His mother listened to everything from gospel to country to Ray Charles, his father explored jazz. Tackling the piano at four, he composed his first piece of music at five and was playing professionally by the age of ten. Attending prestigious New Haven art schools, Sands went on to earn Bachelor of Arts and Masters degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, where he received his first Grammy® nomination (Best Latin Piano Solo) for Kenya Revisited.

While still in high school, Sands met legendary jazz pianist, composer, and educator Dr. Billy Taylor (1921-2010) and became his protégé, while listening to the Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, John Legend, Outkast and Nas. At 20, he caught the attention of renowned jazz bassist Christian McBride, who asked Sands to sit in with his band at New York’s famed Village Vanguard; this performance led to a permanent spot in McBride’s Inside Straight Trio. Sands went on to share the stage with giants such as Wynton Marsalis, Diane Reeves, Shelia E, and Randy Brecker, playing festivals and venues around the world. Both Marsalis and Vanity Fair named him a rising jazz star.

REACH features a potent core trio with bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Marcus Baylor, and guest appearances by Gilad Hekselman (guitar), Marcus Strickland (tenor saxophone and bass clarinet), and Cristian Rivera (percussion). McBride, who co-produced the album, makes a cameo at the end of Bill Withers’ 1972 soul classic “Use Me” (one of two covers; all other tracks are Sands originals). Sands is skilled, soulful and melodic throughout, his energy and spirit altering with each tune.

Read the full article and interview at Noisey

Christian Sands on TKA

Here’s what Bob Boilen had to say:

“Red Baraat’s fusion of bhangra, go-go, hip-hop and jazz is driven by frontman Sunny Jain’s percolating playing of the dhol, a double-sided drum which forms the rhythmic lattice of support for their boisterous horns and guitar. And though Red Baraat graced the Tiny Desk five years ago, we had to have Jain’s band back to celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of color, of good over evil, and the coming of spring…their uplifting spirits lingered on, giving us a chance to shake off the final days of winter and demonstrating why music is so essential to the soul.”

Check out the performance at NPR Music

Red Baraat on TKA 

Natalie Weiner for Billboard writes: “Aldana proves that there’s no reason swing needs to sound vintage, offering original compositions and standards that show her distinctive melodic sensibilities just as clearly as they do her ability to straight-up shred. The Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition winner (the first woman to receive that award) will be joined by a sextet — she typically performs with a trio — so there’s a chance she’ll be testing out some new material.”

On Coltrane, Weiner writes: “One of jazz’s most reliable and compelling soloists, Coltrane (yes, as in John’s son) will offer a rare duo performance with pianist David Virelles — one-offs like this are a major part of what makes the festival so special. Also, it’s a taste of what Grammy voters were considering when they nominated Coltrane for a 2017 best improvised jazz solo award.”

If you are in New York this weekend, catch Melissa Aldana playing the New School 12th Street Auditorium at 9:20 PM on 1/6/17 and Ravi Coltrane with David Virelles at the New School Tishman Auditorium at 8:40 PM on 1/7/17.

Find the rest of the list at Billboard

Melissa Aldana on TKA

Ravi Coltrane on TKA

2016 Best Vocal Releases

Catherine Russell
Harlem on My Mind

Best Concerts of the Year

Charles Lloyd & The Marvels
The Appel Room, January 30th

Sangam with Charles Lloyd, Zakir Hussain, Eric Harland
Town Hall, June 11th

Chick Corea / John McLaughlin
Blue Note, December 7th

(1/3/17)

Find the full lists at The New York City Jazz Record

Inspired by his experiences playing for audiences around the globe, DeFrancesco explores themes of peace and spirituality on self-penned compositions “Karma,” “The Unifier” and “Peace Bridge,” in addition to covers including “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “So Near, So Far.”

In a press release, DeFrancesco notes, “I always thought that as touring musicians, we were spreading peace. No matter what happens in the world, we keep playing. In a lot of the so-called forbidden places too. When we’re there, through war and conflict, problems melt away through music. We’re playing for these people, hanging out with them, and we all come together and we’re grooving with each other because of the music. That is true freedom. Music is true freedom.”

Project Freedom will be available March 2017. For more information, visit the official websites of Joey DeFrancesco and Mack Avenue Records.

2017 Tour Dates

Jan. 12: Scullers Jazz Club, Boston, MA
Jan. 13–14: Chris’ Jazz Café, Philadelphia, PA
Jan. 17–21: Birdland, New York City, NY
March 17–18: Catalina Jazz Club, Los Angeles, CA
March 19: The Nash, Phoenix, AZ
March 21–22: DazzleJazz, Denver, CO
March 29: Savannah Music Festival, Savannah, GA
March 30–31: The Velvet Note, Atlanta, GA
April 1: The Tin Pan, Richmond, VA

Read more at JazzTimes

Joey DeFrancesco on TKA

Charles Lloyd on his modeling career: ““Yohji Yamamoto has made a lot of clothes for me and invited me to model in Paris and in Tokyo. We share an aesthetic sensibility.”

Chick Corea on living healthy: “About five years ago I went on a plant-based diet…I came down from a 44 waist to a 33 waist. None of my clothes fit me anymore; I had to get rid of them all. It felt so good.”

Roy Haynes on dressing well from an early age: ““Even before I had a good gig, I was having stuff made. Some people would come to my gig to see what I was wearing.”

Check out the full article and more photos at GQ Style