Apr 2, 2024 12:59 PM
Saxophonist, Sonic Explorer Casey Benjamin Dies at 45
Casey Benjamin, the alto saxophonist, vocalist, keyboardist and producer who stamped his distinctive sounds on the…
Wayne Shorter had some thrilling surprises up his sleeve during his Friday night concert at the International Festival de Jazz de Montreal. His superb quartet—which featured drummer Brian Blade, bassist John Patitucci and pianist Geoffrey Keezer (substituting for Danilo Perez, who is recovering from a foot injury)—performed with the spontaneity and glee of children on a playground. Shorter projected with enormous tone on tenor and soprano saxes, filling Montreal’s Theatre Maisonneuve with unexpected blasts of sound reinforced by his band of aces. Keezer thrilled the audience as well with bursts of excitement and creativity that appropriately complemented Shorter’s in-the-moment vibe.
Tony Bennett turned in a classy, elegant show that touched on a couple dozen standards from his usual repertoire and featured short-and-sweet instrumental solos from his four trusty accompanists. A consummate performer, Bennett nailed the high notes, addressed his audience graciously and even did a couple of quick dance-spins on stage for dramatic (and slightly comical) effect. Earlier Friday evening, Le Large Ensemble got the weekend off to a loose and casual start with set of freeplay featuring some of Canada’s finest improvisers at L’Astral, a new club on the festival scene.
Saxophonist Joshua Redman began his three-night Invitation series on Saturday, July 4, with a quartet gig featuring Aaron Parks on piano, Matt Penman on bass and Eric Harland on drums. On Sunday, Redman’s show will be a quintet with fellow saxophonist Joe Lovano, pianist Sam Yahel, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. His residency concludes Monday night, July 6, with a daring double-trio concert (featuring various combinations of Hutchinson, Brian Blade, Rogers and Larry Grenadier) that will draw on material from his latest CD, Compass.
Other highlights from Saturday included performances by the historic Dave Brubeck Quartet (with son Matt Brubeck sitting in on cello), pianist Gerald Clayton’s highly accessible trio of dreadlocked mates and the always fresh-sounding Brian Blade Fellowship. —Ed Enright
Benjamin possessed a fluid, round sound on the alto saxophone, and he was often most recognizable by the layers of electronic effects that he put onto the instrument.
Apr 2, 2024 12:59 PM
Casey Benjamin, the alto saxophonist, vocalist, keyboardist and producer who stamped his distinctive sounds on the…
Albert “Tootie” Heath (1935–2024) followed in the tradition of drummer Kenny Clarke, his idol.
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Albert “Tootie” Heath, a drummer of impeccable taste and time who was the youngest of three jazz-legend brothers…
“Both of us are quite grounded in the craft, the tradition and the harmonic sense,” Rosenwinkel said of his experience playing with Allen. “Yet I felt we shared something mystical as well.”
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Henry Threadgill performs with Zooid at Big Ears in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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Big Ears, the annual four-day music celebration that first took place in 2009 in Knoxville, Tennessee, could well be…
“I’m also at a point in my life where I don’t feel like I have anything to prove, like at all,” Akinmusire says about his art.
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At the risk of oversimplifying and romanticizing the story, Ambrose Akinmusire came bursting on the jazz scene at the…
