Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Tommy Smith was born April 27, 1967 in Edinburgh, Scotland and grew up in Wester Hailes. Encouraged to lean the tenor saxophone from age 12, by sixteen he had a scholarship to Berklee College of Music. While at Berklee he formed his first group ”Forward Motion” with Laszlo Gardony, Ian Froman and Tene Gewelt and joined Gary Burton’s group.
During his tenure with Burton at age eighteen he toured and recorded “Whiz Kids”, worked in jazz groups and big bands, and has recorded and toured with world-renowned jazz musicians including Joe Lovano, David Liebman, Benny Golson, Joe Locke, Chick Corea, Tommy Flanagan, John Scofield, Joanne Brackeen, Jack DeJohnette and Kenny Wheeler to name a few.
He has recorded twenty-three albums as a leader Hep, GFM, Linn, Blue Note and his own record label Spartacus and since the late-1980s and the musical director and driving force behind the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and his own Youth Jazz Orchestra.
He has composed for and performed with classical orchestras and ensembles including the Orchestra of St. John’s Square, the Scottish Ensemble, the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. His work in jazz education has him presenting master classes all over the world, teaching at Broughton High School, Napier University and created the curriculum for the National Jazz institute and is Artistic Director of a new conservatoire-level course in jazz at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He continues to perform, record and tour.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Issi Rozen was born on April 20, 1967 in Haifa, Israel, his family moved to Tel Aviv during his childhood. His earliest musical memories were lullabies his mother sang. He began playing guitar at age 10, and as a teenager was practicing several hours a day. In 1991, after completing his service in the Israeli Defense Forces, he moved to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music.
After finishing his studies at Berklee, Rozen settled in the Boston suburb of Brookline, released his debut album Red Sea in 1998for Brownstone Records. A year later he released Homeland Blues and in 2003, he released Dark Beauty.
Issi is clearly influenced by jazz guitarists Pat Metheny and Jim Hall but utilizes musical components from his native Israel leaning towards traditional Hebrew song sung primarily by Mizrah Jews while juxtaposing the bebop of the Charlie Parker tune Segment and his original compositions. This hybrid of different genres has given guitarist Issi Rozen critical acclaim as he continues to perform, record and tour.
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Requisites
Step Lightly ~ Blue Mitchell | By Eddie Carter
In this morning’s discussion, trumpeter Blue Mitchell takes center stage with an underrated, yet delightful album. Step Lightly (Blue Note Classic LT-1082) was his debut on Blue Note, but his ninth recording session as a bandleader. It was initially recorded in 1963. But the album remained unreleased in the United States until seventeen years later. I first heard him on “Blowin’ The Blues Away,” by Horace Silver, “Open House,” and “Plain Talk” by Jimmy Smith, and “Steppin’ Out,” by Harold Vick. For his first effort, Mitchell is joined by an all-star cast: Leo Wright on alto saxphone (tracks: A1 to A3, B1, B3), Joe Henderson on tenor sax (tracks: A1, A2, B1 to B3), Herbie Hancock on piano, Gene Taylor on bass, and Roy Brooks on drums. The copy I own is the 1980 U.S. stereo release.
Side One gets underway with Mamacita by Joe Henderson, which first appeared on Kenny Dorham’s “Trompeta Toccata” in 1965. The sextet’s infectious bossa nova melody sets the tone for Blue to swing straight ahead in the lead solo. Leo follows with a sparkling statement, then Joe emerges to give a buoyant reading. Herbie steps up last for a short interpretation before the ensemble reconvenes for the closing chorus. Sweet and Lovely by Gus Arnheim, Jules Lemare and Harry Tobias slows the tempo down for the trio’s lovely introduction ahead of the group’s theme. Mitchell opens with a warm and sensitive statement. Wright compliments him gracefully next, and Henderson beautifully embraces the third reading. Hancock finishes with a delicately gentle interpretation preceding the group’s romantic reprise and ending.
Andrea, by Roger Boykin, closes out the first side with a catchy mid-tempo melody by the sextet. Blue is up first and leads the way with a charming interpretation. Leo takes over next with an attractive tone that’s very pleasing, then Herbie has a well-executed reading before the theme’s restatement and soft climax. Side Two kicks off with Joe Henderson’s Step Lightly which Blue would record again on 1965’s “The Thing To Do.” The group’s relaxed vibe on the theme sets things in motion for Mitchell’s breezy opening solo. Henderson follows with a soulful statement, and Wright is as smooth as silk in the third reading. Hancock wraps up everything with an easygoing interpretation leading to the ensemble’s closing theme and fade-out.
Cry Me a River by Arthur Hamilton comes to life with the ensemble’s poignantly sensitive theme. Blue starts the solos by pouring pure sincerity into every note from his trumpet. Joe comes in next and delivers an equally touching interpretation, then Herbie ends with a thoughtful statement before the group’s return to take the song out softly. The sextet ends the album on an upbeat note with a trip to Bluesville by Sonny Red Kyner. Mitchell lets his trumpet do the talking in the first of two infectious interpretations. Henderson comes right behind him and turns in one of his best solos on the album. Mitchell returns to ride the medium groove to a satisfying conclusion before the ensemble’s theme returns, and they take it out.
Alfred Lion produced the original recording session, and Rudy Van Gelder operated the recording console. Michael Cuscuna produced the album for release. The reissue’s sound quality is first-rate, bringing the musicians into your listening room to perform with stunning fidelity. Blue Mitchell recorded twenty-eight albums as a leader and contributed to an extensive discography as a sideman. He worked with Horace Silver from 1958 to 1964. After Silver disbanded the quintet, he formed a group featuring a few of the members. He also performed with John Mayall, Louie Bellson, Bill Holman, and Bill Berry, and eventually became the main soloist for Tony Bennett and Lena Horne. His last group was a quintet co-led with Harold Land until he passed away from cancer at age 49 on May 21, 1979.
If you’re a fan of jazz trumpet and in the mood for an excellent hard bop album, I offer for your consideration, Step Lightly by Blue Mitchell on your next record store visit. It’s a terrific release by a musician deserving of greater recognition, with tight musicianship and exceptional performances that are definitely worth exploring for a spot in your jazz library!
~ Blowin’ The Blues Away (Blue Note BLP 4017/BST 84017), Open House (Blue Note BLP 4269/BST 84269), Plain ~ Talk (Blue Note BST 84296), Steppin’ Out (Blue Note BLP 4138/BST 84138), The Thing To Do (Blue Note BLP4178/BST 84178), Trompeta Toccata (Blue Note BLP 4181/BST 84181) – Source: Discogs.com ~ Sweet and Lovely – Source: JazzStandards.com ~ Cry Me a River – Wikipedia.org © 2026 by Edward Thomas Carter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Mary Louise Knutson was born on April 19, 1966. The Minneapolis based jazz pianist and composer released her debut CD “Call Me When You Get There” in 2001 charted in the Top 50 in the U.S. and Canada that brought her national recognition. Knutson’s 2011 sophomore project on her Meridian Label, “In The Bubble”, charted in the Top 10 on JazzWeek and stayed for an unprecedented 19 weeks straight.
Mary received Lawrence University’s distinguished Nathan M. Pusey Alumni Achievement Award, was a Top 5 finalist in the Kennedy Center’s Mary Lou Williams “Women In Jazz” Pianist Competition, has been nominated for Jazz Artist of the Year and Pianist of the Year by the Minneapolis Music Awards, and has won two composition awards from Billboard Magazine.
As an educator she has sat on the faculty of Carleton College instructing jazz piano and improvisation, and currently teaches privately and conducts a variety of master classes such as Intro to Composition, Freedom From the Written Page: Beginning Improv for Pianists, and Making Sense of Jazz, among others.
Knutson has performed and toured with jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby McFerrin, Dianne Reeves, Kevin Mahogany, Nicholas Payton, Ernie Watts, Slide Hampton, Greg Abate, Bobby Shew and Von Freeman to name a few and has crossed over into other genres to play with Smokey Robinson, Trisha Yearwood, Donny Osmond, Phyllis Diller, Rob Schneider and more. The pianist regularly performs with her group, with area vocalists Connie Evingson and Debbie Duncan; and with the JazzMN Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra and the Chuck Lazarus Quartet.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Nick Moran was born on April 14, 1963 in New York City and began playing trumpet at age ten, switching over to the guitar at thirteen. His early musical influences were the British rock guitarists Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Peter Frampton. He played in several rock groups throughout high school and college while studying classical guitar. He first discovered the music of George Benson at age fifteen along with Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.
Nick’s study of jazz began informally in 1991 with arranging and ear training classes at the Fachbereich Musik in Mainz, Germany, where he also played guitar and trumpet in the university big band. He returned to New York in 1998 and began formal jazz studies and graduated from City College of New York in 2001. He did rhythm section studies for two years with bassist Ron Carter and studied composition with pianist/arranger Mike Holober.
He has been a member of the Ray Santos Orchestra, Akiko Tsuruga, Shunzo Ohno, Tom Hubbard, Marco Panascia, Adam Rafferty, Rick Stone, Nick Russo and Russ Spiegel, Cliff Korman and Burt Eckoff. Nick Moran currently leads two bands, is an active solo performer, plays a seven-string guitar, performs throughout New York City and is a producer and recording engineer.
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