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“Does life have to be knowledge, or is knowledge life?” The question flowed as nonchalantly from the mouth of its speaker as any sentiment in any normal conversation. But this particular conversation was hardly normal.... Read more

When an emerging artist draws comparisons to Ella Fitzgerald, she’s bound to raise a few eyebrows. One simply does not invoke “The First Lady of Song” without a damn good reason. But as Burlington audiences will soon discover, there are more than a few good reasons why Grammy-nominated soul siren Ledisi is viewed by many as the brightest star on the horizon of modern R&B.... Read more

(Self released, CD)

Featuring a plethora of talent from such notable local and regional acts as The Lazybirds, John Brown’s Body, Black Sea Quartet, Balkanica and Sambatucada, the sophomore release from Burlington’s mind-bending Latin-jazz collective Guagua arrives this month with considerable expectations. For the most part, Psychotropical delivers.... Read more

Parting is such sweet sorrow. All good things must come to an end. If you love something, set it free. I’m out like a boner in sweatpants.

There are many ways to say goodbye — albeit some more poetic than others. But dress them up as we may, the message stays the same and dealing with loss is never easy.... Read more

It's pretty audacious to name your band after a genre you don't actually perform. But Burlington's irreverent rockers The Jazz Guys have never played by the rules. At last year's Discover Jazz Fest, they were banished from the Church Street Marketplace following a particularly loud, bratty performance that pissed off listeners expecting something closer to swing or bebop. They've since become scene darlings, thrilling audiences with playfully infectious music that kicks ass and splits sides.... Read more

If you've been to a jazz concert around Burlington in the last 40 years, chances are you've seen Ed Bemis -- but not on the stage. He's the lanky redhead with thinning, flyaway hair, often sitting alone towards the back of the hall, or intensely discussing the show with a friend between sets. The 78-year-old radio DJ, lecturer and member of the Discover Jazz Advisory Board has been a tireless -- and largely unsung -- lobbyist for jazz since the local "scene" consisted of combos coming down from Montreal once a week.... Read more

Back in the '90s, scientists identified the quark molecule -- a sub-atomic particle that has a tendency to disappear upon close examination. Vermont's Vorcza, a trio formed at the tail end of the same decade, are similarly ephemeral. Comprising organist Ray Paczkowski, bassist Robinson Morse and drummer Gabe Jarrett, the group has entertained audiences with groove heavy, Technicolor splatter-jazz for nearly eight years. Their chronology is somewhat discontinuous, however: Scheduling conflicts among members prevent Vorcza from performing as often as fans would like.... Read more

A brash sound is blasting from the second floor of the Southwick Recital Hall on UVM's Redstone Campus. It's Latin jazz, big-band style -- an enticing mix of complex tonalities and ass-shaking polyrhythms. This is music for the brain and the body, a neon splash of propulsive harmony. The UVM Jazz Ensemble are getting a major musical workout playing this stuff, and they look like they're having a great time doing it.... Read more

Last Wednesday, February 2, "Big Joe" Burrell passed away a week shy of his 81st birthday. It's an understatement to say that the tall, soulful saxophonist touched the lives of thousands of Vermonters with his music, heart, humor and class. From his decades playing with the Unknown Blues Band, to the long-running Thursday-night "residency" at Halvorson's in Burlington, to his generous mentoring of younger musicians, locals embraced this Michigan native as one of their own. His loss to the Vermont music community is simply unfathomable and his absence will be felt for a long time to come.... Read more

While most people dream in pictures and words, one night a few months ago James Harvey heard music in his sleep.

A trombone virtuoso who is no slouch on the piano, Harvey replayed the notes several times in his mind before it dawned on him that this surprising nocturnal inspiration seemed perfect for his new jazz composition, Monkey.

“I had tried different things that didn’t seem to fit. This was simple but a little on the mysterious side,” he recalls, his craggy face breaking into an impish smile of delight.... Read more