Posted on January 3, 2013 by md in
Dan’s Hamptons
December 22, 2012 by Daniel Koontz
Sag Harbor’s Judy Carmichael plays some mean “stride” piano. Stride is a piano style that comes from an early era in jazz, ’20s jazz that people partied and danced to. It’s a joyous, rollicking sound that evokes Kansas City, Chicago and the rich musical culture of the American South. It’s the kind of music you might expect to hear in a smoky juke joint in Memphis.
Posted on March 1, 2012 by md in
By Don Heckman
The International Review of Music
There’s a long history of great jazz artists, reaching as far back as Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller, who understood the value of communicating, connecting and – yes, here’s that awful word – entertaining an audience. It’s a history that hasn’t had much impact upon recent jazz generations.
(more…)
Posted on March 1, 2012 by md in
BUREAU OF ARTS AND CULTURE
Judy Carmichael LIVE at Vitellos in Southern California February 23rd 2012
Judy Carmichael is coming to Los Angeles on February 23rd 2012 at VITELLO’S
(more…)
Posted on March 1, 2012 by md in
Q & A: Judy Carmichael
By Don Heckman
Judy Carmichael is a jazz rarity — a lively, contemporary pianist who has been specializing in classic jazz piano styles, especially stride piano, since the early ’80s. Count Basie nicknamed her “Stride,” and her early career was also aided by the likes of Sarah Vaughan, Benny Carter, Freddie Green and Roy Eldridge, among others. Performing in all parts of the world, often with the support of the U.S. Information Agency, she has a fan base reaching from China and India to Brazil, Europe and beyond.
(more…)
Posted on December 13, 2011 by md in
The Sag Harbor Express
June 15, 2011 – by Annette Hinkle
Judy Carmichael is a woman on a mission. The jazz pianist travels the world bringing the distinctly American music to audiences who don’t often get to hear it. Among the places she’s been or will be this year are Brazil, Australia, Switzerland and England.
But this weekend, she’s just happy to be back home in Sag Harbor where she’ll offer a concert at the Old Whalers’ Church. Carmichael finds that playing here is like no where else in the world.
“I’m going to sing more than usual, including a bunch of new tunes. It will be all jazz standards,” says Carmichael who has an album coming out in the fall. “I’ve got my ‘A’ team – Harry Allen on sax, Chris Flory on guitar.”
(more…)
Posted on October 29, 2011 by md in
The Berkshire Eagle
September 2, 2011 – By Richard Houdek
Like many offspring of conscientious parents, Judy Carmichael took piano lessons as a child.
And, further along the way, she entertained notions of several careers, although music was the least likely.
(more…)
Posted on April 27, 2011 by md in
JazzTimes
May 2010 – By Lee Mergner
The pianist’s Jazz Inspired radio show brings out the inner jazzbo in creative types
(more…)
Posted on November 29, 2009 by md in
Jazztimes – 11/29/09
By Harvey Siders
Just who is the real Judy Carmichael? The host of Public Radio’s “Jazz Inspired” for the past 15 years? The first jazz musician sent by our government to tour China? Grammy nominee? Author of two books on stride piano? The one Count Basie nicknamed “Stride?” Or is it the Judy Carmichael who finally, after seven instrumental CDs, makes her debut as a singer? Obviously all of the above, but let’s concentrate on her voice — a very pleasant surprise she has withheld from us for too many years.
She unveils it tentatively, singing on half of the dozen tracks, but enough to reveal a warm, intimate quality, particularly on ballads. Perhaps her most tentative effort, considering her desire to “channel my inner Peggy Lee:” the opener, “All The Cats,” an early Lee success. If the intent was to come on seductively, Judy only succeeded in sounding polite. The very next tune, “Love Is Just Around The Corner,” never knows when to turn that corner: over eight minutes of bland two-beat. It isn’t until the fourth track that Ms Carmichael finally reveals the true balladic beauty of her voice: “Gee, Baby,” accompanied by pianist Tony Monte. The only reason for mentioning the delay is that Judy was producer and executive producer; the decision was hers. Elsewhere, her decisions are as resolute as her amazing left hand. Her introspective, rubato solo on “Memories of You” is remarkable. There’s a bit of Dave Blenkhorn’s guitar towards the end, but his part could have been phoned in. Arranger Mike Hashim does a great job re-creating the sound and feel of of the Fats Waller combo, ca. mid-30s, with Judy capturing her major icon in her stride solo. She also contributes her own chart on another Waller classic, the title song. The writing highlight of the album is another Hashim re-creation, the Ellington chestnut, “Wanderlust,” preceded by a Monk-ish intro.
Vocal highlight: Carmichael’s plaintive reading of “You’re Driving Me Crazy,” accompanied effectively by guitarist Blenkhorn. Trombonist Dan Barnett takes a great “talking”/growling plunger solo, and Judy reveals a most pleasant vibrato when she sustains tones. If she was somewhat inhibited in her vocal debut, I believe there’s a true jazz singer waiting to emerge. So I’m looking forward to her ninth release.
Posted on August 31, 2009 by md in
August 31, 2009 – Feinstein’s, New York City by Joe Lang
It is strange how years go by, and somehow you keep missing opportunities to catch jazz players who had always been among those that you had greatly enjoyed on those occasions when you had seen them in the past. (more…)
Posted on April 9, 2009 by md in
April 9, 2009, by Elise D’Haene
Come and Get It – Rating 4 /12 Stars
Click here to read article.
