Gregg Field worked with the legendary singer for the last few years of Sinatra's professional career. In honor of Ol’ Blue Eyes’s 100th birthday, Field reflects back on both the good and the bad. The following appeared in the December 11, 2015 edition of Vanity Fair magazine. It’s very difficult for musical artists, especially those [...]
This article appeared in the Wednesday, June 14, 1961 edition of Jazz News, a British publication not to be confused with the current London Jazz Newsletter. It is a very early review of Gerry Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band performing in an iconic Jazz setting - Birdland - “The Jazz Corner of the World” and [...]
“Why was Pops’ performance in Dave and Iola Brubeck’s The Real Ambassadors such a moving and meaningful experience for him? Does this project have a special significance in Pops’ life beyond the music itself?” “I think it does. First, there was the challenge of learning an entire score of new material, something he really had [...]
"To some, he is cocky, sometimes overbearing, at times unnecessarily arrogant. They only have the outward, extroverted exuberance to go by. Calm Buddy down, show him that he doesn't have to spark every gathering the way he sparks every bunch of playing musicians and you've got one of the warmest, most sensitive gents you've ever [...]
Dave Brubeck’s tunes and songs dotted the American musical landscape during the second half century of the 20th century and beyond. Brubeck [1920-2012] is perhaps best known as the leader of a “classic” Jazz quartet that performed in venues all over the world from 1956 -1968 and featured the talents of Paul Desmond on alto [...]
“It all goes from imitation to assimilation to innovation. You move from the imitation stage to the assimilation stage when you take little bits of things from different people and weld them into an identifiable style—creating your own style. Once you've created your own sound and you have a good sense of the history of [...]
“I can recall quite vividly the very first time I heard Bill Evans play. I was about seventeen years old and had already been subjugated by Miles Davis with his record "Milestones." His following record was the now "classic" record, "Kind of Blue." Naturally I bought this record for Miles, but was astonished to hear [...]