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Eddie Palmieri – “Flying High at 75”

Eddie Palmieri – “Flying High at 75”
 
Interview by A. Scott Galloway
 
Photos: www.EP75.com
 
With over 55 years as a composer and bandleader, 200 compositions and 30 albums, Eddie Palmieri joins the ranks of musical legends to receive The National Endowment for The Arts (NEA) coveted “Jazz Masters” honor – the nation’s highest honor in jazz reserved for musicians who have made major contributions to the art form…an astounding list of legends that includes Count Basie, George Benson, Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie – 128 in total to date. The honor comes with a one-time award of $25,000. The NEA will again partner with Jazz at Lincoln Center to produce an awards ceremony and concert in honor of the 2013 NEA Jazz Masters, webcast live on Monday, January 14, 2013 on arts.gov and jalc.org/neajazzmasters. The ceremony will also be simulcast on SiriusXM Satellite Radio.
 
Eddie Palmieri with Cigar-Piano

Our Conversation with Robin Thicke! | Special “Playboy Jazz Edition” 2012

Robin Thicke 1
 
ROBIN THICKE
 
The 34th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival this year welcomes one of the brightest singers in the Music industry – Mr. Robin Thicke. Aside from creating music in and out of the studio, Mr. Thicke is also currently enjoying a stint on ABC’s hit reality TV Show “Duets”. This will be Robin’s 1st year at the special event the weekend of June 16th & 17th, 2012. See what our Publisher Terrill J. Hanna had to share in conversation with the acclaimed artist!

Astral Explorations with Cindy Blackman Santana: Via The Spectrum Road Special “Playboy Jazz Festival” Interview

Astral Explorations with Cindy Blackman Santana: Via The Spectrum Road
Special “Playboy Jazz Festival” Interview
by A. Scott Galloway
 
Explorative. Expressive. Expansive. These are admirable adjectives to describe the creative aspirations of drummer Cindy Blackman Santana. She is currently a key member of the jazz-rock quartet Spectrum Road which was initially founded in homage to the innovative music of drummer Tony Williams and his ever evolving late 60s to mid-70s band The Tony Williams Lifetime. Spectrum Road – all-stars all – consists of Cindy Blackman Santana on drums, Jack Bruce (a one time member of The Tony Williams Lifetime and most famous for being a member of power rock trio Cream with guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker) on bass and vocals, Vernon Reid (founder/leader of Black Rock coalition star band Living Colour) on guitar, and John Medeski (one third of jazz rock jam band Medeski Martin & Wood) on organ and mellotron.
 
CindyBlackmanSorceress

“Drop Top Drive By” w/ Terri Lyne Carrington: Special “Playboy Jazz Festival” Edition

“Drop Top Drive By”
w/ Terri Lyne Carrington:
A “Playboy Jazz Festival”
Special Edition
 
Interview by A. Scott Galloway
 
The level of esteem afforded to drummer/composer/arranger/producer/band leader Terri Lyne Carrington doesn’t get any clearer than when you read the following quote from a well-known percussion section colleague:
 
“She’s an amazing person and an awesome-AWESOME drummer. One day when I grow up, I wanna be just like her.” – Sheila E.
 
terri-lyne-carrington II

“Drop Top Drive By” Chat w/ Sheila E Special “Playboy Jazz Festival” Edition

“Drop Top Drive By”
Chat w/ Sheila E
A “Playboy Jazz Festival”
Special Edition
 
Teaser Interview by A. Scott Galloway
 
When fiery drummer/percussion goddess Sheila Escovedo, a.k.a. “Sheila E” hits the stage with her new band at The 34th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival at The Hollywoood Bowl this Saturday June 16, she will be coming in from Netherlands. When she leaves, she will be heading out to Germany, Switzerland and a stop at London’s super hit Jazz Café spot. You cannot hold this lady back as she is always super busy, in demand and sharing her gifts in a plethora of diverse projects.
 
sheilae

“Drop Top Drive By” Chat w/ KG Omulo A “Playboy Jazz Festival” Special Edition

“Drop Top Drive By”
Chat w/ KG Omulo
A “Playboy Jazz Festival”
Special Edition    
 
Interview by A. Scott Galloway
 
KG Omulo came to America from Kenya at the age of 20 and has been steady on a mission to bring his steaming brew of multi-cultural music to the rest of the world. His self released debut CD Ayah Ye! Moving Train garnered such critical acclaim (“Best Debut CD of 2011” from the Jazz Journalist Society) that the good folks at the Playboy Jazz Festival went out of their way to have him perform at this year’s festivities.

 
KG Omulo

“Drop Top Drive By” Chat w/ Alfredo Rodriguez | Special “Playboy Jazz Festival” Edition

“Drop Top Drive By” Chat
w/ Alfredo Rodriguez
A “Playboy Jazz Festival”
Special Edition
 
Interview by A. Scott Galloway
 
Pianist Alfredo Rodriguez is one of four stellar musicians representing at The 34th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival this Saturday in a special group put together by the great Quincy Jones to represent the “Global Gumbo” of Jazz.
 
Alfredo Rodriguez I

Kool & The Gang Leader Speaks About Touring With Rockers Van Halen

Kool & The Gang “Jump” On-Tour with Van Halen:
An Interview with Robert “Kool” Bell
 
by A. Scott Galloway
 
The minute I heard that `70s soul stalwart band Kool & The Gang was embarking on four months of North America touring with arena rock domineers Van Halen, I was struck with equal parts shock, intrigue and hope.  Shock because though we’ve recently witnessed super successful combo tours by the likes of Earth Wind & Fire with Chicago, both of those Black and White super groups were major pop acts with a not-so-surprising number of mutual fans.  But Kool &the Gang – with its trajectory of early jazz-funk roots followed by disco domination and finally all out pop crossover in the `80s – appeared to be the kind of band that Van Halen’s hard rockin’ legion of followers might sneer at with utter disdain.  Leave it to returning original Van Halen front man David Lee Roth – the Ringling Brother impresario of rock – to push past all that noise like just so many lions through rings of fire.
 
Kool & The Gang

Our Conversation with Sax Legend Ronnie Laws! | June 2011

Ronnie Laws
 
RONNIE LAWS
 
This weekend at the 33rd Annual Playboy Jazz Festival comes the arrival of a very special jazz legend – the one and only Ronnie Laws! Ronnie will be in good company at the festival with known artists Stanley Jordan and Walter Beasley, as they perform together as a new group called, “Harmony 3”! Mr. Laws speaks out about the new venture, new projects to come and much more with our very own Terrill J. Hanna!