He was nicknamed Bird and he soared in his music – if not in his life. For the centenary of the saxophonist who redefined jazz, today’s players reveal how his dizzying speed and spirituality changed their lives. Dip in and out HERE
Jazz
Jazz music
Found 437 results
It was the legendary Louisiana musician Dr John who memorably described James Booker as “the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced”. Though Booker – who died from hard living in 1983 at the age of 43 – would have undoubtedly approved of the description, it does diminish his musical stature […]
Kelly Hughes writes: George Duke is a multi Grammy Award winning legend. So, when I called him to get a few quick quotes for my France Joli interview (he produced her album ‘Witch Of Love’) I quickly realized I needed to milk this conversation for all it was worth. Duke is a musician’s musician with […]
Manfred Eicher discusses his genre-defying label ECM, home of Keith Jarrett, Arvo Pärt and priceless recordings of free jazz greats. On 9 July Manfred Eicher will be 70. He does not look his age, more like an amiable ascetic with a tidy moustache, medium-length grey hair, dressed in a shirt and jeans. Not a […]
I received this from our guest Jazz writer Tony Andrews (aka Dr. Jazz) who quite correctly puts the music first and the equipment second, and has a knowledge of jazz performers, recordings and performances that is excellent. And he’s a good bloke too! Anyway …….. “I read your newsletter and I agree with the Play […]
Me, as part of an audience: I’m not talking here about the performer turning up on time, or indeed not turning up at all. Actually what I have in mind is more prosaic than that! I tend wherever and whenever possible to attend live music. Among many other genres such as classical, folk-rock and grunge […]
First published November 2013 From this Friday, jazz enjoys its annual moment in the spotlight as the London Jazz Festival kicks off around the capital – but while the two-week event attracts mainstream publicity and popular audiences, the genre at large is in trouble. Audiences are down every-where – even at Ronnie Scott’s in Soho, […]
Contributing editor Tony Andrews writes ….. “For jazz lovers who marginalise streaming and downloads, this place is somewhere between a shrine and a temple” When Howard Popeck asked me if I would write a series of articles about Hidden Treasures in Music or possibly related subjects I thought he was very brave as I’m very […]
Contemporary jazz icon Keilo Matsui began playing piano at the age of five. With sales of over 1.2 million units in the U.S. and sold-out appearances at concert halls across the world, she is one of the most recognized artists in the genre. In addition to being the first Japanese artist to top Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart, she […]
Welcome to Tony’s (Jazz) Treasure trove; a regular series of posts on a subject he knows well. He’s on a mission to shine a light on superb performers who are often unknown and shouldn’t be! Self-confessed jazz fanatic Tony Andrews writes … One of the pleasures I still manage in my senior years is […]
First published in 2017 Jazz editor Tony Andrews writes: The London Jazz Festival is nearly upon us once again and the vast range of concerts available is quite mind-blowing. With a Jazz Festival of this size and importance there will obviously be overlapping concerts which is going to cause many a headache. I gave up […]
Larry Coryell, solo acoustic, Little Center, Clark University, Worchester MA June 23, 1976. By 1976 Larry Coryell was firmly established as one of America’s most accomplished and innovative electric guitarists, and a pioneer of jazz-rock / fusion. However, he was equally talented on the acoustic guitar, as this superb solo live set indicates. Taped for […]
Get all the details HERE
ALLMUSIC: In July 1973, New York’s Blue Note Records assembled an artists showcase for Switzerland’s Montreux Jazz Festival. The performers included Bobbi Humphrey, Bobby Hutcherson, Ronnie Foster, Marlena Shaw, and Donald Byrd. Following the gigs, the label released a series of albums from them with the same title: Live: Cookin’ with Blue Note at Montreux. […]
An NME encounter with the great trumpeter in 1985 MORE
Here is an extract from a fine piece by Chris May: The New Orleans cornetist Buddy Bolden—active in the early 1900s—won his reputation as a founding father of jazz without leaving any recorded evidence of his talent. His epoch-shaping stature is based entirely on folklore, the testimony of a few contemporaries, and a handful of […]
Details HERE
“Classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein and country-folk singer Tift Merritt have collaborated on a joint album called Night — and it’s a triumph of creative risk” – writes Martin Chilton of The Guardian. Musical collaborations can sometimes be tired sparring sessions, but classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein and folk-country singer-songwriter Tift Merritt have worked on an album, […]
From 2011 but still relevant, useful and interesting Details HERE
The Complete Art Pepper at Ronnie Scott’s 1980′ (7xLP box set including 16 page booklet) (Including seventeen performances previously unavailable along with all the tracks on the two Mole Jazz albums Blues For The Fisherman and True Blues) “Art Pepper was booked to appear at Ronnie Scott’s during the last two weeks of June 1980 […]