Ten Songs For Myself
Sean MurphyEight years ago today. I'm sure anyone who has lost a parent (or heaven forbid, a child) can understand that when this happens it becomes a line of demarcation: your…
Ten Songs For My Mother
Happy birthday, mama. Stevie Wonder, "You are the Sunshine of my Life": John Coltrane, "Naima": Booker Little, "Strength and Sanity": Janis Ian, "Tea and Sympathy": Abdullah Ibrahim, "Water…
Here’s The Thing… (Revisited)
In the late summer of 1982, two distinct entities from outer space infiltrated planet earth. One was a prehistoric creature with the ability to kill, then imitate its prey: it…
Don’t Let Them Fool Ya…
Not much to add here (other than a h/t to my boy Jamie, who passed it along).
Jason Moran (and Monk)
Over at PopMatters Will Layman has a great piece on pianist Jason Moran. Highly recommended. It also includes a wonderful video where Moran talks about his relationship with the music…
Hey Gibson, Let’s Talk Guitar Albums
Okay. Gibson (the fine folks who bring us some of our best guitars) has recently announced their selections of what they deem the Top 50 Guitar Albums ever. Now, as…
Daniel Bard: Sports Porn
Describing what music sounds like is difficult enough. Trying to articulate what Daniel Bard is capable of doing with a baseball is pretty much impossible. Fortunately, a picture is worth…
Essential Performance: Gene Hackman in ‘The Conversation’*
Harry Caul is a man less concerned with the answers to uneasy questions than the questions themselves. He is a well-regarded surveillance specialist; a self-employed spy who builds his own…
Sue Mingus and the Mingus Big Band: Letting Our Children Hear Music
The Mingus Big Band is bigger than most big bands because they play the music of Charles Mingus. Of the many words one could use to describe Mingus, (and one…
Forever Never Changes: Remembering Arthur Lee
Arthur Lee died almost exactly four years ago (August 3, 2006). I not only am keen to remember --and celebrate-- his life and work, I also appreciate the fact that…