IM

Phil Woods

February 17, 2014

Phil Woods embodies the essence of jazz, celebrating and creating great American music with breath, brass, and soul. “Music united the family instead of dividing it,” says alto saxophonist Phil Woods of Local 802 (New York City) and 577 (Pocono, PA), referring to his childhood. “In those days, everyone was on the same page in […]

Will Lee

February 17, 2014

Will Lee centers in on a long, vibrant career Most gifted musicians have, at one point in time, grappled with career decisions. With so many options, battling ambitions, and outside pressure, some pursue their love of music professionally, but others opt for more stable ways of making a living. Will Lee of Local 802 (New […]

Jeff Coffin

February 17, 2014

Jeff Coffin Urges young players to find their own sound Music schools around the country are pumping out technically fantastic sax players. They can tear the knob right off of a metronome, sight read an inkblot test, and tightly navigate through miles of chromatic chord extensions. This type of playing, as impressive as it is, […]

Cindy Cashdollar

February 17, 2014

Woodstock, New York, in the 1970s was a musical Mecca. Icons like Bob Dylan of Local 802 (New York City) and The Band had lived there since the mid ’60s, and of course, in 1969, the small Catskill town’s picturesque landscape hosted the peak event of the counterculture music scene. It was in the midst […]

Peter Erskine

February 17, 2014

Peter Erskine of Local 47 (Los Angeles) is one of the most skilled and sensitive drummers you are likely to hear in any genre. His style pays strict attention to the fundamentals—safeguarding the core of the music, the heartbeat, while acknowledging and affirming the subtle expressions of his bandmates’ improvisations and leaving a space on […]

Angela Hewitt

February 17, 2014

Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt is calling from Umbria, Italy. Normally you might say “sunny Italy,” but not this week, with much of Europe in the grip of a brutal cold wave. Hewitt, a longtime member of Local 180 (Ottawa-Gatineau, ON), is taking time out from her concert schedule to chat with International Musician about the […]

The Quebe Sisters

February 17, 2014

For centuries, the violin has been associated with a sort of mysterious evil. From its earliest days, it was known as “the devil’s instrument,” because of the intricate technique required for its mastery. In the 18th century, as the story goes, the devil appeared to Tartini in a dream, playing the violin, and inspired the […]

Meligrove Band

February 17, 2014

“Somewhere near Tallahassee, the bus started making a really crazy noise, then the noise stopped, and it was otherwise running fine,” recalls Meligrove Band’s bassist Mike Small of Local 145 (Toronto, ON). They continued on, deciding to take the bus to the mechanic when they reached Orlando, where they had a day off from touring. […]

Brave Combo

February 17, 2014

Boldly Going Where No Polka Band Has Gone Before You may be a little confused, or even shocked, the first time you hear Brave Combo. Have you ever heard a band play “Louie Louie” as a polka in a minor key, a convincing cumbia complete with phonetically accurate Spanish lyrics, and a timeless standard straight […]

Del McCoury

February 17, 2014

Del McCoury of Local 257 (Nashville, TN) lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee, just north of Nashville. He answered the phone with a voice as sunny as the weather outside his southern home, and as soon as he could, the humble singer changed the subject from his 50-plus years in the music business to what was really […]