The closest that the Monterey Jazz Festival's Saturday afternoon program came to jazz was when Maceo Parker performed a mini-set of Ray Charles tunes with a youth jazz orchestra behind him. Otherwise it was R&B, funk and blues rock and roll that covered the afternoon.

That may seem surprising, but as I understand it the festival's explicit policy is to present cross-genre artists for the first Saturday session, apparently an effort to attract a broader audience than only jazz purists. Still I find the choices of Ledisi, Maceo Parker and Derek Trucks to be a surprising bit of programming for one of the most prestigious jazz festivals in the world.  Read more »

There's nothing like a weekend of glorious music at 9000 feet in the Rocky Mountains to shake off the routine of everyday life and get you "feelin' again," as headliner John Hiatt reminded the happy crowd at Telluride Blues & Brews. Whether you attended or not, this video slide show by multimedia blogger Kelly Butler captures the essence of the experience. Artists pictured include John Hiatt, Gov't Mule, The Derek Trucks Band, Joan Osborne, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and lots more. But the real stars are the festival itself and the happy attendees drinking in the great music, natural beauty and tasty libations.  Read more »

A city that needs a big break from the slow and painful legal drama surrounding its mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, Detroit is about to get one when its four-day heavy-hitting jazz festival starts off at 5:15 p.m., with the Duke Ellington School of Performance Arts Jazz Ensemble taking one of its six stages.

The Detroit Jazz Festival, almost into its fourth decade (this year witnesses the 29th annual edition), is filled to the brim with performers forming complete spectrums of both visibility in the local, regional and national jazz scenes as well as the various denominations of jazz.  Read more »