00:00
Carrie Smith
Veteran American blues and jazz singer Carrie Smith (1925-2012) was often compared to the legendary Bessie Smith, an artist she greatly admired. She was best known in Europe for her powerful, resonant voice, impeccable timing, and the emotional depth she brought to her songs. Born in Georgia, Carrie Smith began her career singing gospel music and later gained international acclaim as a star of the hit Broadway musical revue “Black and Blue”. In this concert recording from the Ascona New Orleans Jazz Festival, held in late June and early July 1998 at picturesque Lake Maggiore in Ascona, Switzerland, Smith delivers a captivating performance. Backed by a trio led by pianist Bross Townsend, Smith performs jazz standards by Harold Arlen and George and Ira Gershwin, alongside a string of blues classics including "I'm Tore-Down", "Down Home Blues", "Rock Me Baby", and "Back Water Blues".
00:45
Carla Bley Sextet live at Estival Lugano 1986
Since 1977, Estival is a summer jazz festival in Switzerland, Lugano. Estival offers a thrilling and particularly surprising line-up that explores the rich world of contemporary music whilst promoting the understanding of different cultures, tolerance, and co-existence. Discover the special bond between pianist Carla Bley and bassist Steve Swallow. The two have performed in the same bands since the '60s and have been romantic partners for more than two decades. Watching them perform is the definition of musical telepathy. Together with musicians Wayne Krantz, Victor Lewis, Larry Willis, and Don Alias, they form an amazing sextet at Estival in 1986.