Author Archives: The Independent Ear

Composer Randy Klein has been inspired by the poetry of the great Margaret Walker Jazz composition and what motivates composers is a source of endless fascination for me, as one who appreciates composition on the same scale as inventive improvisation. … Continue reading →

“It’s not about how much you know, it’s how much you hear that counts.” – NEA Jazz Master Benny Carter (as told to trombonist Ira Nepus; from The Quotable Musician by Sheila E. Anderson) June has always been a splendid … Continue reading →

Trumpeter Mark Rapp first came to my attention through our mutual friend & colleague, artist manager Gail Boyd of Gail Boyd Artist Management. At that point Mark had completed what turned out to be a lovely Billy Staryhorn-focused record with … Continue reading →

I first met drummer-bandleader LaFrae Sci back in ’97 when we decided to honor Ella Fitzgerald with a “Remembering Ella” theme for the 1997 edition of Tri-C JazzFest. In Ella’s honor we placed an emphasis on women artists on the … Continue reading →

CHARLES GAYLE “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” — Victor Hugo (from The Quotable Musician by Sheila E. Anderson) Vision Festival 19 opens on Wednesday, June 11 at Roulette in … Continue reading →