Jazz Scan

[Web master's note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site's primary jazz guru, the late Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for more than a quarter century (!).

[Web master's note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site's primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for more than a quarter century (!).

[Web master's note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site's primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for more than a quarter century (!).

[Web master's note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site's primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for a quarter century (!)

[Web master's note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site's primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for a quarter century (!)

[Web master’s note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — the eldest, youngest and only son of this site’s primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for 24 years, with lengthy columns that just keep growing.

[Web master’s note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — still the eldest, youngest and only son of this site’s primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for 23 years, with lengthy columns that just keep growing.

[Web master’s note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — still the eldest, youngest and only son of this site’s primary jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for 22 years, with lengthy columns that just keep growing.

Panorama Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Dedication This new release by alto/flute/soprano reed man and composer Steve Slagle grew on me.

Acoustical Concepts By Ric Bang Buy CD: Stolen Moments Oliver Nelson, who died too young at 43, is one of our icons.

Origin Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Live at the COTA Jazz Festival Beat always has been one of jazz’s key elements.

Troubadour Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Kalamazoo The Marsalis family remains one of the most famous gatherings of jazz artists in existence.

North Texas Jazz By Ric Bang Buy CD: Lab 2017 I’ve always been partial to colleges that offer degrees in jazz.

Origin Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Day and Night This album is proof-positive of several things: • Tasty, swinging jazz is alive and well in the Los Angeles/greater West Coast region; • The artists from that neck of the woods continue to demonstrate that…

By Derrick Bang [Web master’s note: Northern California film critic Derrick Bang — still the eldest, youngest and only son of this site’s jazz guru, Ric Bang — has surveyed the holiday jazz scene for 21 years, with lengthy columns that just keep growing.

OA2 Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Waltz New Guitarist Tom Dempsey and bassist Tim Ferguson have been friends for more than 25 years, and have worked together numerous times since their college days.

Self-Published By Ric Bang Buy CD: Souvenir When we left Los Angeles for to Portland, Oregon, more than 30 years ago, my only concern was missing the excitement and variety of the jazz Mecca that runs from Southern California to San Francisco.

BlueLand Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Generations I got turned on to baritone sax after hearing Serge Chaloff, who played that instrument in Woody Herman’s second herd.

OA2 Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Clockwise All jazz fans know pianist, composer and arranger Cedar Walton.

Metro Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: BACHanalia This terrific album comes from Bill Cunliffe, one of the finest big band composers and arrangers in the modern jazz world.

Self-Published By Ric Bang Buy CD: Sweet Ruby Suite Once in awhile, if lucky, you stumble across a musical diamond in the rough: a wholly unfamiliar gem.

Origin Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Originals for Originals Instrumentalist/composer Michael Zilber is better known by fellow musicians than by jazz fans.

Colloquy Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Colloquy Although most jazz musicians are concentrated on the West and East coasts, some excellent artists and groups that operate in the Midwest.

Cellar Live Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Alchemist I’ve noticed a recent increase in the number of jazz albums by artists who reside in and/or have come from Canada.

Origin Records By Ric Bang Buy CD: Triple Exposure I sometimes wonder what it must have been like, to be present at a concert given by one of the true masters.