After Susan Krebs’ ethereal set at the 1881 in Pasadena, I grabbed a moment with her to express my admiration for what we had just heard. Through the din of the buzzy room, I managed to gather that she curates two different bands which she calls “collectives.” Krebs has enjoyed a considerable career as an actress with over 90 film and TV credits. Today she models her musical life after the theater repertories from her past. In short, she keeps the same cats together, and they workshop and...

Sessions at Stained Glass: Carey Frank, Josh Nelson, Peter Smith, Joe La Barbera When we arrived at the front gate for Peter Smith’s Sessions at Stained Glass concert last night, a friendly woman greeted us and gave us directions to the studio. “There are signs,” she said. “Just snake your way up.” Even though we had previously been, the reminders were appreciated. We snaked our way up dim stairways, down shiny floored hallways, around corners, past chapels, meeting rooms and a basketball...

Because I’m a piano enthusiast, my algorithm shows me endless “how to” videos. I see bebop lines, Bill Evans chord voicings, all manner of modes, tips and tricks. They are usually played and demonstrated too fast. This past year I became aware of Aimee Nolte through her many instructional videos, where she breaks down the fundamentals of improvisation concisely, without grandstanding or condescension. Having watched a few, I asked the revered pianist Josh Nelson if he was aware of Aimee...