People seem not to know what to expect when you sit down in a band with a cello. Many after a concert come and tell me 'Oh, Cello is my favorite instrument!' It is both a compliment and a curse: they ...

The cello has never been a prominent instrument in jazz, but for decades there have always been musicians who have tried to explore its potential in improvisational contexts. Here are current releases ...

A family relic passed down to a youngster. A trip to a special event. It’s impossible to know the impact of such simple gestures. Hank Roberts’ future was shaped by two opportunities he received ...

Wadud, saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, organist Joey DeFrancesco, trombonist Grachan Moncur III, trumpeter Jaimie Branch and saxophonist Ronnie Cuber are among the notable musicians who died in 2022.

Mysteries of Taste, Vol. XVII: Why are there some instruments we simply can't resist? Or: Anything you can do, a cello can do better. Sweeping statements are always wrong, but I do feel that if I ...

While cellist Jacob Szekely embraces his instrument as the lead voice in nontraditional settings, he’s consciously avoided the gimmickry often associated with such efforts. He doesn’t do anything as ...

When you’ve been around music for a while, it’s fun to realize how far you go back with some artists. Case in point: Rebecca Roudman and her band Dirty Cello play Kuumbwa Jazz Friday night. In a ...

Fred Katz, a musician, composer and educator who helped introduce the cello to jazz, died Sept. 7 in Santa Monica from complications of kidney failure and liver cancer. He was 94. His death was ...

A family relic passed down to a youngster. A trip to a special event. It’s impossible to know the impact of such simple gestures.