Nov 20, 2010
Duane "Skydog" Allman, for my money the greatest guitar player ever to have picked up a six string, would have been 64 years old today. His death in 1971 as a result of a motorcycle accident cut short what surely would have been a long and prestigous career.
Instead, we are left with great memories, a few Allman...
Nov 19, 2010
Jazz recordings are sometimes graced with the phenomenon of the “one take”. Imagine getting a band together and running through a number, and having that first time through be so wonderful that no further attempts are made to modify or alter it. It doesn’t happen that often, and when it does its magic. Think of...
Nov 14, 2010
Autumn lingers on here in New England, with a hint of winter in early morning frost. The foliage in Western Massachusetts is well past its peak, meaning that most people are no longer oohing and ahhing, but rather cursing as the rake the leaves that have fallen.
Hence it’s time for a posting of “Autumn Leaves”.
Nov 14, 2010
….Featuring, a new release from Norah Jones on Blue Note due on Tuesday, allows us to take a look at Ms. Jones in her role as collaborator. Since before she emerged on the music scene with Come Away With Me in 2002, she has been in demand by musicians who seek vocalists to augment their band, or simply a good foil...
Nov 13, 2010
When Randy Weston takes the bandstand, people look up to him. This is not just because he stands six foot eight inches tall, and often dresses flamboyantly in the bright colors of the African continent. It’s also because at 84 years old, Weston has assumed the position of an elder statesman, an NEA Jazz Master, and a...