Owen McNally
ContributorOwen McNally writes the weekly Jazz Corridor column for WNPR.org as well as periodic freelance pieces for The Hartford Courant and other publications.
During his 40-year career as a writer and editor with the Courant, he was a general assignment reporter, covered the federal courts and the United States Attorney’s office in şŁ˝Ç»»ĆŢ; was night city editor, book editor, TV critic, editor of the Sunday Magazine, features writer, visual arts reporter, and jazz writer. For many years, he wrote the Riffs jazz column for the Courant’s CAL section.
McNally grew up in West Hartford, graduated from Hall High School, and with the exception of two years service in the U.S. Army, has lived all his life in şŁ˝Ç»»ĆŢ. A Hartford native and UConn graduate, he lives in West Hartford with his wife, Sheila. They have two grown children.
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Basking in warm, sentimental, adulatory acclaim, pianist Emery Austin Smith -- a high-energy octogenarian and one of the last great patriarchs of… -
At this moment, one of the hottest, rapidly rising young jazz singers is the phenomenal, 24-year-old Jazzmeia Horn, a life force on stage. She sets down… -
As much in the American grain as Aaron Copland, William Carlos Williams, or Emily Dickenson, the celebrated composer/orchestrator and conductor/bandleader… -
Before settling down and committing himself to jazz, blues, classical, and Brazilian music, the rising, young West Coast pianist/composer Danny Green… -
Whether you call it pushing the envelope, thinking outside the box, or just plain bending the rules, the boldly independent harpist and composer Brandee… -
What accounts for the ring of authenticity resonating through Giacomo Gates’ unaffected, yet affecting vocal craftsmanship is that the hipster, singer,… -
On Fred Hersch’s 2014 trio masterwork, Floating (Palmetto Records), the superb pianist/composer opens the session’s creative floodgates with "You and the… -
In a heart-wrenching, unforgettable performance, Thomas Chapin -- a gaunt, desperately ill, but still brilliant and resilient 40-year-old cutting-edge… -
A gifted young man with a horn, a vision, and a dream, saxophonist Mike Casey is in championship form for his “biggest gig yet as a leader” when he… -
Even if Javon Jackson were just jamming in a casual, one-night session with a mediocre, local house rhythm section, it would still be more than worthwhile…
