Atlanta Jazztones

We apologize for the archived show quality- Blogtalkradio.com was experiencing technical difficulties which prevented us from talking to callers because our switchboard was not operating correctly. On this special 90-minute show, Grammy nominated vocalist and scat singer extraordinare Janet Lawson was our guest! Janet Lawson is widely recognized for her impeccable musicianship and free-spirited, swinging improvisation. Her commitment to improvisation, the essence of jazz, and her later studies with tenor sax master Warne Marsh nourished her conception of the voice as an instrument. She has appeared with, among other jazz greats, Duke Ellington, Tommy Flanagan, Joe Newman, Barney Kessel, Milt Hinton, Ron Carter, Barry Harris, Dave Liebman, David and Lida Baker, Rufus Reid, Clark Terry, Billy Hart, Eddie Jefferson, Cedar Walton, Billy Higgins and Bob Dorough. Janet is co-founder of the Vocal Jazz program at The New School in NYC, where she is currently an Adjunct Professor. Lawson is also a member of the perfor

Once in a while, an artist is born with an inexplicable connection to a culture far from the artist’s origins. Such is the case with Sandy Cressman. Born in New York City of American parents, but with a Brazilian heart, Cressman began her recording career with the highly acclaimed vocal trio Pastiche, with whom she recorded three CDs, "That’s R&Bebop" (Pony/Canyon/Nova) "Remember That" (BluePrint), and "Pastiche"(Summit).Sandy’s connection with Brazilian music was first sparked when she first heard the music of Ivan Lins while in college as a vocal jazz major San Jose State University. Sandy began exploring other Brazilian jazz musicians and began to study Portuguese. While many an American jazz singer flirts with the Brazilian Songbook,  Sandy Cressmanmade a name for herself as a true devotee of the country’s greatest contemporary composers, interpreting songs by post-bossa masters like Milton Nascimento, Hermeto Pascoal, Gilberto Gil, and Filó Machado in Rio-accented Portuguese. 

Join us as we talk to vocalist and pianist Penelope Williams and play selections from her CD “October Sky.” "Music has been a part of my life as long as I can remember," says Penelope Williams. Originally from Florida, she knew she was destined to live a life which revolved around music even as a kid. She had a love for the blues, rock and roll and eventually cultivated her affinity for jazz. Penelope remembers attending her first jam session at home with the neighborhood kids. Penelope spent five years touring with top 40 bands and has a Master of Music degree from Georgia State University in Atlanta. She has performed nationwide and has released two CDs under her own name. Penelope is inspired by Dr. Billy Taylor, Maria Schneider, Mary Lou Williams, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, and Marian McPartland, among others. Many of her jazz influences cross the boundaries of jazz to include sacred music. Penelope is an avid spiritual seeker and philosopher, and has taken her music to a higher level, integrating jazz

Join us as we talk to Atlanta pianist Tom Olsen! We will be playing selections from Tom's CD, "Solo Piano" available at CDBaby.com. Tom began piano lessons at age 7 and began composing music while in middle school. Thanks to gifted music teachers and also a remarkably rich music program in public school in Racine WI, Tom won the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award and numerous local and state competitions for Oboe and Piano performance. He conducted 4 church choirs simultaneously while studying for a BA in Church Music Composition. Tom has been musical director for the Sondheim musical 'Assassins'; back-up accompanist for the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus; keyboard player for R&B vocalist Castor Holliness and his band 4-True; accompanist for jazz vocalists Raquel Lozano and pop/R&B vocalist Lina Kawar. He has performed at many major music venues in the Atlanta area. Tom currently can be heard every Saturday night with the Tom Olsen Trio and a guest vocalist at Joey D's Oak Room in Dunwoody, GA. Tom lives in Mariett

Atlanta jazz guitarist and educator Bob Shaw lived in the Hartford-Springfield, CT area before relocating to Atlanta. He studied Music Education at Hartt College. of Music. at the University. of Hartford. He has performed and recorded with Julius LaRosa, Maxine Sullivan, Bobby Haggart, Mitzi Gaynor, Roger Williams and the late Rosemary Clooney. As a leader, he has two solo CDs and a Christmas CD and has played on more than 12 albums with other artists. Numerous college jazz bands have also performed Bob’s jazz compositions. We will be playing tracks from his CDs “Musin’” and “A Celebration of Christmas”, both available from CDBaby at http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/BobShaw --“Bob is great because he makes jazz guitar accessible with recognizable melodies, tasteful improvisation, and a professional attitude. We consider him the ‘the teacher of teachers’ and we call him ‘The Maestro.’” --Eddie Mathis, Dreamcatcher Guitars, Roswell, GA

JazzTones welcomes world-renowned jazz vocalist Judy Niemack to our show. We will be playing selections from her newest CD "In The Sundance." Judy has worked with many of the who’s who of jazz including pianists Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Cedar Walton, Kenny Barron, Steve Kuhn, & saxophonists Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano and James Moody, harmonica player Toots Thielemans, flugelhornist Clark Terry, bassists Ray Drummond and Eddie Gomez, drummers Billy Higgins, Joey Baron, Billy Hart and Adam Nussbaum, the New York Voices, the WDR Big Band, and guitarist Jeanfrancois Prins, Judy’s husband who has worked with her since 1992. Judy Niemack starting teaching jazz singing and improvising in the late 1970s. She has since become one of the most influential educators in jazz, and a pioneer of vocal jazz education in Europe. She taught vocal jazz at the New School For Jazz, William Patterson University, Long Island University, and New York City College and has been part of the staff at the Janice Borla Vocal Jazz Camp si

We will talking to pianist/arranger Ted Howe and playing selections from his CD "Ellington." Ted Howe has performed with jazz greats such as Buddy Rich, Joe Williams, Zoot Sims, John Patitucci, Herbie Mann, Henry Mancini, and Mel Torme. Ted Howe is the former bandleader at the CLUB ATLANTIS in Atlanta. Howe's 2005 album release "Ellington" was reviewed in JAZZ TIMES - “One master paying tribute to another . . . Howe's high points never end. Fluidity like this is rare. . .” ALL ABOUT JAZZ noted, “Fused with snappy rhythms, Latin slants and brisk swing vamps, the trio succeeds in instilling a personalized approach into familiar territory.” Howe has taught piano arranging, theory and improvisation at Berklee School of Music and Georgia State University and currently lives in California.

Atlanta jazz critic Bruce Pulver talks about, and your hosts play, music from some of his favorite musicians from outside the Atlanta area. We will be featuring music by artists Jeremy Davenport, Annie Sellick, Jamie Ousley, Carol Duboc and Gilad Hekselman. Bruce Pulver is a lifelong jazz fan. His father, Art Pulver was an insurance salesman by day and a New Orleans-style, Dixieland Jazz Drummer on nights and weekends. Bruce took up the drums himself while still in middle school. After graduating from Florida State with a BA in marketing and a minor in music. Bruce began a career in business. Several years ago, Bruce had the opportunity to combine his passion for music with a love of writing. He began seeking out new live and recorded music and writing music reviews, artist interviews, CD liner notes, concert and venue critiques, promotional pieces and various radio/Internet segments focused on the jazz scene. He also works with young musicians through mentoring programs. A contributor to www.jazzreview.com,

Champian Fulton is a singer/pianist living and working in NYC. Besides leading her own gigs Champian has played with Louis Hayes, Jimmy Cobb, Frank Wess, and Lou Donaldson. You can catch her and her trio / quartet at a number of different venues in Manhattan including the Jazz Corner of the World Birdland, where Champian has held a steady gig for the past 3 years. A perpetual student of Jazz piano and Jazz singing, Champian counts Erroll Garner, Bud Powell, Sonny Clark, Count Basie, Dinah Washington, and Sarah Vaughan as some of her main influences. Champian graduated from SUNY Purchase with a Bachelor of Music Degree in May of 2006. Her new CD "Sometimes I'm Happy" was released in September 2008 on Venus Records. She currently resides in NYC and performs with her trio, Fukushi Tainaka & Neal Miner. For more info on Champian, visit her website at champian.net

Mace Hibbard is one of the most exciting and versatile saxophonists on the scene today. Continuing in the tradition of Cannonball Adderley, Charlie Parker, and Stan Getz, Mace also draws inspiration from the more contemporary players such as Kenny Garrett, Chris Potter, and Branford Marsalis. We'll be talking to Mace about his CD "When Last We Met". For more info on Mace, please visit his website at MaceHibbard.com

A singer who has been on the jazz scene since the mid-90s, Anita Wardell is a skilled jazz balladeer. Anita won the prestigious BBC Jazz Award for Best of Jazz 2006 and is a major artist in the UK. In 2008 she released "Kinda Blue" and is currently touring throughout the UK and worldwide. Jazz vocal legend Mark Murphy says of Wardell, “Her bop singing, always so clear and accurate in its linearism, is even lovelier now, but what hits me is how expressive her ballad singing now is." Anita is a highly respected and sought after teacher of vocal improvisation. She conducts masterclasses on a regular basis and has taught at various institutions including UMASS (USA), Guildhall School of Music, London, Leeds College, Colchester Institute, Brunel University, Trinity College of Music and Adelaide University, Australia. For more info on Anita, visit her website at anitawardell.com

Our next broadcast will feature vocalist and trumpeter Joe Gransden talking about his latest CD "Plays and Sings" on Hot Shoe Records. We'll be playing some of the music from this CD which features Earl Klugh (guitar), Jerry Weldon (sax), René Marie (vocals), Russell Gunn (trumpet), Kevin Bales (piano), Kenny Banks (piano), Clay Hulet (drums), and Neal Starkey (bass). Joe will also talk about his latest project with the 16 piece band, Jazz Orchestra Atlanta. Joe appears with this band the first and third Monday of each month at Cafe 290. We invite you to call in to comment or ask Joe a question. For more info on Joe, please visit his website joegransden.com.

Join your hosts Janet Stevenson and David Swan as we interview guitarist Trey Wright and play originals from his latest CD, "Thinking Out Loud" featuring Trey with drummer Marlon Patton and bassist Marc Miller. For more information, visit Trey's website at treywright.com  

Meet your hosts, Janet Stevenson and David Swan, as we explore straight-ahead jazz in the metro Atlanta area. We will be talking to Atlanta pianist Tyrone Jackson about his newly released CD “Another Voyage.”