Vincent Herring

Jill McCarron Trio: Gin

by Jack Bowers
April 8, 2024

Gin, pianist Jill McCarron says of the title of her second recording as leader of the Jill McCarron Trio, refers to the card game of that name, and not to the alcoholic beverage. She balances the joy of winning with the luck of the draw in her entrancing three-part suite. While McCarron leads an admirable threesome (Paul Gill, bass; Andy Watson, drums), this is a trio album with an asterisk, as saxophonist Vincent Herring sits in on four numbers (including ...

Mike LeDonne: Wonderful!

by Jack Bowers
March 27, 2024

Organist Mike LeDonne's latest recording, Wonderful!, is a labor of love on several levels. Of course, there is love of the music and love of accomplishing something that had not been done before--teaming a gospel choir with jazz quartet. Above all else, there is love for LeDonne's wife, Margaret, and daughter Mary who is disabled but, as LeDonne says, is nonetheless “truly wonderful." LeDonne wrote the album's title song for Mary, wherein he compares her to “a ...

Mike LeDonne: Wonderful!

by Pierre Giroux
February 27, 2024

In jazz's rich tapestry, where tradition meets innovations, there emerged a convergence exemplified by the present release Wonderful! with the virtuosic Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet + Gospel Choir, who embark on a transcendent journey into the heart of gospel- infused jazz. The project is informed by LeDonne's desire to offer a heartfelt tribute to his wife Margaret and daughter Mary to showcase the spirited and varied nature of the disability community. Participating in this harmonious affair are the long-time members ...

Mary Stallings: Songs Were Made to Sing

by Dave Linn
June 30, 2023

One of eleven children, Mary Stallings was born in San Francisco in 1939. In her teens, she began singing in San Francisco night clubs and performed with Ben Webster, Earl Hines, Red Mitchell, Teddy Edwards, and Wes Montgomery. Before graduating from high school, she joined R&B singer Louis Jordan's Tympani Five. In the early '60s, she performed with Dizzy Gillespie at both the Black Hawk nightclub and the 1965 Monterey Jazz Festival. Her debut album was Cal Tjader ...

Mike LeDonne: The Heavy Hitters

by Mike Jurkovic
February 18, 2023

Homing in on the electric, ancestral vibe of Rudy Van Gelder's house of musical myth and magic in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, the Heavy Hitters, spearheaded by journeyman pianist Mike LeDonne and well-traveled saxophonist, Eric Alexander, approach this eponymous debut with a ballsy, brassy, big sounding blueprint which carries through the entire recording. In deciding who best to share Van Gelder's hallowed space with, LeDonne and Alexander brought in the big guns--namely trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, alto saxophonist Vincent ...

Mike LeDonne: The Heavy Hitters

by Pierre Giroux
February 16, 2023

There was a period back in the middle years of the 20th Century and beyond when All-Star Groups were quite common, including the Buck Clayton All-Stars, Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars, and Gene Harris and the Phillip Morris Superband among several other similar aggregations. In today's musical environment, this kind of coming together of high profile musicians is exceedingly rare, primarily driven by cost issues, although availability of the musicians is also a limiting factor. Pianist & organist Mike LeDonne was ...

The Heavy Hitters: The Heavy Hitters

by Jack Bowers
February 10, 2023

The Heavy Hitters. Hyperbole? A matter of fact? Or simply the name given by co-leaders Mike LeDonne and Eric Alexander to their newly minted sextet. The third statement is true--but so is the second. From pianist LeDonne and tenor saxophonist Alexander to fellow front-liners Jeremy Pelt (trumpet) and Vincent Herring (alto sax) and the Washingtons, Peter on bass and Kenny at the drums, these gentlemen are by any measure heavy hitters. Their first album as a unit ...

Smoke Jazz Club Announces June Line-Up With NEA Jazz Master George Coleman, Vocal Great Mary Stallings, A New Project From Vincent Herring, An Album Release By Orrin Evans All-Star Quintet, And More

Source: AMT Public Relations
May 4, 2023

George Coleman Quintet (Jun 1-4); Orrin Evans All-Star Quintet record release (Jun 8-11); Vincent Herring and Something Else! (Jun 15-18); Mary Stallings (Jun 22-25); and more… Rated the #1 Jazz Club in New York City (Secret NYC), Smoke Jazz Club kicks off the start of summer with some of today’s living legends. NEA Jazz Master George Coleman returns with his special quintet (Jun 1-4), soulful saxophonist Vincent Herring gets inspired by the classic Blue Note album Something Else! (Jun 15-18), ...
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Something Else! Vincent Herring Septet Honors Cannonball Adderley At Birdland from September 6-10, 2022

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
August 12, 2022

Something Else!, will launch at Birdland on September 6-10, 2022 with two sets a night at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater. The shows will feature Vincent Herring, alto saxophone, James Carter, tenor sax, Jeremy Pelt, trumpet, Russell Malone, guitar, David Kikoski, piano, Essiet Essiet, bass and Johnathan Blake, drums. Something Else! is the only Blue Note album by Cannonball Adderley recorded and released in 1958 and became an iconic masterpiece presenting funky, soulful and bluesy Jazz which was the ...
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Three Spectacular Days Of Cultural Bridges At The New York Japanese Jazz Festival At Smoke Jazz Club From June 25-27, 2019 In NYC!

Source: Nu Jazz Publicity
May 17, 2019

The inaugural New York Japanese Jazz Festival will be launching June 25-27, 2019, as part of a three-day series heralding the undiscovered talents from the island on the other side of the world. Featuring a “who’s who” of American Jazz Greats, with a treasure trove of Jazz music’s future stars there will be something for everyone during this multi-day event that features three groups per night. The New York Japanese Jazz Festival will take place for three nights at SMOKE ...
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Elio Villafranca's "Cinque" Features Wynton Marsalis, Lewis Nash, Vincent Herring, Steve Turre, Greg Tardy & Freddie Hendrix

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
May 11, 2018

Cinque is a five movement suite inspired by the story of Joseph Cinque, who in 1839 led a successful revolt aboard the slave ship La Amistad, days after being sold and transported to a sugar plantation in Cuba. Elio Villafranca's most ambitious project today, showcases the cultural diversity of the five Caribbean islands of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, The Dominican Republic, and Jamaica; while simultaneously highlighting the Congolese musical heritage woven into the fabric of each of these diverse nations, ...
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Enter the "Vincent Herring - The Uptown Shuffle" Giveaway at All About Jazz!

Source: All About Jazz
March 2, 2014

All About Jazz members are invited to enter the Smoke Sessions Records “Vincent Herring - The Uptown Shuffle“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on April 1st. Click here to enter the contest (Becoming a fan of Vincent Herring at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.) Good luck! Your Friends at Smoke Sessions Records About The Uptown Shuffle Playing alto saxophone that Cannonball, Stitt and Woods would love, not ...
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Vincent Herring at the Royal Room - February 29

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
February 29, 2012

NYC Saxophonist Vincent Herring

with: Bill Anschell—piano Chuck Deardorf—bass Matt Jorgensen—drums

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29 THE ROYAL ROOM 5000 Rainier Avenue South Seattle

Sets at 7:00 & 8:30pm Buy tickets through Stranger Tickets

Seattle Jazz Scene continues their foray into producing jazz concerts by welcoming New York alto saxophonist Vincent Herring to Seattle on Wednesday, February 29, for two sets at The Royal Room in Columbia City. ...
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Vincent Herring at the Royal Room - February 29

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
February 3, 2012

Seattle Jazz Scene presents: NYC Saxophonist Vincent Herring with: Bill Anschell—piano Chuck Deardorf—bass Matt Jorgensen—drums WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29 THE ROYAL ROOM 5000 Rainier Avenue South Seattle Sets at 7:00 & 8:30pm Seattle Jazz Scene continues their foray into producing jazz concerts by welcoming New York alto saxophonist Vincent Herring to Seattle on Wednesday, February 29, for two sets at The Royal Room in Columbia City. Vincent has developed ...
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Remembering The Miles Davis Classic "Kind Of Blue" Jimmy Cobb’s So What Band Featuring Jeremy Pelt, Vincent Herring Javon Jackson, Larry Willis & Buster Williams

Source: Michael Ricci
January 28, 2011

Friday, February 11, 2011 at 8:00PM in the Science Center Theater on the Campus of Montgomery County Community College (Blue Bell, PA) Blue Bell, PA—A highlight of the Lively Arts Series Transitions will be a performance of “Kind of Blue: Remembering the Miles Davis classic featuring Jimmy Cobb's So What Band. They will be presented in concert, Friday, February 11, 2011 at 8:00PM in the Science Center Theater on the Campus of Montgomery County Community College, Route 202 and Morris ...
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Vincent Herring, "Morning Star" (CD Review)

Source: Between the Grooves with Philip Booth
October 19, 2010

I recently reviewed alto saxophonist Vincent Herring's Morning Star for Jazz Times. Click here to go directly to the review, which appeared in the magazine's September issue, or read the full text below. Vincent Herring & Earth Jazz, Morning Star (Challenge) Shades of the Headhunters, Weather Report, the Crusaders and, not surprisingly, Cannonball Adderley's electric-jazz releases color the sound of Vincent Herring's Earth Jazz Agents (here, minus the “Agents"), the gifted alto saxophonist's working funk and fusion quartet. Yes, it ...
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Recent Listening: Vincent Herring

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
July 3, 2010

Vincent Herring & Earth Jazz, Morning Star (Challenge). The rhythm section known as Earth Jazz is electrified, funkified and synthesized. Collaborating with them, Herring looks back to the heyday of '60s and '70s soul, with stylistic references to Herbie Hancock, early Weather Report and tinges of Azymuth and The Crusaders. His customary power and tonal perfection on alto and soprano saxophones are intact, even as he adheres to the limitations of the setting. The title tune eases up on the ...
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