The iconic Charleston, S.C. band brings the Gullah to NPR in this special session with World Cafe.
Author: TKA
“Béla Fleck, the world’s preeminent banjo player, and Edmar Castañeda, a peerless master of the Colombian harp, share more than a penchant to pluck magic out of strings. Both musicians are keen listeners with lightning reflexes and the ability to pounce on any digression. They’re both alchemists of style, unbound by the rules of genre.” – Nate Chinen, NPR
Digital music curator Okayplayer debuts Blow The Horns, the final video off the Soul Rebels’ imminent release Poetry In Motion, out in stores and platforms everywhere October 25.
Congratulations To Our Winners!
Female Vocalist: Cécile McLorin Salvant
Guitar: Pat Metheny
Male Vocalist: Kurt Elling
Miscellaneous Instrument: Béla Fleck (banjo)
Organ: Joey DeFrancesco
And Kudos To Our Published Nominees:
Jazz Artist: Wynton Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Pat Metheny, Fred Hersch, Joey DeFrancesco, Kurt Elling
Jazz Group: Pat Metheny Group, Wynton Marsalis Quintet, Charles Lloyd Quartet, Fred Hersch Trio, SFJAZZ Collective
Jazz Album: The Window by Cécile McLorin Salvant, Bolden by Wynton Marsalis, In The Key Of The Universe by Joey DeFrancesco, Live In Europe by Fred Hersch Trio, Vanished Gardens by Charles Lloyd & The Marvels + Lucinda Williams
Trumpet: Wynton Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval, Chris Botti
Soprano Saxophone: Ravi Coltrane
Tenor Saxophone: Charles Lloyd
Flute: Charles Lloyd
Piano: Fred Hersch, Joey Alexander, Bill Charlap
Keyboard: Eddie Palmieri
Guitar: John Pizzarelli
Electric Bass: Meshell Ndegeocello
Drums: Roy Haynes
Female Vocalist: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Lizz Wright, Catherine Russell
Male Vocalist: Bobby McFerrin, John Pizzarelli
Composer: Pat Metheny, Wynton Marsalis
Arranger: Wynton Marsalis
Blues Artist or Group: Marcia Ball, Elvin Bishop, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters
Blues Album: Something Smells Funky by Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio
Performing alongside with Rhiannon Giddens and Charenée Wade, Lizz Wright delivers a stunning performance at the Lincoln Center as one of the feature performers to celebrate the “founding mothers” of American popular music.
Read About NPR’s The Turning Tables Series
Watch Lizz Wright perform “Strange Fruit” In Honor of Billie Holiday
Watch Lizz Wright and Charenée Wade Perform a Tribute to Mary Lou Williams
Watch Lizz Wright and Rhiannon Giddens Perform a Tribute to Marian Anderson
“An unflinching work…of great beauty and extreme shock value”
Cécile McLorin Salvant’s new project “Ogresse” is a 90-minute song cycle accompanied by a 13-piece orchestra, fusing musical styles as disparate as jazz and bluegrass, the blues and opera, and so many more. The bold new work tells an epic mythological tale that unravels a piece at a time, full of intimate moments and unexpected detours. As best said by Will Friedwald at WSJ, “remarkably cohesive…virtually everything about [Ogresse] is staggeringly original.”
“Taking the best elements from the classic blues genre, Jack Broadbent’s newest single ‘Wishing Well’ serves up a tumbler of acoustic guitar that sings the blues—on the rocks, with an unbelievably catchy twist.” -Valeria Kolomiets
The Soul Rebels’ ever-expanding and atypical list of collaborators includes everyone from Marilyn Manson to Matisyahu, Robin Thicke to Robert Glasper. They’ve opened for The Rolling Stones, appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” performed at Jazz Fest with pop superstar Katy Perry, opened the prestigious TED Conference and backed legendary Wu-Tang Clan rapper GZA on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series—all within the last two years. A copious touring schedule keeps the Soul Rebels on 250-plus stages a year, landing them in Australia, China, Europe, Japan, South Korea and Africa. At home in New Orleans, the band holds down its historic residency on Thursdays at Le Bon Temps Roule, plus frequent gigs on Frenchmen Street and at Tipitina’s.
A few years ago, the band began to concentrate on writing and recording its first album since 2012’s Unlock Your Mind. The album, titled Poetry in Motion that arrives October 25, is both a culmination of and introduction to the band’s genre-blending course. Featuring guest appearances from PJ Morton, Trombone Shorty, Big Freedia, Robert Glasper, Branford Marsalis, Tarriona “Tank” Ball and others, it’s the group’s most concerted effort to showcase its versatility.
Blues legend Bobby Rush makes a cameo appearance in the new Netflix film Dolemite Is My Name starring Eddie Murphy, Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, and directed by Craig Brewer (Black Snake Moan, Hustle & Flow). Check out the limited theatrical release on October 4th and the worldwide Netflix release on October 25th!
Joey De Francesco put the listeners of WBGO’s Morning Jazz in the center of his musical universe, stopping in to play organ and Fender Rhodes (and trumpet!), with Troy Roberts on saxophone and bass and Ralph Peterson, Jr. on drums.