Jazz/Blues
H. Jon Benjamin Discusses Why He Recorded Jazz Album in Recently Surfaced Interview
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Announces 2016 Lineup, Kicks Off April 22
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, now in its 46th year, has posted its 2016 lineup. Concurrent with its aim in providing listeners with best and most relevant in jazz, blues and rock, the festival kicks off April 22 and spans two weekends at New Orleans' City Park. The 'Heart Beat' of Bill O'Connell and the Latin Jazz All-Stars is on Savant Records (REVIEW)
Bill O'Connell learned his lessons in the bands of Mongo Santamaria, Dave Valentin, Sonny Rollins and Chet Baker. His three Savant Records CDs explored jazz, salsa and samba in duo, trio and larger band contexts, but they now have to be seen as but a prelude to 'Heart Beat,' a masterwork of percolating percussion and memorable melodic strains that add drama and more syncopation than you can shake a stick at on seven originals and two blistering covers.
