BALTIMORE JAZZ COMPOSERS SHOWCASE – LISTEN
Ver la Luz
Mark Osteen was one of ten jazz composers whose original work was performed at the Baltimore Jazz Composers Showcase on Sept. 29, 2013 at Loyola University. Mark said his tune “Ver la Luz” was designed as a conversation between the horns, continuing until they “see the light.” | Read more>>
BALTIMORE JAZZ COMPOSERS SHOWCASE – LISTEN – George Spicka
“Step a Little Closer” (MP3)
George Spicka was one of ten composers whose original compositions were played at the Baltimore Jazz Composers Showcase, Sept. 29, 2013, at Loyola University. George, who has a background in zoology, says that his tune “Step a Little Closer” is not about a love-sick swain’s proposition to the object of his affections, but about a spider’s invitation to its hoped-for prey—and its success in capturing the hapless victim. | Read more>>
BALTIMORE JAZZ COMPOSERS SHOWCASE – LISTEN
The Color Wheel, by Ethan Helm
Ethan Helm’s tune, “The Color Wheel” was inspired by the way that the colors of a pinwheel blend as it spins in the wind – like jazz, which takes grooves and harmonic colors–from blues, European classical music, Latin-American music, and pop –and blends them into something unique and beautiful. | Read more>>
CD review: Todd Marcus’s Inheritance
by Robert Shahid
When we think of bass clarinet most of us tend to think of Eric Dolphy, Bennie Maupin, or maybe even Harry Carney from the Duke Ellington Orchestra. That was true as recently as just a few short years ago. | Read more>>
A Pianist’s Gig From Hell
by George Colligan
One of my worst-ever gigs took place about twenty years ago when I still lived in Maryland and was working a lot with vocalists. Working with jazz singers can be great because there are many skills you can learn on a singer’s gig that you can’t pick up on an instrumental gig. | Read more>>