Anyone who has attended local jazz concerts over the last 40 years is familiar with the stealthy visage of longtime professional photographer Michael Oletta, who got his start in concert photography back when he was …

“It’s inspired by Homeric poetry, especially the Odyssey,” explains flute virtuoso and UCSD professor Wilfrido Terrazas, in regards to his latest solo flute album Itaca, which was released last December. “It is both a real …

There are a ton of San Diego musicians who have found themselves involuntarily unemployed since mid-March of 2020, when live gigs virtually dried up all over the country. What to do during all the downtime …

I have a vivid memory of the last live concert I attended in town. It was a show featuring pianist Anthony Davis, bassist Mark Dresser, and trombonist Michael Dessen held in the acoustically pristine Conrad …

For years, San Diego’s favorite destination for jazz on a Wednesday night was the jam session curated by trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos at Panama 66. He would feature performances in the early evening by students from …

Another victim of the Coronavirus was San Diego’s all-jazz radio station KSDS 88.3. The station, which operates on the campus of San Diego City College, had only 48 hours to totally retool into an automated …

Of all the collateral damage suffered in the last 12 months, the music industry has been hit particularly hard. Everyone has lost gigs, and many venues have shuttered permanently. But for trumpeter John Reynolds, a …

The San Diego Jewish Men’s Choir managed to release their third album in December of 2020. Quite an achievement, one would think, given the circumstances of Covid-19. But, says conductor Ruth Webber, “Had it not …

Back in December, local singer Leonard Patton’s voice was heard on a national commercial for a Pizza Hut jingle (doing a take on “The 12 Days of Christmas.”) It was recorded at Singing Serpent studios …

“I was at an Alex Cline concert when the air-conditioning suddenly came on and immediately the whole vibe changed. That got me to thinking about how the other senses might influence the way we perceive …

“I’ve decided to revive the San Diego Underground,” says bassist Benjamin Wanicur, referring to his monthly jam session that used to operate out of 3rd Space on Park Avenue. Wanicur’s revival has an important new …

Saxophone icon Charles McPherson unveiled his latest album Jazz Dance Suites on his own Chazz Mack Music label on September 24. It’s his 30th effort as a leader. The album is dedicated to his ballet-star …

Singer Whitney Shay headlined a recent live show (complete with a real audience) on August 15 in the overflow parking lot of the Del Mar fairgrounds. It was one example of where live music might …

Claudia Gomez keeps a lot of irons in the fire. She’s a musician and a tap dancer, and she taught at Tap Into Yoga & Reiki all over San Diego until just before the pandemic …

“I should say first and foremost, that I always just wanted to play music in general and I really didn’t have any barriers between genres,” says musician Nathan Hubbard. “The first two CDs I bought …

Jazz guitarist Peter SpraguePeter Sprague had just returned to San Diego from a Danish tour with vocalist Sinne Eeg when the pandemic struck, and the musician soon found himself on lockdown with the rest of …

Trombonist Mike Benge has been a director of music at Helix High school for ten years, and the 40-year-old musician was also hyper busy leading the San Diego Latin Jazz Collective and touring with the …

Eighteen-year-old drummer Carmen Murray recently auditioned for six college music programs back east. A student at San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts in Paradise Hills, she’s been playing the drums for eight years, …

“We were strongly encouraged to come up with a band name,” says singer Leonard Patton, discussing the new cooperative group he formed with Danny Green, Justin Grinnell and Julien Cantelm, who dropped their debut album …

Local music fans might have done a double-take while watching Sir Elton John’s performance at the 92nd annual Academy Awards ceremony of his song (which won an Oscar) “I’m Going To Love Me Again,” when …

La Mesa harpist Tasha Smith Godinez came to her instrument as a child growing up in the East County. “I actually started with the violin when I was three years old. My older brother was …

Not worried about being perfect “We did 10 songs, and we booked the studio (Tritone in Glendale) for two whole days, which gave us enough time to incorporate a few arrangements from [pianist] Josh Nelson, …

“It’s a little scary to be doing this,” confessed musician Fernando Gomez, speaking of his journey from jazz drummer to electronic-dance-music solo artist with a new single titled “Let It Happen.” “Because all of my …

“The album dropped on September 12,” says Sure Fire Soul Ensemble bandleader Tim Felten. “And it hit #1 on the Contemporary Jazz charts.... It’s awesome to be recognized at that level, and I’m super confident …

“It’s something I’ve been putting off for years,” confessed pianist Ed Kornhauser, referring to the completion of sessions for his first album as a leader. It features all original music. “I’ve been writing music as …

“I guess I am the force behind the Oceanside Art Piano Project,” admits musician Robert Parker, about the intricately hand-painted piano that now calls the Oceanside Museum of Art its home. “But it’s a collaboration …

One of San Diego’s most promising musicians is pianist Brenda Greggio, a high school sophomore at the School of Creative and Performing Arts in Paradise Hills. She makes the daily trek down from her home …

“It was one of those rare sessions where everything just ‘clicked’ and went very smoothly,” says musician Kamau Kenyatta, discussing his new album The Elegant Sadness, featuring trumpeter Curtis Taylor, saxophonist Brian Clancy, bassist Mackenzie …

I had intended to arrive at Rosie O’ Grady’s well before the music started. Like most of life’s good intentions, that plan was thwarted by a personal inertia more powerful than wishful thinking. As I …

“I love exposing people to all types of music,” explains Steve Kader, the talent buyer for the Adams Avenue Street Fair, a gig he’s held for the past 15 years after logging seven with 4th …

“I’ve got a nice crew with me and I’m excited we we’re able to put this album together,” says trumpeter Curtis Taylor about Snapshot, his latest record that dropped last month. Snapshot was recorded live …

Local bassist Omar Lopez (Áfrojazziacs, Juice Box) came to San Diego in 2006, to study at San Diego State. He’s originally from Calipatria, down in the Imperial Valley. Lopez just turned 31, and he’s been …

“I came out here six years ago from Columbus, Ohio because of an ex-girlfriend,” says saxophonist Robert Dove. “But San Diego is one of the world’s best kept secrets, musically, and I fell in love …

San Diego blues belter Whitney Shay had a definite vision in mind when she cut her last album, A Woman Rules the World. That vision turned out to be prescient. “I was very specific about …

Two years ago, Victor Baker arrived from the East Coast and set his one-man arch-top jazz guitar shop — initially, in Lemon Grove. Since then, he’s moved everything into his large home in Poway. What …

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do, and face it, I just turned 41, so it was time to get something out there under my own name,” relates funk drum ace Jake Najor regarding …

Vocalist Rebecca Jade has had a busy year. Between local gigs all over the county and out-of-town touring as a backup singer for pop-star Sheila E., she still managed to record a follow-up album, Running …

Bassist Ben Wanicur knows a thing or two about hosting a jazz jam session, having led one for five years in University Heights at the work-share studio 3rd Space. Part of Wanicur’s expertise came about …

“It’s an opportunity for students from all over the county to study with some of the top jazz players in San Diego for a whole week to really refine their craft,” says program director Nate …

Entrepreneur Jeff Motch is one of a four-person collective that owns and operates Blind Lady Ale House in Normal Heights; Tiger! Tiger! in North Park, and Panama 66 in Balboa Park. The last, an open-air …

Drummer/ bandleader Nathan Hubbard has had his share of success at the San Diego Music Awards in recent years, winning “Best Jazz” in 2017 for his album Furiously Dreaming, and in 2014 for his sprawling …

Guitar bands spotted in the wild Here’s a fun-fact: contrary to popular opinion, guitar-based bands aren’t on the endangered species list. They may not generate the national coverage they once did, but if you venture …

The cover photo of drummer Antonio Sanchez’s new CD Lines In The Sand, which dropped in January, should be familiar to most San Diegans. It depicts the U.S. border wall at Imperial Beach as it …

“I had premonitions that something was amiss,” says vocalist Allison Adams Tucker, whose latest recording project got caught up in the apparent collapse of the crowdfunding organization PledgeMusic, after she spent a considerable amount of …

“There is a real organ renaissance happening throughout the country right now,” claims Hammond B-3 specialist Douglas Kvandal, who is gearing up to present the Jazz Organ Summit Concert on February 17 at Dizzy’s (1717 …

Guitarist Louis Valenzuela was looking for a specific type of vibe when he was considering setting up a new jam session for local players. “I remember there was another Monday night session back in the …

Nels Cline, who was listed by Rolling Stone at number 82 in the “Top 100 Guitarists of All Time,” is probably best known to the general public as the lead guitarist of the band Wilco. …

“This March, we will have been presenting at the Handlery Hotel for four years,” says flutist Holly Hofmann. “During our first year, you could still get a seat. The venue holds about 75 people. For …

“I’d heard about the Festival of New Trumpet Music [an annual multi-day New York City event co-curated by UCSD professor Stephanie Richards and founder Dave Douglas] around a dozen years ago, and I thought it …

Bassist Bertram Turetzky retired with the title professor emeritus from U.C. San Diego 15 years ago, but he’s not planning on slowing down anytime soon. Even though he’ll celebrate his 86th birthday in February, Turetzky …