Author Archives: The Independent Ear

Last weekend at the Kennedy Center Jazz Club provided the fortunate listener with two sterling examples of the intersection of artistry and stagecraft. If you haven’t been to the Kennedy Center Jazz Club, physically and artistically its an attractive and … Continue reading →

Next weekend February 15-18 marks the 4th annual Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, produced by DC-area based Texas tenor man and ace educator Paul Carr and his wife Karmen. Back in the late 1980s and through the 90s, the much-loved DC-area vocalist … Continue reading →

There are certain musicians who are a breed apart; such is the case with the Cubano pianist Omar Sosa. Born in Camaguey, Cuba’s largest inland city, Omar Sosa is a true world citizen. When he left Camaguey, he spent significant … Continue reading →

Greetings Band Directors, As you may know, in January 2012 the Jazz Education Network launched a Mentor Program unique to the jazz field. This program, which is designed to provide one-on-one consultation between an experienced professional and a jazz student … Continue reading →

What a whirlwind month of January! It started literally right after 2013 dawned, with a January 2 crack-of-dawn flight to Atlanta for the Jazz Education Network Conference (full disclosure: I serve on the JEN board). Among that conference’s highlights was … Continue reading →