Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes

For any followers in Southwest Florida who haven't heard, I wanted to let you know that the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in downt...

Classic jazz from New Orleans is essential to performances by singer Lisa Kelly and trumpeter JB Scott but the couple showed once again what...

Miami-based trumpeter and educator John Daversa's newest recording project is important on many levels that stretch far beyond jazz - or...

Jazz never goes away in southwestern Florida. There is jazz to be found in all seasons, if you seek it out. The major concerts and festivals...

Here is a rundown of noteworthy jazz events, principally in the Sarasota to Naples territory, from now through November. SEPTEMBER ...

Taking a look at new CDs by Lynne Arriale, Yelena Eckemoff, Dongfeng Liu, Debra Mann and Bobby Sanabria….

Here are more images from the Sunday, August 5 performances of the Newport Jazz Festival. The festival now presents about 20 bands per day ...

Johnny Mercer's imprint is all over The Great American Songbook. He's best known for writing the lyrics to more than a thousand song...

The scheduling gods complicated my 38th annual visit to the Newport Jazz Festival and/or Newport Folk Festival. It meant I was only able to ...

There is a grand tradition of jazz being a social commentary music when needed. Consider the Louis Armstrong-Dave and Iola Brubeck-Carmen Mc...

Taking a look at new CDs by Mica Bethea, Alexis Cole & One For All, Fernando García, Jeff Hamilton, Ken Peplowski and Akira Tana…

The 2018 edition of the Newport Jazz Festival's three-day music marathon has quite the lineup in store at Fort Adams State Park August 3...

Taking a look at new CDs by Benjamin Boone & Philip Levine, Roxy Coss, E.J. Decker, Thomas Fonnesbæk & Justin Kauflin, the Benito ...

Pianist Bobby van Deusen is a master of the keyboard, blessed with an astonishing musical range in terms of genres, sound dynamics and sheer...

Keven Aland Violinist Keven Aland's Hot Club of SRQ brought its fascinating update of the gypsy jazz tradition to the Venice Art Cen...

Herb Bruce Trombonist Herb Bruce's repeat visit to the Charlotte County Jazz Society's concert series with his Herbicide Jazz Ba...

Harry Allen Bandleader Woody Herman's Second Herd in the late 1940s featured a stunning saxophone section known as the Four Brothers...

Brett Williams, Brandon Goldberg Miami-area pianist Brandon Goldberg has soaked up jazz like a sponge takes on water. And he’s been ...

Nate Najar The Bossa Nova All Stars put their stamp on the sultry sound of Brazil's most popular musical export on Saturday, March 3...

Warren Wolf Vibes player Warren Wolf was the Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra's special guest on Wednesday, March 28 in the sextet...

Steve Allee Pianist Steve Allee is a musical quadruple threat - as a player, arranger, composer and educator. All four of those roles we...

Alexis Cole Singer Alexis Cole wound up a three-stop Florida mini-tour on Sunday, March 25, treating the Firehouse Cultural Center audi...

Morrie Trumble Nearly seven years ago, former broadcaster Morrie Trumble was asked to start a jazz club in Venice for music fans who lov...

Here is a rundown of noteworthy jazz events, principally in the Sarasota to Naples territory, from now through May.

David Pruyn Buddy Rich and Rosemary Clooney were top of mind when trumpeter-singer David Pruyn brought his Jazz Legacy Big Band back to ...

The Sarasota Jazz Festival took on a jazz party flavor at its 38th annual event, March 8-10, which, under this year's "A World of ...

Michael Ross There is nothing quite like the intimacy and congeniality at a jazz house party. That was clear on Thursday, March 1, when ...

Jazz and classical music rarely intersect. But they make interesting bedfellows when brought together by two musicians who are well at ease ...