REVIEWS
Whodunit? • Snow has banked above the windowsills. A beautiful woman sits reading on the sofa of a large house when car headlights suddenly sweep the frozen panes. The engine dies. There's the crunch of approaching footsteps; a forceful knocking on the door. A brusque man enters, claiming to have reserved a room. Laura Eason’s Sex with Strangers, at the Geffen Playhouse in April 2016, with Rebecca Pidgeon and Stephen Louis Grush
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TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON • With her drumming, the recordings she produces, and her collaborations, TLC is creating historic arrangements. • READ
EMILIO CASTILLO • Sessions with the co-founder-saxophonist of Tower of Power's Top Brass. • READ
AMY BRENNEMAN • Staying on top: After our 'Top Girls' interview, a return for 'Rapture, Blister, Burn' • READ
MARSHA MASON • In 2007, prior to her recording of Charles Busch's 'The Allergist's Wife' for LA TheaterWorks, the four-time Oscar-nominee talked about her film and stage work. • READ
AARON POSNER • After stewing Chekhov's The Seagull at Boston Courtn, in a zesty adaptation entitled Stupid Fucking Bird, Posner was at South Coast Repertory for his adaptation of The Tempest, co-conceived and directed with magi-comic Teller • READ
KARRIN ALLYSON • One of the few great contemporary jazz vocalists who combine those distinguishing traits: the character of the voice and phrasing. In 2018, following the release of her first recording of originals and prior to her Catalina's Jazz Club appearance, a look back at our 2006 conversation. • READ
KENNY BARRON • The pianist, one of four headliners from the 2009 Monterey Jazz Festival touring the U.S. in Spring 2010, speaks about his career and collaborators. • READ
GARY BURTON • When I spoke with the great Indiana-born vibraphonist, the reigning masters of mallet and metal were Burton, Bobby Hutcherson and Stefon Harris. Following the passing of Hutcherson and the emergence of Warren Wolf, Burton remains the dean of the instrument. • READ
KURT ELLING • Elling has earned acclaim for both recordings and live performances. The Washington Post wrote that he has a “sense of being on a musical mission,” while Jazztimes applauded his “triumphant reign as the thinking man’s vocalist.” • READ
STEFON HARRIS • Capable of driving vibraphone runs as leader of his band Blackout, Stefon Harris was driving through New York on an errand run for his pregnant wife when we caught up with him for a first profile. In 2011, he was stationary, the baby was healthy, and he was engaging in many projects. • READ
RICKIE LEE JONES • Communication via email didn't diminish this fascinating interview with this singular poet songwriter prior to a concert in Cerritos. • READ
RAMSEY LEWIS • The year 2015 marked the 50th Anniversary of The Ramsey Lewis Trio's historic hit record, 'The In Crowd.' However, our conversation had to begin with my thanking him for his 2006 PBS program, 'Legends of Jazz,' with its invaluable interviews with and performances by 30 jazz artists. • READ
JOE LOVANO Many jazz musicians grew up in homes filled with music. For saxophone great Joe Lovano, a healthy portion of the music in his Cleveland home was live: His father, Tony "Big T" Lovano, barbered by day and played tenor saxophone by night. • READ
MARCUS MILLER • In 2006, on assignment from the Long Beach Press-Telegram, I spoke to the multi-instrumentalist behind Miles Davis’ landmark Tutu’ about his upcoming show and past work with the great Luther Vandross. • READ
JANE MONHEIT • A CNN report'ers question about the sultry vocalist's choicest tune prompts a follow-up and some number-crunching during this 2012 conversation. • READ
DIANNE REEVES • Reeves was the veteran and Gregory Porter the new face at the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts when she and I spoke as background for a feature in the venue's online newsletter. • READ
SONNY ROLLINS • One indisputable legend who I was able to interview twice for different feature articles is this great tenor saxophonist. In addition to his songwriting and distinctive playing, he has worked with a jazz Who's Who … and generously provided snapshots of his famous friends. • READ
DAVID SANCHEZ • It began when the Puerto Rican-born saxophonist was invited to a Havana studio to join vibraphonist Stefon Harris and trumpeter Christian Scott in a collaboration with Cuban artists.. • READ
PONCHO SANCHEZ • It was great to chat with the Southern California jazz percussionist a few years ago, and learn how a fast food stand's outdoor speaker helped inspire him to pursue music as a child. • READ
TIERNEY SUTtoN • Tierney Sutton not only possesses an impeccable knack for phrasing, she has one of the finest voices in contemporary jazz to go with one of the finest bands: pianist Christian Jacob, drummer Ray Brinker, and alternating bassists Kevin Axt and Trey Henry. • READ
STEVE TYRELL • Whether composing hits for others or singing standards, it's an 'artist's life' for him. • READ
REVIEW • American Mariachi by José Cruz Gonazlez at SCR (Part of a weekend round-up) (2019) • READ
FEATURE • A Sondheim Summit SCR services Sondheim well with a soaring production that gives voice to his penultimate masterwork (2019) • READ
FEATURE • 'Rock' and a hard place Lauren Yee's dive into 1970s Cambodian pop lands her amid standing ovations (2018) • READ
SPECIAL REPORT • Mark Rucker's Curtain Call A group portrait of the brilliant theater director who recast bow-taking (2017) • READ
PROFILES • Building Character The once and future thinking of actor Arye Gross (2017) • READ
REVIEW • BETTERING THE BARD • Amy Freed throws herself into a revision of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew • READ
