Last night at the Rancho Mirage Library, the distinguished chamber music ensemble Camarada delivered an invigorating performance of Argentine musical masterworks in a program titled Camaraderie: Tango Obsession. Andrés Martín, the group’s bassist and composer-in-residence, introduced each piece with brief comments about its cultural and historical context. I enjoyed hearing the scintillating rhythms and seductive melodies of Tango Nuevo music and learning how it evolved.
“Legends of Swing” is one of the premier Big Bands in the United States. It was fun listening to them play tributes to Benny Goodman, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Harry James, Stan Kenton, and many others.
The Jason Fabus Quartet has been honoring jazz legends Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond with a series of performances inspired by the classic Time Out album. Last night, they brought their tribute to the Cascade Lounge for Jazzville, delivering a dynamic set that included favorites like “Take Five” and “Blue Rondo à la Turk.”
“We’re not just playing the notes,” said bandleader and saxophonist Jason Fabus. “We’re trying to channel the energy and creativity that made Brubeck and Desmond so groundbreaking.”
Good food & drinks, friendly staff, and the upbeat, swinging sounds of Grammy-winner Vince Giordano with the Nighthawks, made for a memorable evening at the legendary Birdland Jazz Club in Manhattan.
Tonight at the McCallum Theatre, saxophone great Branford Marsalis lit up the stage in three of five pieces, with the standout being Carmen Jazz Suite on Themes by Bizet, an 18-minute reimagining of Bizet’s Carmen by composer Courtney Bryan. Commissioned by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the piece recasts the opera from Carmen’s point of view, celebrating her love, freedom, and fearlessness—ending not in tragedy, but in triumph. Marsalis brought it all to life with a stunning blend of jazz and classical, delivering a performance that was both soulful and bold.
Kampas Life 