Tag: Jazz

  • Dizzy Gillespie, Bebop, & Latin Jazz

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    I was watching this amazing video below (the “United Nations Orchestra”) of master jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and a friend commented that because he lived until the age of 75, he didn’t get the same iconic status as Charlie Parker. We couldn’t see him as the true jazz prophet he actually was, because we saw…

  • Groovin’ with the sons of Booker T: MMW, Big Organ Trio, & The City Champs

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    In an earlier post, “I live for the funk…” I featured one of my favorite James Brown songs, an instrumental track “Why Am I Treated So Bad.” To continue on that funk-jazz trip, I’m taking the road to Memphis, Tennessee! Another funk soul pioneer was Booker T and MGs, a band who mainly backed up…

  • From DC to Digable Planets to DJ LadybugMek

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    Having lived in Washington DC for five years, I love the unique mix of musical culture and history of that city as well as Maryland and Virginia: Shaw Neighborhood, Adams Morgan, Mt. Pleasant, U St. Cardoza, Takoma Park, Mt. Ranier, hip-hop, R&B, 9:30 Club, Black Cat, Blues Alley, spoken word poetry, salsa, Afro-beat, Bossa Nova,…

  • To Haiti With Love: Racine, Kompa, Twoubadou, & Jazz

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    My heart, like yours, broke seeing the tragic images and trying to comprehend the magnitude of the loss and suffering of the Haitian Earthquake of 2010 (see links below for how to help). Aside from the troubled history that keeps being repeated in the media, there is a richness and strength of culture and spirit…

  • Can’t get enough of Texas…part 1

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    Oh Texas how I miss you so – the easy breezy drawl of your people, the down-home food, and the Blues done right. I’ve got so much to say about Texas and its music – they got it going on down on the third coast. This posting will mainly deal with the illustrious city of…

  • Esperanza giving us hope!

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    Hey there family! I just wanted to do a quick post (crazy – two posts in one week – I guess I’m getting into this blogging thing!) about this young woman I just heard about, Esperanza Spalding. Shout out to my good friend, DJ Moonbaby, who has a weekly radio show, Worry Free Wednesdays on…