Jazz and Blues

Guitarist Mundell Lowe played with Charlie Parker, Lester Young, and Billie Holiday among others, was a long-time staff musician at NBC and CBS in New York before moving West to write and play for movies, TV and recording studios. The 90 year old guitarist was in Seattle last Fall to play in a two-guitar quartet with Mike Magnelli during the Earshot Festival.

"I believe I’ll dust my broom" is an old saying meaning to make a new start.

With that catchy phrase, and a distinctive guitar riff Robert Johnson created an important piece of blues history when he recorded “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom” in 1936.

The nominees for Best Latin Jazz Recording for the Grammy Awards in 2013 have been announced, and the winners of the Latin Grammys have already been awarded.

This is the best of the rest, the Latin Jazz that you might have missed this year, and there are some stellar performances here.  With gratitude to Latin Jazz Network and Latin Jazz Corner, let me encourage you to explore some of the lesser-known and newer artists of Latin Jazz.

This week's Jazz Northwest features some of Jim Wilke's  favorite jazz CDs from the past year by Northwest musicians.