When Billy Bang walked into a Helsinki studio in February of 2011 with trombonist Dick Griffin, pianist Andrew Bemkey, bassist Hilliard Greene and drummer Newman Taylor-Baker, he would be recording for the last time. You May Also Like: Matthew Shipp Trio – ‘World Construct’ (2022)

Here’s a look back in tribute to some of the notable figures in music who died in 2011, broken down by the month in which they passed. You May Also Like: Jackson Browne’s ‘Hold Out’ Was Both Successful, and a Notable Stumble Natalie and Zachary Wilksch, “Can’t Get Your FaceRead More

Billy Bang left us six months ago, but we’re not quite done with new additions to his catalog. You May Also Like: Satoko Fujii and Joe Fonda – Mizu (2018) Barry Altschul & The 3Dom Factor – Live In Kraków (2015)

by Mark Saleski It can be a tough thing to witness an aging musician head toward (or past) the point of no return. You May Also Like: East Axis [Matthew Shipp, Allen Lowe, Kevin Ray + Gerald Cleaver’ – ‘Cool With That’ (2021)

The jazz world suffered a significant loss Monday with the passing of violinist Billy Bang. Reportedly afflicted with lung cancer, Bang, born William Vincent Walker, was 63 years old. Given his stage name from friends as a youth, a name taken from a cartoon character, Bang’s life was anything butRead More

Rhys Chatham: The Man With The Horns. Many, many horns. It might be only the third Stacks so far this year, but it’s a much overdue one. There’s a whopping seven 2011 releases discussed here You May Also Like: Rhys Chatham – Pythagorean Dream (2016) Michel Petrucciani, with Gary PeacockRead More

by S. Victor Aaron It’s not that hard to discern the message behind the title of Billy Bang’s brand new album Prayer For Peace. And just in case you’re not sure, Bang clarifies beyond all doubt in the liner notes: We do not need war, any kind of war, especiallyRead More