threatened with going aw ay – you find out how much it is appreciated. That was the case this past weekend ...

Going into 2009, we wondered whether the Newport Jazz Festival as we’ve known it all these years, would ever be back - given the financial s...

Roy Hargrove Big Band, Emergence (Groovin’ High/Emarcy) Trumpeter Hargrove has dipped his horn, and his creative prowess, into a lot of mus...

Jazz festival fans can rejoice with something tangible in Newport. The 50th anniversary edition of the folk festival – George Wein’s Folk Fe...

Steve Kuhn, Mostly Coltrane (ECM) Pianist Steve Kuhn has teamed up with saxophonist Joe Lovano for this exquisite recording, which captures...

In a year when more than a few jazz-related entities have been on the ropes, closed their doors or reinvented themselves, it is interesting ...

Art Pepper, The Art History Project (Widow’s Taste) The alto saxophonist Art Pepper spent 15 years in and out of prison and/or rehab becaus...

I got an e-mailed announcement today concerning the lineup for Jazz Apen Snowmass’s annual Labor Day Weekend festival. One hopes to see jazz...

Daryl Sherman, Johnny Mercer – A Centennial Tribute (Arbors) The great lyricist Johnny Mercer would have loved this tribute from charming s...

50, 30, 55. The numbers have been all over the lot this year with significant anniversaries for historic recordings, jazz festival founding...