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Blues for Pablo
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.Say the name “Pablo” in the context of 20th century Arts and Letters and the name “Pablo Picasso” springs to mind. It did for me as you...
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John Fedchock's New York Big Band - "Like It Is"
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved."Cheerful syncopation, served with spit-and-polish precision."— The New York Times"John Fedchock's New York Big Band commands your...
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Tubby Hayes - "England's Late Jazz Great"
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved."I'm basically an evangelist," Vic Hall told The Tampa Tribune in 1993. "I'm trying to spread the word about jazz, but it's in a gentle...
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Too Cool - The Mastersounds Play Horace Silver [From the Archives]
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“Speaking as a composer, it’s a great thrill to listen to another artist or group of artists interpret your compositions. Every artist...
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Storytelling in Jazz: Developing As A Soloist - Part 1
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“In a sense, each solo is like a tale within a tale, a personal account with ties of varying strength to the formal composition.”- Paul F....
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Jean-Luc Katchoura's "Tal Farlow [1921-1998]: A Life In Jazz Guitar"
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.One of the most frequently accessed posts in the JazzProfiles archives is our featured entitled “Tal Farlow: Jazz Guitar and Bebop.”I’ve...
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Paul Desmond - "Summertime"
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“Much of the critical praise Desmond has received was given in the manner of abackhanded compliment; the ploy was to praise Desmond at...
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Rosario Giuliani - Sassofonista Straordinario [alto saxophonist extraordinaire]
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“The musicianship of Rosario Giuliani is exhilarating. His total package of performance, composition and improvisation is not so much a...
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Chico Hamilton Quintet - The Robert Gordon/Mosaic Records Notes
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.Robert “Bob” Gordon is an authority on what he prefers to label “Jazz on the West Coast.” Bob is also a friend of mine and an all-around...
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Frank Isola - "Le Scrupuleux": The Gordon Jack Essay
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“Efficient, flexible and energetic, Frank’s playing emphasizes rhythmic stability and employs phrasing similar to that of Kenny Clarke and...
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Jean “Toots” Thielemans: A Tasteful, Talented Treat [From the Archives]
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“Thielemans recorded ‘Bluesette’ in 1961, after working in George Shearing’s quintet [since 1952]; his first hit had him playing guitar...
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"How Many of You Are There In The Quartet?" - Paul Desmond
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.[Anthony] Braxton: “I have eight million heroes.”Graham] Lock: “OK, let's take them one at a time. Paul Desmond was your first major...
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Quincy Jones - The Zan Stewart Interview [From the Archives]
© -Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.Frequent visitors to these pages know that their purpose is as much to pay homage to Jazz writers and critics as they are about posting...
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Duke Ellington: Our Greatest Composer - Grover Sales
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“We look to the future for the American composer, not, indeed, to the Horatio Parkers and Edward MacDowells of the present, who are taking...
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Bobby Troup – Stars of Jazz [From the Archives]
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.I am re-posting this piece in order to show-off our brand, spanking new Stars of Jazz video tribute that you will find at its...
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Mike DiRubbo - A Jazz Profiles Snapshot
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“DiRubbo’s alto speaks in a distinctly powerful voice that’s at the same time modern and timeless.” -Doron Orenstein, Best Saxophone“…Mike...
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The Cannonball Adderely Sextet in New York
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.I suppose that old adages are old adages because the ring of truth in them defies time and prevails to some degree in any generation.One...
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Charlie Mariano - A JazzProfiles Snapshot
© -Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“I don’t know any Jazzman who has as good a sense of melodic development in his solos as Charlie. The lines he finds! And he’s so warm.”-...
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Pete Christlieb - The Gordon Jack Interview [From the Archives]
© -Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.The editorial staff at JazzProfiles is hard at work on a number of lengthy book reviews that it plans to post in the coming weeks.This archived...
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Max Roach - Masterful, Magisterial and Momentous [From the Archives]
© - Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“Where Kenny Clarke's bombs occurred every few measures, Roach's fall every two to four beats ... Where Clarke played just an occasional...
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