Shanghai Music Chronicles: When Music is Rocking in Shanghai.

Last week our editor’s picks were in tune with my mood for music, and I followed the instructions provided by Mike “Big Duck” Brownell almost to the letter.

Alec Haavik at the Oriental Arts Center

Mahler once said that a symphony should be like the world, and Alec had similarly grand intentions for this concert.

Alec Haavik Interview Part 2!

After we completed part one of the interview (several months ago. You know how I roll) Alec suggested we do a follow-up as he had more to offer on some of the topics we had gotten into during part one before I realized that my minidisc recorder was busted. So here it is, a mere two weeks after promised. I’m getting better and better at this! It’s kind of long but, ducklings, you are not some short-attention-spanned MTV brats, no, you are the most sophisticated music lovers in the WORLD! Enjoy.

LYBZ: So you said you have some more ideas you are burning with desire to share, about the DVD markets, etc.?
AH: I’ve been thinking about the ingredients that make up a jazz scene, and some pretty amazing particulars in the case of Shanghai’s: one is the vacuum of western music that was here before, before western jazz players started coming. There’s a feeling of

The Long-Awaited Alec Haavik Interview: Part 1

Alec Haavik has been our Featured Artist here at Layabozi for some time, now. You probably already know all about his killin’ saxophone playing and composing already, and that his band plays most every Thursday at JZ Club, and that he also features in that fine institution’s Big Band, Blue Koi Collective, and others. This [...]

Alec Haavik Friction Five – Featured Artist June 2008

When thinking about who to choose for our first Featured Artist, of course we thought about Alec. For a minute I thought we should search a bit more, and not choose most logical option for me…the strange ways the mind (mine) works. After their last gig at JZ, on Thursday May 22nd, there are [...]