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Dickey Betts: Another Man Done Gone
by Doug Collette
Although Forrest Richard 'Dickey' Betts did not share the surname of the Allman Brothers Band to which he contributed so significantly, in terms of success both creatively and commercially, he was arguably as responsible for the seminal blues rockers' legacy as the two namesakes of the group, Duane and Gregg. And it does not take a sorrowful perspective on the man's passing to contemplate how, in a very real sense, Dickey Betts' significant participation in the Allmans came ...
read moreClint Maedgen: Life Before & With Preservation Hall
by Thomas Cole
My first memories of listening to music as a kid? I was probably listening to Fats Domino and rock 'n' roll on the radio. The power of AM radio at that time in the '70s was a huge foundational influence on me, as it has been for a lot of people in those days. And sittin' in the car with my father, as he played cassettes with Hank Williams and Bob Wills, among others, I remember filing all that away ...
read morePetr Kotik: Beyond Race, Beyond Genre, There’s Music
by Kurt Gottschalk
Petr Kotik has walked among giants. To the extent that he is recognized in jny: New York City, where he has made his home for 41 years, it is as an associate of John Cage and Morton Feldman with an apparent fixation on Gertrude Stein. In his Czech homeland, he is held in higher esteem--in part, arguably, due to his move to New York. But his considerable list of musical relationships also includes the now-iconic composer Julius Eastman and a ...
read moreHi-Hats Off to The Jazz Corner on Its 25th
by Gloria Krolak
Twenty-five years ago, on March 30, 1999, Bob and Lois Masteller opened their club, The Jazz Corner, on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. They had both enjoyed productive careers, he in human resources, she in property management. Now it was time to indulge their passion for jazz. Bob grew up with music in the house--his dad was a jazz violinist--and became a keeper of the flame by playing horns and vibraphone. Lois was his biggest fan. They both wanted to ...
read moreBernardo Sassetti: The Pianist Who Danced With Silence
by Nathalie Tamara Freson
If a musician's degree of brilliance is measured by the emotions they awakens in his listeners, then Bernardo Sassetti was a genius. And that he certainly was. With a prolific career (which resulted in a discography and filmography of close to 30 CDs), Sassetti spent the first few years playing alongside illustrious figures of the jazz world, such as Freddie Hubbard, Paquito D'Rivera and Guy Barker, the latter with with whom he collaborated intensively (on albums such as ...
read moreAin’t Nothing Stopping Us Now: The Tower Of Power Story
by Jason Elias
For over 50 years Tower of Power has been the favorite of those who love R&B/soul, funk and sophisticated jazz. While the band is often known for its revolving door of lead singers, the band's founders, Emilio Castillo (saxophone) and Stephen “Doc" Kupka (baritone sax) have remained their constant. The Bay Area band's first album East Bay Grease was released on Bill Graham's San Francisco Records. The effort became known for its immediately recognizable horn arrangements and energy, especially on ...
read moreCamilo Valencia: One Heart At A Time - A Remembrance (1959-2003)
by Dr. Alex Sino
Camilo Valencia, a soul brimming with boundless passion, sadly died on September 6, 2023 after undergoing a third heart transplant. He thus carried the weight of four hearts throughout his journey, each pulsating with an ardent desire to share his musical gifts with the world. During his career, Camilo Valencia racked up credits working on projects for international stars such as Shakira, Carlos Santana, Nestor Torres, David Byrne, Ricky Martin, Jose Feliciano, Natalia Jimenez, Wyclef Jean, and many ...
read moreLilian Terry: Forever Sisters Of The Soul - Renaissance Jazzwomen
by Kerilie McDowall
I was warmly accepted by a giant such as Duke Ellington during his last seven years. He chose to be my friend, demanding my annual presence during his concert tours in Europe as his “good luck charm," and as his sounding board for all the phrases he would dictate to me, to be used later in his own writings. Our relationship was an unbelievable and precious experience."--Lilian Terry (1930-2023) Dizzy, Duke, Brother Ray, and Friends. Hearing from jazz ...
read moreRoy Ayers: A Retrospective
by Jason Elias
Vibraphonist, singer and producer Roy Ayers is a master of many musical styles and genres, from acid-jazz, jazz-funk to romantic ballads and dance tracks. While many of his contemporaries seemed to fail when they tried different sounds, Ayers always made sure a certain of musicality and identity was apparent in all of his work. Ayers's first album was 1963's West Coast Vibes and it was issued on United Artists Records. Ayers spent the next few years as a ...
read moreRob Luft: Burning the Candle at Both Ends
by Peter Jones
What kind of musician gets asked to write a concerto for a 65-piece orchestra--the BBC Concert Orchestra, no less--when still in his twenties, and when he has never previously written for an orchestra? Well, somehow or other, UK guitarist Rob Luft is that kind of musician. Writing for an orchestra is something he has always wanted to do, and the work receives its world premiere at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's South Bank on November 16th as ...
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