Cree McCree's Entries Authors

Cree McCree

Cree McCree's news entries:

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    “As human beings, when we talk to one another we can come together in one community,” said Sunny Jain, leader of Red Baraat. “To me, that’s the most important thing.”

    Jul 1, 2025 12:23 PM

    Red Baraat Transcends Borders

    When Red Baraat hits the stage and starts pumping out its ecstatic melange of genre-busting music that fuses 18th…

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    “I had no idea I was gonna be a musician,” says Ayala. “God put music on my plate.”

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    “I really like free-jazz, and my foundation is ’50s and ’60s jazz,” says Nanami Haruta. “So I tried to combine all of that music in one album.”

    May 20, 2025 1:28 PM

    Introducing Nanami Haruta

    Born in Sapporo, Japan, Nanami Haruta started playing piano at age 5 and gravitated to the trombone when she was only 8…

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    Branford Marsalis with pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner at this year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

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    “We’re part of the British jazz scene, but we don’t play London jazz,” says Knats bassist Stan Woodward. “We play Newcastle jazz.”

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    “Why, being a classically trained musician, do I have to only play the obvious themes?” asks Kristin Lee.

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    “This music is really about honoring my forebearers and expressing gratitude to my parents and my grandparents,” Kono says about Voyages.

    Mar 18, 2025 3:45 PM

    Ben Kono’s Homage to Family

    Versatile woodwind artist Ben Kono, a third-generation Japanese American, spent many years as a consummate sideman,…

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    “Einstein was a violinist, Max Planck was also a musician and Stefon Alexander plays saxophone,” says Donald Harrison about the relationship between science and music.

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    Davis says, “I wouldn’t call myself a jazz musician; my music is more about crossing boundaries.” Her band Alula, from left: Chris Tordini, Davis, Tyshawn Sorey and Val Jeanty.

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    ​“You want to speak to someone’s heart, not just befuddle their brain,” Brunious says.

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    Beyond (April Records) continues Strange’s musical journey with meditations on the circle of life.

    Oct 3, 2023 2:25 PM

    Cecilie Strange Comes Full Circle

    Cecilie Strange, the gifted young Danish saxophonist and composer, first hit DownBeat’s radar with Blue (April…

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    A new breed of New York-based contemporary jazz composers that includes Erica Seguine (left) and Shon Baker is reinventing orchestral music for the 21st century.

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    “We actually had days where we did three songs in one day. It was just pow, pow, pow,” Jones said of the five-day recording session.

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    “The gutbucket blues is really tribulation from stress and hard times,” King says.

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    Amed’s album Unánime celebrates the work of contemporary and historic Latin composers.

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    Bill Ortiz’s diverse new album Points Of View is a blend of fusion, Latin bravado and straight-up crazy jazz chops.

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    “I always let the music lead me, and it’s led me to a really rich life,” Hilton said.

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    “I know that tensions are high and emotions are intense right now, but the beauty of music is beyond words,” Arriale said.

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    The Roxy Coss Quintet proves to be much more than the sum of its Disparate Parts, an aptly named new album on Outside in Music.

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    DakhaBrakha performs at New Orleans Jazz Fest

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    Cameron Kimbrough and Damien “Yella P” Pearson are Memphissippi Sounds.

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    New Orleans readies for this year’s return of the Jazz & Heritage Festival.

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    This year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has been canceled. It was scheduled to take place in October.

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    Helen Gillet performing at the Broadside as part of outdoor programming by SideBar in New Orleans during the pandemic.

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    Drummer Viola Smith died Oct. 21 at the age of 107 in Costa Mesa, California.

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    Copenhagen’s Jazzhus Montmartre received no-strings-attached grant funding from its local city council, enabling the venue to soldier on amid the protracted coronavirus pandemic.

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    New Orleans saxophonist Kidd Jordan said he once saw John Cage and Louis Armstrong perform on the same night.

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    Dr. John (1941–2019)

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    Before she staked her claim on the Central Avenue jazz scene in Los Angeles, trumpeter Clora Bryant was a featured soloist in the International Sweethearts of Rhythm.

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    Released in conjunction with a companion video series, Roxy Coss’ Quintet draws from her entire catalog and ranks as the the follow-up to The Future Is Female, the bandleader’s provocative response to the 2016 elections.

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    Drummer Adonis Rose has big plans for the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra’s next chapter.

Cree McCree's reviews:

On Sale Now
August 2025
Anthony Braxton
Look Inside
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