As a high schooler, I was obsessed with jazz's fusion movement of the 1970s. Bands such as Return to Forever, Tony Williams' Lifetime, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra were in constant rotation on my CD player, because those were the groups that appealed to an inexperienced musician obsessed with technique and speed. Now, 15 years later as a 30-something, my tastes lean heavily toward pure emotion and sentiment instead of flash. But my inner 16-year-old smiled with glee on Wednesday night at the Music Center at Strathmore, as Chick Corea and John McLaughlin, two pioneers from that time, led The Five Peace Band, a throwback to that vibrant era that changed jazz. more ›

Pianist Chick Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton are both jazz giants in their own right, but they have forged a musical partnership that is one of the most special and enduring in music, regardless of genre. Last night's sell out crowd in the lovely Dekelboum Concert Hall at the University of Maryland's Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center no doubt had high expectations, but as it cheered the two masters as they took the stage, no one had any idea the audience would be in for such a treat. Burton and Corea guided the listener through two hours of absolutely sparkling performance, which not only met any expectations, but far exceeded them in what was the finest jazz performance we have seen so far this year. more ›

Any experienced musician knows that it takes a great deal of skill and control to pull off a quiet and subtle performance that retains a sense of passion. During Friday night's first set at the Kennedy Center's KC Jazz Club, bassist extraordinaire John Patitucci (pictured) remarked, "You guys are so quiet tonight!" Indeed, there was pin drop silence within the crowd, but it was not due to boredom or a lack of appreciation. Rather, the... more ›

A band name like Garaj Mahal triggers certain expectations when one first hears it. It could be an adventurous group, fusing punk, rock, blues, or jazz, with an exotic variety of world rhythms. This expectation only grows after learning that the group includes a Pakistani/Chilean guitarist and a German/Liberian bassist. That is what we expected just before last night's early set at Blues Alley, but that is not exactly what the band delivered. Instead of contemporary music infused with global elements, the energetic five-song set showcased eighty minutes of classic uptempo jazz-rock fusion that time warped the audience back to the electric jazz of the 1970s. more ›