Author Archives: The Independent Ear

Premiere of : “An African Nubian Suite” Composed and performed by Randy Weston & his African Rhythms Orchestra. April, 8, 2012 at the Skirball Center for Performing Arts, NYC, USA http://www.nyuskirball.org/calendar/weston http://africanastudies.as.nyu.edu/object/Weston.html An African Nubian Suite salutes the Nubians who … Continue reading →

Reading friend & colleague Ted Panken’s always inquisitive and informative interview style, on this occasion with the potent Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava in the March ’12 edition of DownBeat http://www.downbeat.com/digitaledition/2012/DB201203/single_page_view/38.html, was thought-provoking on several fronts. The mind drifted to considerations … Continue reading →

Continuing our dialogue on the audience equation for creative music, which heretofore has focused on the puzzling conundrum of the African American audience, the always thoughtful saxophonist-composer and record label (Inner Circle www.innercirclemusic.com) head Greg Osby weighs in on the … Continue reading →

Robert Glasper backstage at Oberlin College the other night greeting one of his fans, the writer’s daughter Iyesha Jenkins. One element of our dialogue on the black audience for creative music, as well as our conversation with Nicholas Payton (scroll … Continue reading →

Always on the read for young writers with a viewpoint on creative music, I’ve recently been exchanging Tweets with Brooklyn-based writer Angelika Beener. Ms. Beener, who at least in part comes to this music through the influence of her father, … Continue reading →