Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff

Last updated

Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff (born October 14, 1949, Northampton, Massachusetts, United States) is an American jazz and blues saxophonist, arranger, and record producer living in Austin, Texas. [1] [2]

Kazanoff has been nominated for multiple awards in the category of Horn Instrumentals, including an Austin Music Award in 1988, [3] a Grammy Award for Delbert McClinton's Live from Austin in 1989, [4] numerous Blues Music Awards, [5] [6] [7] and a Blues Foundation Award in 2016. [8]

Living in Chicago in his early twenties, Kazanoff was influenced by and played with jazz and blues musicians Big Walter Horton, Little Walter, James Cotton, Magic Sam, Hound Dog Taylor, Muddy Waters and Otis Rush. [9]

He joined the house band of Austin blues venue Antones in 1982, where he has performed for 35 years. [10] Kazanoff continues to play with local Texas musicians including Jimmie Vaughan, Marcia Ball, WC Clark, Red Young, Miss Lavelle White, and Anson Funderburgh.

In 2016, Kazanoff produced and played tenor sax on R&B singer Ina Forsman's self-titled debut album. [11] Other productions include Australian blues artist Fiona Boyes' Lucky 13 in 2006, [12] WC Clark's Deep in the Heart in 2004, [13] and Pat Boyack's record Voices from the Street, also in 2004. [14]

In 1997, Kazanoff started a three-piece horn section, the Texas Horns, with Al Gomez and John Mills. In 2015, the Texas Horns released their first album, Blues Gotta Holda Me, on the Vizztone Label. [15] Described as "a horn-driven, blues-drenched celebration," [16] the album includes WC Clark, Marcia Ball, Johnny Nicholas, Danny Levin, and Anson Funderburgh. [17] The Texas Horns have performed with American bands such as the Allman Brothers, and are featured at international festivals including The Ottawa Bluesfest, where they have been house band for over 15 years. [18] His current band, The Recuperators, includes guitarist Derek O'Brien and keyboard/vocalist Nick Connolly.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anson Funderburgh</span> American blues guitarist

Anson Funderburgh is an American blues guitar player and bandleader of Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets since 1978. Their style incorporates both Chicago blues and Texas blues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Collins</span> American blues guitarist and singer

Albert Gene Drewery, known as Albert Collins and the Ice Man, was an American electric blues guitarist and singer with a distinctive guitar style. He was noted for his powerful playing and his use of altered tunings and a capo. His long association with the Fender Telecaster led to the title "The Master of the Telecaster".

Kim Wilson American blues singer and harmonica player

Kim Wilson is an American blues singer and harmonica player. He is best known as the lead vocalist and frontman for the Fabulous Thunderbirds on two hit songs of the 1980s, "Tuff Enuff" and "Wrap It Up."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clifford Antone</span>

Clifford Antone was the founder of the eponymous Austin blues club Antone's and independent record label Antone's Records and Tapes, as well as a mentor to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Kim Wilson, Gary Clark, Jr. and numerous other musicians. He is the nephew of Jalal Antone, the founder of the Houston-based Antone's Import Co - known for its po-boy sandwiches.

Toni Price

Toni Price is an American country blues singer from Austin, Texas, United States.

Black Top Records was an American, New Orleans, Louisiana-based independent record label, founded in 1981 by brothers Nauman S. Scott, III and Hammond Scott. The label specialized in blues and R&B music. The first release was "Talk To You By Hand" by Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets. The artist roster included Earl King, Snooks Eaglin, Lee Rocker, Guitar Shorty, and Robert Ward, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JW-Jones</span> Musical artist

JW-Jones is a Canadian blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and band leader. He is a Juno Award nominee (2015), Billboard magazine Top 10 Selling artist, and winner of the International Blues Challenge for "Best Self-Produced CD Award" for his release 'High Temperature' in 2017 and Best Guitarist in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lou Ann Barton</span> American blues singer

Lou Ann Barton is an American blues singer based in Austin, Texas since the 1970s. AllMusic noted that "The grace, poise, and confidence she projects on-stage is part of a long tradition for women blues singers".

Johnny Moeller American guitarist (born 1970)

Johnny Moeller is an American guitarist, currently with The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omar & the Howlers</span> American blues band

Omar & the Howlers is a Texas based electric blues and blues rock band, The original Howlers was formed in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1973. Three years later they moved to Austin, Texas. The band has regularly toured European countries. Led by singer/guitarist Omar Dykes, they are best known for the 1987 album Hard Times in the Land of Plenty which sold over half a million copies and whose title song was a top 20 hit in America.

Ruthie Foster American blues musician, singer, and songwriter

Ruthie Cecelia Foster is an American singer-songwriter of blues and folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. She has often been compared to Bonnie Raitt and Aretha Franklin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Clark Jr.</span> American musician (born 1984)

Gary Lee Clark Jr. is an American musician from Austin, Texas. He is known for his fusion of blues, rock and soul music with elements of hip hop. In 2011, Clark signed with Warner Bros Records and released The Bright Lights EP. It was followed by the albums Blak and Blu (2012) and The Story of Sonny Boy Slim (2015). Throughout his career, Clark has been a prolific live performer, which has been documented in two releases: Gary Clark Jr. Live (2014) and Gary Clark Jr Live/North America (2017). He has shared the stage with Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, B.B. King and the Rolling Stones. In 2014, Clark was awarded a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B performance for the song "Please Come Home". His latest album, This Land, was released in 2019. In 2020, he won the Grammy Award for "Best Rock Song" and "Best Rock Performance" for the song "This Land" from his album of the same name.

Seth Walker American singer

Seth Walker is an American electric blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He has released 10 albums to date, the most recent entitled Are You Open? (2019). Walker's musical genres include Americana, blues and jazz.

Finis Tasby was a Los Angeles based blues singer and frontman for the group The Mannish Boys.

<i>Living with Your Ghost</i> 2018 studio album by Kara Grainger

Living with Your Ghost is the fourth solo studio album by United States-based blues rock singer/songwriter/guitarist from Australia, Kara Grainger. It was released on 1 June 2018.

Amanda Fish is an American blues singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Her 2018 album, Free, debuted at number 6 in the Billboard Blues Albums Chart. At the 40th Blues Music Awards, it was named the Best Emerging Artist Album.

The Ragpicker String Band is a Memphis, Tennessee-based folk-blues trio consisting of Rich DelGrosso (mandolin), Mary Flower (guitar), and Martin Grosswendt. They released their self-titled debut album in 2015 on Yellow Dog Records. The album was mixed by Stuart Sullivan at Wire Recording in Austin, Texas, and produced by Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff. It was nominated for Best Acoustic Album of the Year at the 2016 Blues Music Awards.

Tommy Taylor is an American musician, vocalist and songwriter, who is best known for being a touring and recording member with Christopher Cross and Eric Johnson.

<i>Juke Box Music</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Doug Sahm

Juke Box Music is an album by singer Doug Sahm released by Antone's Record Label in January 1989. Sahm returned to Austin, Texas in 1988 after living and experiencing success with his music in Sweden and Canada. Upon his return, Sahm started to perform at the Austin night club Antone's. The owner of the club, Clifford Antone signed him to his independent record label.

References

  1. ↑ Govenar, Alan (2008). Texas blues : the rise of a contemporary sound. College Station: Texas A & M University Press. pp. 233–240. ISBN   978-1-58544-605-6 . Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  2. ↑ Gatchet, Roger. "Talking the Blues: An Oral History of Blues Musicians in Austin, TX, with Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff". Baylor University Institute for Oral History. Baylor University. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  3. ↑ "Austin Music Awards 1988". The Austin Chronicle. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  4. ↑ Komara, Edward (2006). Encyclopedia of the blues. New York, NY [u.a.]: Routledge. p. 666. ISBN   0-415-92699-8 . Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  5. ↑ "2000 W.C. Handy Blues Award Nominations". Deltaboogie.com. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  6. ↑ "2002 W.C. Handy Blues Awards". Jazzinternet.com. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  7. ↑ "24th Annual W.C. Handy Blues Awards Nominees". Billboard. 2003. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  8. ↑ "Blues Foundation Awards and Nominees". The Blues Foundation. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  9. ↑ Mac, David. "A Conversation with Kaz". Blues Junction Productions. Blues Junction Productions. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  10. ↑ "Antone's Announces Opening of New Venue Space on New Years Eve - 365 Things to Do in Austin, TX". 365 Things to Do in Austin, TX. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  11. ↑ Gunther, Marty. "Ina Forsman | Album Review". Blues Blast Magazine. Blues Blast Magazine. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  12. ↑ "Fiona Boyes and the Fortune Tellers - LUCKY 13". Stlblues.net. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  13. ↑ Paoletta, Michael (10 July 2004). "Billboard Picks: W.C. Clark". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 116 (28): 50. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  14. ↑ "Pat Boyack - Doc Blues Records". Doc Blues Records. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "Blues Gotta Holda Me Album Release". Vizztone Records.
  16. ↑ Trachtenberg, Jay. "Blues Gotta Holda Me - Review". The Austin Chronicle. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  17. ↑ Mitchell, John. "The Texas Horns – Blues Gotta Holda Me | Album Review". Blues Blast Magazine. Blues Blast Magazine. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  18. ↑ Yung, Ben. "Ottawa Revue, RBC Bluesfest Revue". The Revue. The Revue. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.