ALL POSTS TAGGED “quincy-jones“

Award-winning pianist and composer Justin Kauflin teases his highly-anticipated Sept. 14th third album Coming Home release with the official video for the title track, which captures keep reading »

Quincy Jones described Cuban-born pianist Alfredo Rodriguez as one of the most gifted pianists of the 21st century. Although his formal training was in classical music, Rodriguez got keep reading »

Emily Bear is a wunderkind of sorts—she’s a jazz pianist worthy of any stage this world has to offer, a prodigy of Quincy Jones, and more than any of that she is a young artist on track to change the music with her style and personality. Did I mention she is only 11-years old? We caught up with Emily as she continues an international tour through Korea, Tokyo, and Hiroshima with Quincy at her side. Check out what experience this young artist has had as we discuss her history and where she is headed.

Far too often drummers are lost amongst virtuosic horn players and flexible vocalists. The gentle beauty of the former tends to supersede the technical ingenuity found within such a colossal vehicle like the drums. What I recognized almost immediately was that Haynes is simply not one of those guys lying in the cut. In fact, his voice is the most distinct of them all. He did not stand amongst the giants, but well above them.

Wednesday August 29, 2012 would have been Michael Jackson’s 54th birthday. As we celebrate his life and the incredibly timeless music that he created, we can’t help but reflect during our Organ Issue on one of the great organ performances of modern pop music with Jimmy Smith’s solo in Jackson’s “Bad.” Recorded on January 5, 1987 and released later in ’87, “Bad” was written, composed, and co-produced by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones. The song was the second single from the album of the same name.

Michael Jackson will forever live on through his music in the collective beating heart of the world; that is a fact. As we remember him three years after his death, it is not the struggle we remember, but the music, the dance, and the persona that won him titles like “The King of Pop” and “the most successful entertainer in history.” Yet, MJ was more than just the King of Pop, he epitomized the changing nature of Black American Music with both his style and innovations. Integrating exquisite songwriting, fantastic hooks, and the most fly dance moves known to pop music, Jackson made his way into our hearts honestly.

We know this week has passed you by too quickly and so we planned ahead and made you this week’s roundup! Here is what you missed…

Mike Melvoin, a veteran composer and studio musician passed away at the age of 74 this week. He is remembered for an extensive catalog as a pianist, composer, and arranger with the likes of Stan Getz, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, The Beach Boys, and more. Melvoin was known to frequent jazz clubs around the East Coast pursuing his first passion, jazz music. Moreover, he was the first working musician to reside as the national president of the Recording Academy.

Check out a special feature from DJ Raydar Ellis on a few of his favorite jazz vocal samples in hip-hop and where they came from. Including Roy Ayers, Quincy Jones, Billie Holiday, Kanye West, De La Soul, and more!

As 2011 closes and we begin to recap the year’s events, check out Vol.4 of the CHURCH mixtape series. MdCL’s CHURCH is a monthly clubnite event held in LA and NYC as well as a corresponding mixtape series. Check below for the mixtape and a Revivalist exclusive list of MdCL’s Top 10 Influential Recordings.