Aug 27, 2024 12:09 PM
Remembering Russell Malone, 1963-2024
Guitarist and bandleader Russell Malone died Aug. 23, while on tour in Japan, after battling end-stage kidney failure.…
Guitarist Leni Stern expands her trio to a quartet with the addition of pianist Leo Genovese on her upcoming album, 4.
(Photo: Sandrine Lee)There’s a vastness to the music that guitarist Leni Stern’s worked on since the 1980s.
It comes, in part, from an embrace of global music and ideas, as well as a tasteful approach to guitar. She continues her journey on 4, a disc set for release June 19 on her LSR imprint. A video for “Zamba 264,” a tune off the upcoming disc, premieres below.
In the August 2018 edition of DownBeat, Philip Freeman wrote the following about 3, the guitarist’s previous full-length: “She’s not a showboat; she never shreds, but the statements she makes have that much more impact for the restraint.”
That same idea’s applicable to 4 as well.
“‘Zumba 264’ features the rich South American harmonies that have fascinated me ever since I started playing guitar,” Stern wrote in an email, adding that the zamba rhythm here, has provenance in Argentina and roots in Africa. “With our newest band member, the brilliant pianist Leo Genovese came the beautiful musical heritage of South America. The melody lends itself [to] the wordless vocals that I started exploring on [3].”
With Genovese expanding the trio to a quartet, the band’s freed up a bit, with Mamadou Ba getting a sizable bass feature on the album opener, “Lamabar,” and Alioune Faye’s percussion figuring heavily into every moment of the recording. DB
In addition to his instrumental prowess, Malone was praised for his musical generosity and his singular sense of humor.
Aug 27, 2024 12:09 PM
Guitarist and bandleader Russell Malone died Aug. 23, while on tour in Japan, after battling end-stage kidney failure.…
Benny Golson soaks in the music during a late-career performance at Chicago’s Jazz Showcase.
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Benny Golson, one of the greatest composers and saxophonists of the bebop era, passed away Saturday, Sept. 21, at his…
Harpist Brandee Younger is among the performers on the program for this year’s Hyde Park Jazz Fest in Chicago.
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The 18th Annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival will be held on 13 unique stages across Chicago’s Hyde Park, Kenwood and…
“I don’t focus on the harshness of the music business,” Lloyd says. “I focus on the profundity of what we’re doing because that’s the real stuff. You can change the world with that.”
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Hancock has a new project on the horizon but says he will not put it out until he’s ready.
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On April 12 of this year, Herbie Hancock turned 84. How many people do you know in their 80s who are still working full…
