Back when I was taking guitar lessons, my teacher turned me on to a whole pile of players like Jim Hall (my teacher was so into Hall that he actually attended a taping of the Merv Griffin just because Hall was in Griffin’s band), Gene Bertoncini and Howard Roberts. I’veRead More

The New York Times, in a recent piece, said celebrated young jazz bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding has “the potential to reinvigorate an entire genre.” To which, she replies: “No, it just needs better publicity.” You May Also Like: Uri Gurvich – Kinship (2018) Ginger Baker on His Passion for Jazz: SomethingRead More

“Why would you listen to this?” The question must have travelled through nearly everyone’s mind at some point upon hearing some seemingly offensive bit of music. You May Also Like: No related posts.

Coming off the magnificent All Wrapped Up, Jared Gold is back just under a year later with Golden Child. A program that alternates standards with his originals, Golden Child is another parade of Gold’s advanced B3 articulations. Whereas on Wrapped he delved more into knotty arrangements and modalisms atypical ofRead More

Ellis Marsalis would have had a sweeping impact as a musical innovator and longtime educator even if he hadn’t parented a series of famous jazz-playing sons.

In 2010, bassist extraordinaire William Parker quietly released an album of recordings called Uncle Joe’s Spirit House that put a different spin on organ jazz. You May Also Like: Brian Charette – ‘Power From The Air’ (2021) Brian Charette – Once & Future (2016)

Julian “Cannonball” Adderley is the undisputed leader on this date — the big-hearted, soul-lifting center of every song. But the proper focus here might just be on keyboardist Joe Zawinul You May Also Like: Cannonball Adderley – ‘Poppin’ in Paris: Live at L’Olympia 1972′ (2024) ‘Elegant People: A History ofRead More

Joe Jackson is promising a a decidedly unconventional salute to Ellington, hoping to highlight the timeless brilliance of his classic compositions even while showcasing Jackson’s own skills as an arranger, instrumentalist and vocal interpreter. You May Also Like: Joe Jackson’s Rain underscored a complete modern-era return to form Sacred andRead More

When I first started doing these articles I gave no thought as to the chronological order in which they occurred. You May Also Like: Dan Weiss Trio – ‘Dedication’ (2022) Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio – ‘Cold as Weiss’ (2022)

The Clash once had an album called Combat Rock, but William A. Thompson’s combat music called Baghdad Music Journal (2006) was hardly a figurative statement You May Also Like: Linda and Richard Thompson, “The Great Valerio” (1974): One Track Mind