Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes

Eric Jackson WGBH-FM may not fully appreciate the impact that longtime jazz broadcaster Eric Jackson* has on his listeners - and the B...

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Michael Occhipinti, Pat Metheny and Gene Ess...

The South County Jazz Club's weekly jam sessions each Tuesday evening at Valenti's Allegro Bistro, in Venice FL, continue to pack in...

Danny Sinoff quartet Tonight's jazz outing in Port Charlotte FL was a fine reminder that the finest moments in jazz often involve so...

Offbeat magazine, which covers Louisiana music and culture, has just published several more of my Newport Jazz Festival images. The focus w...

Eugene Maslov Big band jazz has been the Monday night staple been at Bovi’s Tavern for 43 years – and it is still going strong,  Some lo...

  Jazz Times has just posted Bill Beuttler's extensive review of last weekend's Newport Jazz Festival, along with 10 of my images...

More in the coming days on the 2012 edition of the Newport Jazz Festival, which took place over the weekend. As usual, the three overlappin...

Given finite resources and wavering community support, it can be challenging to keep the jazz candle burning in many areas. The ebb and flo...

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Branford Marsalis, Paul West, Grant Geissman, Kevin Coelho. and Randy Hoexter....

The folkies are headed for Newport this weekend, where the 2012 edition of the Newport Folk Festival is an advance-sales sellout for both da...

  The August issue of Hot House magazine is online and includes my profile of bassist Ron Carter (page 31). He's one of the most ...

Jazz singers are in today’s spotlight. Taking a closer look at new CDs from Alison Wedding, April Hall and Ori Dagan....

The South County Jazz Club's weekly jam session at Allegro Bistro in Venice has become a vibrant entertainment staple in southwest Flori...

Latin jazz is back for next year's Grammy categories, thanks in large measure to the efforts of New York-based drummer Bobby Sanabria wh...

Last night was Eric Jackson’s final weeknight broadcast and tonight brings Steve Schwartz’s final broadcast as WGBH-FM in Boston retools (de...

An interesting conversation developed the other day at the weekly jazz musicians’ brunch in Sarasota FL, which has been an off-the-gig inf...

Taking a closer look at new CDs from La Lucha, The Black Butterflies and The ABC & D of Boogie Woogie....

Horace Silver and Sonny Rollins topped the winners list at the Jazz Journalists Association’s 2012 Jazz Awards gala on Thursday at the Blue ...

I expect the protests to start rapidly, accompanied by a severe fall off in the checks and pledges that fund Boston's premier public rad...

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Ryan Truesdell and Bill Evans....

Today’s the first day of issue in the United States and France for a pair of postage stamps being issued to honor jazz great Miles Davis and...

Yes, boys and girls, there is value in being the skunk at the lawn party. We saw proof of it yesterday. The Recording Academy has made a...

Every once in a while, it is good to revisit the earliest  jazz piano styles to reinforce one's appreciation for the bedrock upon whic...

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Louise Van Aarsen, Lisa Hilton, Hailey Niswanger and Jared Gold....

Renee Rosnes Pianist Renee Rosnes has developed quite a musical family since arriving on the New York jazz scene from Canada 25 years ag...

The formal concert scene pretty much dries up in southwest Florida once most of the snowbirds have begun their return to northern climates. ...

I’m a sucker for a good mystery. I’ve pretty much devoured the outpouring of crime-related   fictional works by Sue Grafton, J. A. Jance, an...

The Montreal International Jazz Festival  has announced the award winners that it will honor this summer for their exceptional contributio...

Taking a closer look at new CDs from Kat Edmonson, Louis Armstrong, Shawnn Monteiro and Tony Monaco...

S é rgio Mendes The Punta Gorda Wine & Jazz Festival , a local Chamber of Commerce production with a loyal following from near and...

Frank Ascone Drummer Al Hixon wound up the 22nd season of his Monday night jazz jams last night at 15 South  on Sarasota's St. Arman...

Tanglewood is celebrating its 75 th season as summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. But t he summer season just won’t be the same ...

The South County Jazz Club's jam session on Tueday nights at Valenti's Allegro Bistro in Venice FL is always a treat, and the reason...

Naysayers who claim jazz is dead or dying will find a lot of contrarians today at Congo Square in New Orleans and the United Nations Headqua...

For 32 years, the Montreal International Jazz Festival team has been showing the world how to produce a music festival that is filled with ...

The South County Jazz Club concluded its 2011-12 concert season this afternoon with a concert spotlighting cabaret singer Kitt Moran, who ha...

George Wein How do you ensure the granddaddy of jazz festivals will be around for a long time? Producer George Wein has been running the...

The Southwest Florida music community rallied on Sunday to support pianist Michael Royal and his wife Julie with an event that brought toget...

I never had a brother by blood and missed out on all of those brotherly things that happen in families. Thanks to jazz, I developed brother...