Jazz dance

On the evening of December 28th, on the snowy downtown streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota, I went through the doors of the Dakota Jazz Club and entered into a dimly lit restaurant. My first thought was that I was probably underdressed. As the waiter led us to a table on the balcony overlooking the stage, we ordered and settled in to watch the performance. Since we were the second row of tables on the balcony, we did not have a great view of the stage, but considering the night was about hearing…

This article is a book review of the book “Digeridoo: A Complete Guide to this Ancient Aboriginal Instrument,” written by John Bowden. The book is a step-by-step guide on how to play one of the oldest wind instruments called the digeridoo. This book can be used by music educators to help lead their students to a better understanding of the instrument and the Australian Aboriginal culture. However, the best part about this book review was the several links at the end that allowed the reader to…

Cuban jazz pianist and composer, David Virelles, has been widely solicited by the attentive musicians on the current scene, who immediately recognized his outstanding creative capabilities. In the recent past, he has played key roles in projects led by trumpeter Tomasz Stanko and saxophonists Henry Threadgill and Chris Potter. As a leader, Virelles always brings heritage into the game, and both Continuum (Pi Recordings, 2012) and Mboko (ECM, 2015) received accolades from the specialized media…

With all of the problems we experience daily and hear about throughout the world, it would appear that humanity is falling apart; that the values of peace, love, and equality, among others, are no longer relevant. In 2003, the Black Eyed Peas released their lead single from the album Elephunk entitled “Where is the Love?”. This song became popular for it inspirational lyrics and its uplifting and “funkafied” beat. The song starts out with two guitars and a bass line that induce a soft and…

“Millennials” In my generation, Miley Cyrus- also once known as Hannah Montana, represents it well. Miley doesn’t represent it in a positive way, but she sure does put the spotlight on herself a lot. My cultural icon would have to be musical note. Music represents the whole universe, but in today’s era I feel like music is really in the works and almost every day a new song is out and hitting the charts. Music is everywhere we go, and on every turn we take we can hear it. Music speaks to me in…

To begin, I would like to state that I love and prefer Big Mama Thornton’s version of “Hound Dog” over Elvis Presley’s cover. The forms are not the same when comparing both of the songs. In Thornton’s version it has a slow, sultry, and soulful form and or a moderate tempo to it while with Elvis it felt like he hit the gas pedal making the song move 100 miles per hour. With Elvis making the song faster and more of a rock and roll type of song it lost the soul that the original writer had for the…

familiar voice and many hits are known worldwide to anyone whether you be a jazz fan or not. Louis Armstrong was one of the most popular jazz icons of the 20th century, and he shaped music during that era. His music is even well-known today. This paper will explain how Armstrong modernized the Jazz industry and had a big influence on music. Music would be completely different without him. Louis Armstrong modernized the jazz industry by using unique style which paved the pathway for music today. …

More Than Noise Rock. Pop. Classic. Music comes in many forms. Many of us take it for granted. It is a part of everyday life that we don’t appreciate as much as we should. It flows from our speakers, earbuds, and radio. We accept it in our normal routines. We hear it, but don’t listen. I personally go through phases of music. From parodies of popular songs to a cappella (Pentatonix woot woot). I get my song choices from YouTube, the radio, and friends. One of my friends recommended I listen to…

English saxophonist Paul Dunmall has built strong reputation in the European free jazz scene throughout the years. From soliloquies to large ensembles, Dunmall never ceases to surprise through his dashing improvised statements and writing skills. Among his successful past collaborations, saxophonist Elton Dean and drummer Tony Bianco come first in the list, while the improvising quartet Mujician with pianist Keith Tippett, bassist Paul Rogers, and percussionist Tony Levin will be always…

One of the most adventurous pianists and inescapable presence in the scene is Matt Mitchell, who, besides his own work, is a fundamental piece in Tim Berne’s Snakeoil, Dave Douglas Quintet, Darius Jones Quartet, and Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Bird Calls. The cover of A Pouting Grimace, his latest work, exhibits an intriguing collage of figures that assume different forms, textures, and colors. This illustrates Mitchell’s compositional style and music. These forms sometimes live by themselves; other…