Rob Shepherd

Rob Shepherd

Review: Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog’s ‘Hope’Review: Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog’s ‘Hope’

Review: Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog’s ‘Hope’

Nobel physicist Erwin Schrödinger once noted that “[i]f a man never contradicts himself, the reason must be that he virtually…

4 years ago
A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter XIII: Echoes of the Past, 2004A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter XIII: Echoes of the Past, 2004

A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter XIII: Echoes of the Past, 2004

An intense and unceasing downpour left a twenty-eight-year-old George Wein with the difficult question of whether to abruptly cancel his…

4 years ago
Five Genre-Defying Selections from the Newport Jazz Festival’s 2021 LineupFive Genre-Defying Selections from the Newport Jazz Festival’s 2021 Lineup

Five Genre-Defying Selections from the Newport Jazz Festival’s 2021 Lineup

After a year canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic, the historic Newport Jazz Festival has announced it will be presenting the…

4 years ago
A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter XII: Expansion, 1995-2003A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter XII: Expansion, 1995-2003

A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter XII: Expansion, 1995-2003

In the four decades since the Newport Jazz festival first took place in 1954, it became a global brand with…

4 years ago
Review: ‘Impulse! Records: Music, Message & The Moment’ and Sons of Kemet’s ‘Black to the Future’Review: ‘Impulse! Records: Music, Message & The Moment’ and Sons of Kemet’s ‘Black to the Future’

Review: ‘Impulse! Records: Music, Message & The Moment’ and Sons of Kemet’s ‘Black to the Future’

In 1960, Creed Taylor founded Impulse! Records, which he dubbed "The New Wave in Jazz." While over time, Impulse! established…

4 years ago
A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter XI: Futures, 1990-1994A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter XI: Futures, 1990-1994

A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter XI: Futures, 1990-1994

The 1990s was a period of change. The geopolitical order in place for nearly half a century ended with the…

4 years ago
Review: Tony Allen’s ‘There is No End’Review: Tony Allen’s ‘There is No End’

Review: Tony Allen’s ‘There is No End’

An artist’s final recording is often an unusual gift to the world. In large part, this derives from the fact…

4 years ago
A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter X: Smooth Sailing?, 1984-1989A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter X: Smooth Sailing?, 1984-1989

A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter X: Smooth Sailing?, 1984-1989

Created in 1927, The Victor Talking Machine Company of Japan, Limited - more commonly known as Japan Victor Company (JVC)…

4 years ago
A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter IX: Homecoming, 1981-1983A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter IX: Homecoming, 1981-1983

A History of the Newport Jazz Festival – Chapter IX: Homecoming, 1981-1983

“We’re Back” announced the front page of The Providence Journal, complete with a photo of a smiling George Wein, upon…

4 years ago
Creative Necessity: A Conversation with SkerikCreative Necessity: A Conversation with Skerik

Creative Necessity: A Conversation with Skerik

Since first picking up the horn in fifth grade, Skerik has charted a less traditional route for a saxophonist. While…

4 years ago