Jul 9, 2024 11:35 AM
Trumpeter, Educator Jim Rotondi Dies at 61
Jim Rotondi, a renowned hard-bop trumpeter, composer and educator, died suddenly on July 7 at a hospital in France. He…
Michael Wolff’s Bounce, which counts backing from drummer Allan Mednard and bassist Ben Allison, also features a vocal turn from the pianist’s son, Nat Wolff.
(Photo: David Sokol)Pianist Michael Wolff is set to issue Bounce, his followup to Swirl, on Feb. 7 through Sunnyside.
The album’s a mix of moods and styles, moving from the quickstep “Resuscitate” to the wondrous “Omar Sharif,” a composition from Broadway’s The Band’s Visit. “Chill,” a tune from the upcoming album debuts below.
“‘Chill’ is a song I wrote after being inspired by hip-hop and new-jack swing beats,” Wolff wrote in an email about a song he said came to him following a listen to LL Cool J’s “Round The Way Girl.” “It has a kind of bebop melody on top of eight looped chords. [Drummer] Allan Mednard plays a swinging and light beat under the song and [bassist] Ben Allison plays a wonderful solo.”
On Feb. 7 and 8, Wolff has a pair of dates set for Birdland in New York, and in March, he heads to California for two shows.
For additional information about the recording, visit the Sunnyside website. DB
Jim Rotondi was acclaimed for his wide, round trumpet tone, remarkable virtuosity and assured swing.
Jul 9, 2024 11:35 AM
Jim Rotondi, a renowned hard-bop trumpeter, composer and educator, died suddenly on July 7 at a hospital in France. He…
Charles Lloyd, seen here at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, makes DownBeat Poll history!
Jul 11, 2024 12:23 PM
The incomparable Charles Lloyd swept the 72nd Annual DownBeat Critics Poll, becoming the first artist ever to earn…
“Being president of Blue Note has been one of the coolest things that ever happened to me,” Was said. “It’s a gas to serve as one of the caretakers of that legacy.”
Jun 4, 2024 12:21 PM
Sitting with Don Was is a comfortable and unhurried exercise. He may seem slightly reserved at first, but ideas and…
The Century Room in downtown Tucson, Arizona, was born in 2021.
May 21, 2024 12:58 PM
Players got to play. It’s long been a part of jazz history: When there’s a venue vacuum, when there are fewer…
“She reminds me of my childhood and makes we want to cry,” Cécile McLorin Salvant, pictured here with writer Ashley Kahn, said of Dianne Reeves.
Jun 11, 2024 12:31 PM
Italy’s Umbria Jazz Winter is one of those rare annual festivals that not only coincides with a major holiday —…
