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Benito Gonzalez, Pianist, Arranger and Composer. "The fusion of world rhythms and straight-ahead jazz make this passionate performer an audience favorite all over the world. Benito Gonzalez is being recognized as an exciting pianist and composer for his well-received debut album, “Starting Point” (Christian McBride, Antonio Sanchez, Rene McLean, Ron Blake) and as winner of the 2005 Great American Jazz Piano Competition. Presently, Benito is creating a very personal body of work for his sophomore album as a leader that will feature him as an improviser. After two years touring with international jazz artist, Kenny Garrett, he added numerous festivals and international jazz club dates to his credit. Benito has shared the stage with Curtis Fuller, Pharaoh Sanders, Bobby Hutcherson, Christian McBride, Ignacio Berroa, Roy Hargrove, Rene McLean, Steve Turre, Hamiet Bluiett, Antonio Sanchez, T.K. Blue, Nicholas Payton and Jackie Mclean. His multi-cultural talents have led to frequent recording dates; from American jazz masters to West African musicians to Latin bands. He has also served as musical director for several Venezuelan recording artists." Excerpt from AllAboutJazz.com Links: Website, Soundcloud, Facebook, YouTube, Reverbnation, and DC Bebop page

MUSIC CD ARCHIVE: ONECD

Lucine Fyelon
Lucine Fyelon - Imperfect (2023) "Lucine’s passion for creativity led her to embark on songwriting and music production as well, which quickly became an integral part of her artistic expression. As a songwriter and a producer, Lucine wrote more than two dozen original songs, including two studio albums, titled "LUCINE" and "IMPERFECT." Her breakthrough song "Poundcake" went viral on Facebook, collecting 21 million views within a few days. This online recognition captured the attention of talent scouts, who invited Lucine to participate in the renowned "Showtime at the Apollo" TV show, hosted by Steve Harvey. With a commanding stage presence, and an electrifying performance, Lucine won the hearts of the Apollo audience by taking the first-place prize. Lucine's continued showcasing her talent with the esteemed "Cirque du Soleil" show, Cristal. As a solo violinist and a singer, she graced the stage for over 100 shows across Canada and North America, with her virtuosity and emotional expressive performances." website, Amazon Music.

MUSIC CD ARCHIVE: DOUBLECD

Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue (1959) "Miles Davis was already known as an innovative and prolific trumpet player by the time he recorded Kind of Blue in 1959. Years earlier he had played bebop alongside Charlie Parker, and later set in motion a style that came to be known as "cool jazz" with his 1949 and 1950 Birth of the Cool sessions. Kind of Blue marked a new, elegantly simple, and resoundingly beautiful approach to jazz improvisation. Captured during two impromptu recording sessions, Kind of Blue features tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, bassist Paul Chambers, drummer Jimmy Cobb, and the pianists Wynton Kelly and Bill Evans (although not at the same time)." ~ Jacob Teichroew - About.com, Wikipedia,  Discography
Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain (1960) "Working with arranger Gil Evans, Davis cooked up a concept album, looking to the structure and texture of Spanish folk and classical music for inspiration. The two old friends and collaborators were on a huge roll creatively during this period. Davis was piling up hall of fame-caliber jazz albums with alarming regularity, while Evans, in addition to working with Davis frequently in the late 1950s, recorded what was perhaps his finest solo album in 1960, Out of the Cool (it vaguely shares a vibe with Sketches, but is in my estimation just a hair better). So to say both were in strong form here would be an understatement. Davis takes what is most striking about his trumpet style-- the controlled soloing in the middle register, with a mastery of subtle shifts in focus-- and amplifies it, creating measured phrases of almost painful intensity. While Evans' distinctive approach to harmony and tonal color-- one of the most enjoyable "Hey, I get it!" moments as you first explore jazz is when you start to recognize his arrangements-- inhabits a form that to the uninitiated can sound mysterious and exotic and sensual. It's hard not to be taken in immediately."   ~ Mark Richardson, June 5, 2009 - Pitchfork.com


MUSIC ARTS: SESSION

Music Arts session - Concert, Station, PBS, NPR and other live mini concert sessions and interviews. Kandace Springs - Love Got In The Way feat. David Sanborn | SANBORN SESSIONS
"Prince once said that Kandace Springs “has a voice that could melt snow.” The music icon heard Springs’ cover of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” online in 2014 and invited her to perform with him at Paisley Park for the 30th anniversary of Purple Rain, becoming a mentor to the young singer and pianist. Kandace’s 2014 self-titled EP turned even more heads and led to performances on Letterman, Kimmel and Fallon, as well as the Afropunk and Bonnaroo festivals. Okayplayer called her as “a vocal force to be reckoned with” and Afropunk dubbed her “a versatile and vital artist.”" ~ Excerpt: Blue Not, Facebook, Apple Music, Website

BOOK RACK: FEATURED BOOK

SusannaClarke - Piranesi (2020) "What is the nature of magic? What is the nature of reason? Must one cancel out the other? And which is cloaked in a greater illusion? In her new novel Piranesi, British writer Susanna Clarke limns a magic far more intrinsic than the kind commanded through spells; a magic that is seemingly part of the fabric of the universe and as powerful as a cosmic engine — yet fragile nonetheless. Clarke stunned readers 16 years ago with her mesmerizing tale of magic's return to England in her debut novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. The book became an international bestseller, and was followed by a collection of short stories, The Ladies of Grace Adieu. Then those of us who fell in love with her worlds had a desperately long wait. (Thankfully not nearly as long as those awaiting magic's return in Jonathan Strange.)"   ~ NPR and Amazon Books

BOOK RACK: FEATURED SERIES

Kiersten White - Camelot Rising series (2019 - 2021) "An acclaimed master of the female-centric retelling turns her hand to Arthuriana. Guinevere is a mystery: an impostor princess, daughter of Merlin, and possessor of magical knowledge, she has been sent to Camelot to pose as queen and keep Arthur safe. White (Slayer, 2019, etc.) sets up an ambitious take on Arthurian lore, with many details familiar yet altered—Lancelot is a woman, Mordred is Arthur’s right hand and also very appealing, and Guinevere intends only good, although it seems as if this incarnation may still bring ruin, in this case merely by being magical in a world that has banished magic. The connective tissue of the power women wield despite being overlooked doesn’t always hold together, but the questions Guinevere asks about women and power, and the subtext that chaos is inherently feminine (the defeated Dark Queen, Guinevere, the Lady of the Lake) while Arthur represents masculinity and control, are intriguing—although this volume comes to no conclusions. "     ~ Kirkus and Amazon.com

MOVIES: FEATURED MOVIE

Monkey Business (1952)

"Needless to say, "Monkey Business," which arrived at the Roxy yesterday, is not a "message picture" nor a compound of high dramatic art. It is, to be quick about it, what is known as a "screwball comedy"—or would have been known by that label back in the Greg LaCava days—and, as such, it is simply a concoction of crazy, fast, uninhibited farce. This sort of thing, when done well—as it generally is, in this case—can be insanely funny (if it hits right). It can also be a bore.This viewer found it entertaining and farcically inventive to the point where its battery of comedy writers obviously lay back on their typewriters and let it coast. That is to say, it bubbles and throws off a lot of surprise so long as its single gag is running more or less up-hill." ~ NYTimes.com [1952 review]   Link: Monkey Business (1952) - Buy/Rent Watch online

CUISINE: FEATURED RESTAURANT

Nimblefish Location: 1524 Southeast 20th Avenue Portland, OR, 97214 - "GO: for the most flavorful, most finessed sushi from chef Cody Auger. His exacting attention to detail, from the rice to the sourcing of the fish, makes each nigiri shine—and earned Nimblefish a spot in our 2018 Hot 10 list. ORDER: whatever you want! There isn't an omakase format at the moment, so go with your gut. From the tenderly boiled octopus over salty Calrose rice to salt-and-sugar-smoked king salmon to the soy-marinated tuna, you can’t go wrong.
THE VIBE IS: intimate. At the counter, you’re face-to-face with Auger and his crew, who hand over each nigiri as they’re made to order. PRACTICAL STUFF: Open every day, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Make sure you line up early since the wait can be long." Review excerpt - Bon Appétit,  Link: Website

*The most recent featured musicians and play lists from the five Music listings on DC Bebop.   A musician listed on a DC Bebop page with an intro, is featured for 10 days with one of their songs.  Included in the play list are songs by nine other musicians in a table on DC Bebop. The songs are linked to a page (MySpace, Reverbnation, YouTube or where ever the song can be heard). The play list is not a top 10 list. It features songs I liked and think perhaps others might appreciate the music as well.

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