This author has yet to write their bio.Meanwhile lets just say that we are proud Vail Jazz contributed a whooping 136 entries.
We all know the famous proverb: necessity is the mother of invention. This is the story of how true that maxim is. We begin in Belgium in 1910 when Jean “Django” Reinhardt was born into a family of itinerant Romani (Gypsy) musicians that lived in poverty, moving their caravans back and forth between Belgium and […]
French-born accordionist channels the high energy of the Django Reinhardt tradition It’s hard to say what resurrects the popularity of certain musical styles, but for whatever reason, the nearly 90-year- old Hot Club of France sound has become hotter than ever in 2017. Just ask French-born musician Julien Labro, who will lead the Hot Club […]
The world of jazz is in a very festive mood as it celebrates a seminal year in the history of jazz: 1917. Four of the greatest masters of the art form were born that year – Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Buddy Rich. It was also the year that the Original Dixieland Jass […]
In addition to tonight’s Vail Jazz Gala starring singer John Boutté, iconic pianist/vocalist Henry Butler throws down sizzling solo club shows Wednesday, then Butler, Bernstein & The Hot 9 light up Vail Square Thursday Henry Butler compares his audience connection to making love. For the 67-year-old blind pianist, connections are all about communicating without words. “The thing that I […]
Each year in late summer, a dozen of North America’s most gifted young jazz musicians come to Vail for one of the nations most highly regarded pre-college study programs. Now in its 22nd year, the Workshop is conducted exclusively, and uniquely, without any written music, emphasizing listening skills, improvisation, and playing by ear. Over ten […]
The ‘saucy’ southerner discusses ‘two-fisted’ piano, eavesdropping and being the ‘fun’ influence on her grandchildren Besides playing some of the most romping, two-fisted piano around, Marcia Ball also puts on a poppin’ summer camp. She calls it “Camp Granny” and the lucky campers are her 9- and 4-year-old grandsons. It’s a hot day at home […]
In East Texas before the Civil War, cotton was king and so was timber, as there were vast forests of longleaf pine trees covering eastern Texas. The lumber from the trees was an ideal building material and there was a great demand for it. So slaves were not only in bondage on cotton plantations but […]
How a cruel speech therapist, a hurricane and a stalker helps John Boutté bring tears of joy to his audiences. There’s a tropical storm ripping through Louisiana and John Boutté is watching the towering, 200-year-old trees blow and sway on his new property outside of New Orleans. “Man, I’m so fortunate,” he says during a […]
If there were ever an absolute confirmation that summer has officially arrived, it’s the start of the Vail Farmers Market. Ah yes, the juicy cherries and peaches, the freshly jarred Colorado honey, the one-of-a-kind arts and crafts, the constant aroma of smoky barbecue and sea of happy people. What would it all be without a […]
Founder Howard Stone receives prestigious Downbeat Jazz Education Achievement Award. Howard Stone has served as more than just a springboard for many young musicians’ career paths. But you’d be pressed to get him to admit it. Try asking him about all the years he hosted the crew of Vail Jazz Workshop students in his very […]
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