Bobby Hutcherson: Thanks for the Good Vibes
Sean MurphyBobby Hutcherson was not just a major, and positive force for good in the jazz idiom, he was a genuine innovator. Before him, the vibraphone was largely considered a novelty…
Dave Brubeck, R.I.P.
Another great one goes away. (Read THIS.) We knew he wouldn't live forever, but damned if he didn't try. 91 years old. The first jazz musician to move a million…
A Week of Americana. Part Two: Mingus Ah Um
If we're going to talk about America, we've got to talk about Mingus. It's really that simple. As readers of this blog know, while I don't go out of my…
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…
Mingus Ah Um: An Open Letter to the 20th Century
1959 was, by any measure, a watershed year for jazz music. Some all-time great recordings were released during this year, including Kind Of Blue (Miles Davis), Giant Steps (John Coltrane),…