West 64th Street Jazz presents the Swingin' Fox & Friends

The New York Society for Ethical Culture presents, my dear friend, renowned pianist Lenore Raphael, The Swingin Fox, & Friends, at Ceremonial Hall , in NYC, on November 16, 2012.

It will be an evening of great jazz. Joining Lenore will be, Harry Allen on tenor, and Phil Bowler on bass.

My friendship with Lenore began more than a decade ago when, as a new Jazz dj at 88.9fm (Shaw University), I was asked if  wanted to do a phone interview with a Jazz musician calling from New York.  I was in Raleigh, NC. The morning dj who was scheduled for the interview called in sick.

I jumped at the chance to do something new.

About eight years later I met Lenore at a concert,  and during intermission I approached the stage. I introduced myself and, before I could ask about the interview years before, she said, "I remember you. You interviewed me". We've been friends ever since. We did another interview in Durham, NC in 2010.

Lenore's latest CD, Loverly, is up for a Grammy nomination.

For more go to, lenoreraphael.com.

A Latin American first for Panama

Panama Jazz Productions, the same group that produces the Panama Jazz Festival, held the very First Central American Festival of Percussion on August 11, 2012. The venue was Teatro Ateneo at The City of Knowledge in Panama City, Panama. The program was opened by Danilo Perez.

The festival featured groups from Panama, Colombia, America, Spain and Chile. And, included academic and cultural workshops held by the Danilo Perez Foundation. On hand was Tekeye Tupac Mantilla, founder of the Global Network of Percussion, and leader of the Colombian Group.

According to Patricia Zarate, Executive Director of Panama Jazz Productions, the festival's mission is to offer artistic and educational events of the first level, and to create positive change in our community through providing access to cultural events of the highest quality to people of all ages and walks of life.

For info go to panamajazzproductions.com

The return of My Jazz Journeys

Glad to be back, and blogging again!

My last posting was in January of this year. For the past six months I have been in chemotherapy. That's over now, and I'm on the mend.

Thanks for your support.

Charles Mingus & Langston Huhges break it down with, The Weary Blues

The great poet, author and playwrite, Langston Hughes said, "Jazz gives poetry a wider audience, and poetry gives Jazz a greater respectibility". Purists have argued that neither need any help. But, Jazz and poetry have consistently played an important role in the rich culture of African American life. A perfect pairing of these two art forms was realized in 1958 album, The Weary Blues,( Polygram) bringing together two iconic figures, Hughes and bassist Charles Mingus.  

The prose delivered by Hughes is right out of Harlem, and the music was composed by the iconic bassist, in collaboration with Leonard Feather and Horace Parlan. The album also included,  A Dream Deferred. The recording also features Shafi Hadi(Curtis Porter)-ts, Jimmy Kneepper- tr, Horace Parlan-p & leader, and Kenny Dennis-dr.


In 2010 I recorded a special program on the making of The Weary Blues while hosting the Evening Jazz Program at 90.7fm, wncu.org. I hope you had a chance to listen, but if not you can purchase this treasure on Amazon.com, or listen on YouTube.com.

Dr. King enlightens us on life, struggle, and Jazz at the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival

Many people know that Dr. Martin Luther King,Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 in Oslo, Norway.  This historic event forever added to the civil rights leader's stature, and highlighted the Civil Rights movement in America to a largely European audience.

However, there was another speech Dr. King gave in Europe after leaving Oslo which I first become aware of upon a visit I made to West Berlin in 1986. That speech was given at the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival where Dr. King had been invited to speak by Wily Brandt, the Mayor of West Berlin.

In the Berlin Jazz Festival speech, Dr. King talks about the struggles of Black Americans and how Jazz provided a voice for those suffering under the yoke of oppression.

The complete text of Dr. King's speech is provided here. take a few moments to read and reflect.

Omara Portuondo, is not to be missed at the PJF!

The appearance of vocalist & dancer, Omara Portuondo at the 9th Annual Panama Jazz Festival is going to be a special treat. I was not familiar with legendary Cuban singer and dancer until I caught her show a few years ago when she captivated the audience with her performance at Duke University in Durham, NC. She was 82 years of age at the time.

 Born in Havana in 1930 her career

Jazz on the Tube "gets it"

When I lived in Europe in the '80's I saw programs on  BBC TV that were truly American, but never shown in the US. I saw speeches from Dr. King, and others, that only the BBC dared to show. Just as important to me, however, was that I saw Jazz. Live recordings! I'm talking Miles & Trane just standing next to each other in the studio.

I was blown away. And then, fast forward to a couple of years ago and I get an email from,