I’ve figured out how to make good falafel without frying it (!) and I think I figured out how to translate the concept into making veggie burgers that avoid most of the usual pitfalls (!!).
Continue ReadingThis was a fun list to compile. Note that there is a separate category for duo/group performances, so some folks whose omission may seem puzzling will appear there. And here we go with our surprise #1 . . . 1. Fontella Bass: “Rescue Me” I went out on a bit of a limb by putting…
Continue ReadingI loves me some cornbread, and this is my fallback recipe. Virtually guaranteed to be a hit.
Continue ReadingAfter taking a few days off from Facebook, I returned to find that many of my friends (both musicians and not) are posting lists of their top 15 albums that will “always stick with you.” Obviously I enjoy lists and enjoy talking about music that’s important to me. So to have my cake and eat it too, I’m turning that into a top 10 list.
Continue ReadingLast month I blogged about my top 10 favorite jazz piano tracks, and this time around I’ll be looking at entire albums. Read on for props for Phineas, Cedar, Hampton, Mary Lou and others.
Continue ReadingEveryone likes latkes, right? Based on my appearance and mannerisms (and in some cases my last name, which comes from the gentile side, ironically enough), folks assume I’m Jewish, and given that my mother is a Jew, that’s technically true (by the laws of Israel or whatever). From a faith-and-upbringing standpoint I’m really not, but…
Continue ReadingAs I prepare for the first performance of Know Thyself since last November (August 14, New Haven Jazz Festival), I find myself reflecting on what it entails to present music that is deeply personal, something that this piece does on a level far beyond anything I have ever written. I’m proud of the music in…
Continue ReadingThis recipe is tasty and ridiculously easy. Its main purpose is to find a use for excessive sage. If sage is overrunning your herb garden, this is for you, or you can probably virtually any savory herb for which that’s the case. This is not a “go out to the gourmet store and spend 8 bucks for a little package of sage” kind of recipe.
Continue ReadingGiven my line of work, this is a particularly tough one to narrow down. If you look at my other top 10 lists, you’ll see that there are also lists for piano trio albums and for piano solos. This is for standout individual tracks and takes the whole performance (e.g. not just the piano) into account.
Continue ReadingThis is a really simple and very tasty “cream” soup that accomodates both wheat and dairy allergies.
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