Music

When I see photos of Holiday in gowns, smiling, I think about the profound courage it must have taken to get on stage and sing in front of crowds, all the while newspaper reporters were repeatedly chronicling explicit and unpleasant details of her life, instead of focusing on her amazing talent, and serious devotion to her craft.

No matter when or where he plays, “Blues Walk” is always in the musical rundown, pledges Lou Donaldson. “I always open up with ‘Blues Walk,’” said the alto saxophonist, also known as “Sweet Poppa Lou.”

Steve Wonder’s masterpiece Songs in the Key of Life proved every bit worthy of a tour some 39 years after its release at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Sunday, March 29. It wasn’t on my bucket list, but if I had one, Sunday’s experience would easily qualify for check-off status.

Wonder pretty much stuck to the iconic album’s original song order during the Twin Cities’ tour stop, his first time performing here since 1988. The show kicked off about 20 minutes after the 8 pm scheduled start, and concluded with a standing ovation around midnight. It’s hard to imagine anyone leaving unsatisfied.

As stated in the last article on AshleyDubose, recently, she has made great strides in her skills as a female vocalist and as an overall entertainer. Chosen as the top female vocalist of the Twin Cities February 2014, by a local tabloid, she continues to move and expan

His sound is unmistakable. He’s an artist, performer, arranger and film score maker. He’s a jazz-fusion pioneer. His latest recording is Grammy nominated, and if he wins, it will be Stanley Clarke’s fifth in his legendary career that spans as many decades.

Former The Voice contestant Ashley Dubose is excited for the release of her new CD Be You. She recently sat for an exclusive interview with MSR ahead of her CD release party.

Having your own unique sound is the prize possession in music. Smart artists know to work with what they’ve got and keep it moving — imperfections, conflicts, grittiness and all. Faithful supporters of this music get it. You never give up, and you continue to negotiate change with style. One such artist who has mastered […]

As PaviElle French’s voice lifted the audience’s spirits at First Avenue’s Best New Bands of 2014 show, it was easy to see why the audience danced along with her. French’s music embodies her life experiences. She creates something timeless, something everybody can relate to she said recently at the Acadia Café in Minneapolis.

I do know that the treatment, Minneapolis-born vocalist José James gave the song, “Tenderly” when he performed on this birthday, January 20, at the Dakota was stellar. It was perfect for his vocal range and revealed a level of maturity beyond his 37 years. That song, among others by the great Billie Holiday, or made popular by her, appear on his new Blue Note Records album, Yesterday I Had the Blues: The Music of Billie Holiday, which drops in March. On Valentine’s Day, James will be in Japan, where the album has already been released and is making waves.

Holiday, also known as “Lady Day,” would have celebrated her 100th birthday this year. Her music has made a great impact on a wide spectrum of artists, and continues to resonate with people from all walks of life. Vocalist Cassandra Wilson is celebrating the music made by Holiday by releasing, Coming Forth by Day: A Tribute to Billie Holiday from Legacy Records in April. Look out for her upcoming performances in support of the album, at the Dakota, too. Holiday’s artistry speaks volumes about love, loss, and overall human condition. Thank you, Lady Day.

Jazz is an important part of America’s musical history. Furthermore, jazz and Detroit historically have been linked, where legendary giants made the city a required stop in their musical tours over the years — some even got their starts there as well.

Happy New Year everyone, and best wishes for 2015!
Through the years, I’ve always admired the special loyalty and relentless commitment that artists apply to their craft. With this idea in mind, I sat myself down and wrote this column about what I found to be some of the most fascinating songs/albums/artists/concerts of 2014.

Jazz is an important part of America’s musical history. Or, as saxophonist Joshua Redman aptly notes, it is “America’s classical music.” “Jazz music is America’s original art form,” states Jason Tinsley, a board member for the Detroit Jazz Festival (DJF), held annually on Labor Day weekend. The four-day jazz fest, which takes over the city’s […]

 Minneapolis-based rapper, singer and essayist Dessa recently had an album that charted in the Billboard Top 100. Photo by Charles Hallman Dessa’s remixed Parts of Speech debuted  in May, nearly a year after its original release, in Billboard’s Top 100. The Minneapolis rapper, singer and essayist, and Doomtree collective member easily displayed “her writerly sensibility, […]

Where was I? Ah yes, Mr. Herbie Hancock. Last column, I mentioned his name. Imagine: It’s Christmas time, and you have this huge living room with a big black grand piano and enough money to hire Hancock to play for you all evening long. It’s just you (ok, maybe a few friends), Hancock, and he’s […]