Yusef Lateef: R.I.P., Gentle Giant (Revisited)
Sean MurphyWe have lost one of the great, indeed one of the greatest, ones. Yusef Lateef, aged 93 years young, was finally stopped by cancer on December 23. I say "finally"…
Butch Warren, R.I.P. (Two Years Later)
I know I sound like a broken record on these occasions but the simple fact of the matter is this: there are artists leaving our planet who can't --and in…
A Century of Sound (in under 4 minutes)
Sun Ra 1968 "Pleasant Twilight" from the wonderfully titled My Brother The Wind, Vol. 2. Duke Ellington on acid? Yes, and a lot more. It slams out of the gate…
10 for NYC by 10, on 9/11
New York City would be unimaginable without jazz, and vice versa. Here then is a tribute for --and by-- several musicians who help define and celebrate the cultural mecca of…
Charlie Haden R.I.P. (Revisited)
1959 was a watershed year for jazz music (arguably the greatest single year for jazz in all history–which is saying a lot). Here’s a taste: Miles Davis Kind of Blue,…
Talking Jive, Mingus and John Goodman
Today is the day. For John Goodman, that is. And for you, if you are inclined to check out his new book, Jive-Colored Glasses: A Jazz Memoir. And you should…
Ornette Coleman and The First Day of the Rest of My Life (Revisited)
Topic: The Album You'd Give Anything To Hear Again for The First Time I still remember everything about it. Fall semester, senior year. The more I learned at college, the…
Beauty is a Rare Thing: Celebrating International Jazz Day (Revisited)
All hope is not lost. At least enough people are still making --and listening to-- jazz that we can even attempt to initiate what hopefully becomes an ongoing occasion. In…
Happy Birthday Chazz: Mingus at 93
Today would have been (and, still is) Charles Mingus's 93rd birthday. I've written about him often and I'll continue to write about him, not only because he is one of…
Now’s The Time, A Short Story (Part Five)
The life and times of a minor jazz legend are recounted through his narrated memories. In this fictional treatment of jazz music in the mid-to-late 20th century, issues of race,…