William Parker: The Inside Songs of Curtis Mayfield
Sean MurphyA Match Made in Heaven Turns Into a Near Miss This review should be prefaced by a simple acknowledgment: William Parker has few peers in contemporary music. For the better…
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…
If Two Jazz Fans Fight on the Internet, Does Anyone Hear It?
Kind of like two trees falling in the forest, right? Well, for anyone (and I mean "one") who may wonder what it sounds like when two jazz fans fight, here…
What’s It All About, Then? Part Two: Jazz, Featuring Wayne Shorter
There are not many people who have any idea what it's like to be this cool. Even Wayne Shorter does not know, because he is too cool to stop and…
Mostly Other People Do The Killing or, The Shape of Jazz To Come
Best band name ever? It has to be way up there. What makes it even better is that this is the name of a jazz band. A jazz band that…
Henry Threadgill: This Brings Us To, Volume 1
This is a difficult review to write, knowing that the folks who follow Henry Threadgill are likely already aware of (or in possession of) this new release—his first in eight…
“Radical Jewish Culture”, Redux
After my ardent endorsement of Rashanim (the great trio who have just released what may well be the best album of the year),…
Upfull Living Or, A Tale of Two Album Covers
Part One: Pharoah Sanders Maybe you have to be a Jazz aficionado to get excited by an album cover, but come on: How can you not love this? How can…
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),…
Remembering Max Roach
YouTube is Santa Claus, I'm a kid, and every day is Christmas. All I can say regarding the treasure trove of footage I just stumbled upon is: Oh.My.God. Max.Motherfucking.Roach.