Jul 31, 2014
“I'd put him on the Mount Rushmore of New Orleans drummers, along with Smokey Johnson, Johnny Vidacovich and Herlin Riley." -- George Ingmire, DJ, WWOZ New Orleans.
Idris Muhammad, one of the most versatile and funky drummers of the past fifty years, has died at the age of 74. His cause of death has not yet been...
Jul 27, 2014
The Newport Jazz Festival, the multi-day jazz festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The venerable festival was established in 1954 by socialite Elaine Lorillard, who, together with husband Louis Lorillard, financed the festival for many years. The couple hired...
Jul 23, 2014
With his participation in the Bill Warfield Big Band’s Trumpet Story, the legendary trumpeter Randy Brecker continues a series of fine guest recordings with large ensembles. Since his Grammy winning Randy in Brasil CD in 2008, he has continually made recordings with ensembles as varied as the Danish Radio Big Band and...
Jul 18, 2014
My wife Nancy celebrates her birthday today, so it's time for my annual posting of a version of the song "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)". This year the track comes from Kurt Elling's album, Dedicated to You, a tribute to the collaboration of Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane.
Since my old blog site has disappeared...
Jul 15, 2014
For me, the piano trio is the most consistently artistic expression of jazz music being made. Perhaps I feel this way having being musically raised with the chamber music overtones of Bill Evans and the considered swing of Ahmad Jamal and Oscar Peterson. The idea of musical counterpoint and instrumental support –...