Early this year, clarinetist-vocalist-composer Angel Bat Dawid’s debut album The Oracle hit the creative music scene with the impact of a meteor; landing as a lesson and an invocation of something greater. I don’t remember the last time I felt such a deeply personal, visceral connection with a record thatContinue Reading
Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day! With local schools closing for the summer, our weekly Outdoor Jazz Guide is picking up steam with four great options taking place on Saturday, June 1st. Fore!Fest is bringing a variety of great live music to Bridge Park in Dublin in honor ofContinue Reading
Synchronicity doesn’t get much more righteous than Columbus’ preeminent modern interdisciplinary arts institution, the Wexner Center, awarding our finest composer, Mark Lomax II, with their residency award for one of the most ambitious projects in Columbus music, 400: An Afrikan Epic (pre-order at the link). Lomax premieres a suite ofContinue Reading
In light of his many accomplishments as a musician, educator, community activist and leader, today, October 22nd, Columbus City Council will present Dr. Mark Lomax, II with a resolution honoring his achievements. And while his resume to date is truly impressive, including recently receiving a 2018 Wexner Center for theContinue Reading
It’s been nine years and some change since the Wexner Center brought Amir ElSaffar’s Two Rivers Ensemble to Columbus but no one I knew at that show, least of all your correspondent here, has forgotten that set. His return to the Lincoln Theatre on Wednesday, October 10 at 8pm (ticketsContinue Reading
The Wexner Center for the Arts selected possibly Columbus’ finest working composer, Dr. Mark Lomax II, for its 2018-19 Artist Residency Award. Lomax is one of five artists and the only performing artist chosen for this prestigious honor in this round. In the Wexner Center press release, Director Sherri GeldinContinue Reading
The grand finale of Jazz Appreciation Month is International Jazz Day – Monday, April 30th. Spearheaded by Herbie Hancock, this worldwide celebration “highlights jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe.” A schedule of concerts in cities around the world is topped by theContinue Reading
The Wexner Center wraps the jazz portion of their astonishing 2017-2018 season with something truly special: the return of guitarist Mary Halvorson. Halvorson brings her Code Girl ensemble featuring an all-star lineup of Amirtha Kidambi (voice), Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Michael Formanek (bass) and Tomas Fujiwara (drums) to the Wex on Thursday,Continue Reading
The Wexner Center’s landmark 2017-2018 jazz season roars back into gear with the one of the most promising young lights of jazz, Adam O’Farrill, on Saturday, February 24th at 8pm (tickets available here). No one who saw Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Bird Calls forgot O’Farrill’s boiling trumpet playing. I was lucky enoughContinue Reading