Articles written about jazz

"Pursuit Of": Cisco Swank on His New EP, Spirituality and the Search for Meaning

Fransisco Haye, who goes by the pseudonym Cisco Swank, is a 20-year-old multi-instrumentalist, rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. With the piano skills of Robert Glasper and the smooth composition of a new-age George Gershwin, Cisco Swank is a young artist who knows where he

Duke Ellington

The Trailblazing Genius of Duke Ellington

In light of the recent Black Lives Matter movement, the owner of the Washington Redskins, Daniel Snyder, said that they are planning to change the team’s name, referring to it as “disparaging of Native Americans.” Until a final name is chosen, they’re Washington Football Team. How’s

THE ART OF BLACKNESS: AN INTERVIEW WITH STAN SQUIREWELL

It is a chilly fall morning in the South Bronx when I meet him outside his studio in an industrial area known as Port Morris, a neighborhood that’s been around since the early 1800s. Once in decay, Port Morris has turned itself around, rallying behind a FedEx headquarters, Fresh

Lauren's Song

By M. J. Moore Decades ago, the Berklee College of Music in Boston was commonly known as “the Jazz School” or some other iteration of a Jazz Institute. More recently, it has been a haven for serious students of all styles – Pop, Rock, Fusion, Funk, Hip Hop and every

Denizen of Detroit: An Interview with Local Jazz Trumpet Player Allen Dennard

Complex, yet conversational. Soft, yet outspoken. Modern, yet mature. Only 25 years old and fresh out of college, Allen Dennard is miles ahead. Bursting into the Detroit Jazz scene less than a year ago, the young trumpet player has already produced his debut EP with an album on the way.

In the Swing of Things: An Interview with Back Room host Svetlana Shmulyian

Swing music might have its leather soles firmly planted on American soil, but its impact extends far beyond the hardwood floors of New York’s finest jazz clubs. “Jazz is uniquely American,” explains Russian-born, American “musically” bred singer Svetlana Shmulyian, who is the musical director of The Back

A Great Day in Harlem: The 45th Annual Harlem Week Festival Begins

By Editor Harlem is at, and perhaps created, a crossroads of international and domestic culture. Although situated in upper Manhattan, the world’s pop culture capital, Harlem has its own unique cultural context that distinguishes its neighborhood from the rest of the greater metropolis and the world. Since the early

culture

World-Renowned Musician Herb Alpert and Grammy Award-Winning Singer Lani Hall At City Winery NYC

Playing trumpet since he was 8, Alpert went on to have 14 Top 40 singles with his band The Tijuana Brass

Flashback: Lady Gaga's Bandleader Brian Newman

We’re so excited about Lady Gaga’s upcoming film A Star is Born (which itself gives off great retro energy, with its long legacy) that we’re flashing back to a time when the Mother Monster first showed her love for old Hollywood glam. Check out

Art

The Strange and Beautiful World of John Lurie

John Lurie is known for music, movies, and unique art. Each of his paintings are christened with peculiar titles that no one but John Lurie could have come up with think up.