Young but Yearly Growing
he 15th annual Winter Jazzfest in New York opened on Friday, Jan. 4 at Le Poisson Rouge with “Thing Called Life: Prince Reimagined,” a concert by the festival’s artist-in-residence Meshell Ndegeocello. It was a risky move, for it recalled the bad old days when the Kool Jazz Festival toured the nation with such headliners as Gladys Knight, War, and Roberta Flack—fine artists but not true jazz acts. Much like George Gershwin and Frank Sinatra, Prince and Ndegeocello aren’t true jazz acts either, but they have real connections to our music—both as absorbers and influencers—and this kickoff show successfully opened a window on the
