Recent Links :: 29 January 2013

• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong's 1933 recording of "I've Got the World on a String" at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong. (The song is on the album, The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, which is available from Amazon.com.)
• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong's recording of "I've Gotta Right to Sing the Blues" at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong. (The song is on the album, The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, which is available from Amazon.com.)
• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong's 1933 recording of "Sittin' in the Dark" at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong. (The song is on the album, The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, which is available from Amazon.com.)

• Art Blakey: John Weatherman discusses the Art Blakey album, A Night in Tunisia, at the head in. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John Coltrane: According to All About Jazz, the Preservation Alliance has been awarded a planning grant from the Heritage Philadelphia Program of the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage to revitalize the John Coltrane House in North Philadelphia.
• John Coltrane: Open Culture shares John Coltrane's naval reserve enlistment mugshot from 1945.
• Miles Davis: John Kelman reviews the album, Miles Davis Quintet: Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bill Evans: NPR Music features the rebroadcast of a 1979 "Piano Jazz" episode with Bill Evans.
• Wayne Shorter: At NPR Music, Patrick Jarenwattananon reviews the new Wayne Shorter album, Without a Net. John Kelman reviews that album at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 25 January 2013

• Mose Allison: NPR's A Blog Supreme provides a broadcast from the 2013 NEA Jazz Masters Award Concert, at which singer-songwriter Mose Allison, saxophonist Lou Donaldson, Village Vanguard owner Lorraine Gordon, and pianist Eddie Palmieri were honored.
• Dave Brubeck: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses the 1959 Dave Brubeck album, Southern Scene. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Chick Corea: New Jazz United shares a clip of Chick Corea's "Children's Song No. 6," from the album, Chick Corea Solo Piano: Originals. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Keith Jarrett: John Kelman reviews the Keith Jarrett album, Hymns/Spheres, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Art Tatum: New Jazz United shares a clip of Art Tatum and Ben Webster's "My One And Only Love," from the album, Art Tatum – Ben Webster: The Album. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• McCoy Tyner: At NPR's A Blog Supreme, Patrick Jarenwattananon interviews singer Jose James about touring with pianist McCoy Tyner.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 21 January 2013

• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong's marijuana use at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong.
• John Coltrane: Tim Niland reviews the John Coltrane album, The Very Best of John Coltrane: The Prestige Era, at Music and More. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bill Evans: New United Jazz shares a clip of the Miles Davis Sextet (with Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane, and Bill Evans) playing "Two Bass Hit" at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. ("Two Bass Hit" is available on the album, Miles & Monk at Newport, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• Keith Jarrett, Sonny Rollins: Nominees for the Jazz FM Awards 2013 have been announced, according to All About Jazz. Among the nominees are:
  • Sonny Rollins for International Jazz Artist of the Year
  • Keith Jarrett's album, Sleeper, for Album of the Year (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 17 January 2013

• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi discusses the 1938 Louis Armstrong recording, "Unbelievable," at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong. ("Unbelievable" is on the album, "The Complete Decca Recordings of Louis Armstrong, 1935-1946," which is available from Amazon.com.)
• Dave Brubeck: The February 2013 issue of Downbeat has a cover story on the late Dave Brubeck.
• Miles Davis: Miles Davis Online reports on the latest developments — or lack thereof — in the Miles Davis biopic.
• Duke Ellington: Terry Teachout writes about finishing the first draft of his biography of Duke Ellington at About Last Night.
• Charles Mingus: John Weatherman discusses what he calls the flaws and glories of the album, Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert, at NextBop. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Joe Pass: On January 13, his birthday, Joe Pass was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Joe Pass

Jazz guitarist Joe Pass (1929-1994) was born on January 13, 1929, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He picked up the guitar after seeing actor Gene Autry's portrayal of a guitar-playing cowboy.

Pass had, as Len Lyons puts it, "a prodigious dexterity, an encyclopedic harmonic knowledge, and a driving sense of swing."  New York Magazine noted that "There is a certain purity to his sound that makes him stand out easily from other first-rate jazz guitarists."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Joe Pass album, Virtuoso (Pablo), which is available on CD from Amazon.com.

Pass plays "All the Things You Are" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 11 January 2013

• Louis Armstrong: Open Culture shares a video of Louis Armstrong and His All Stars playing a live show in Antwerp, Belgium in 1959.
• Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett: Among the top 20 albums in Rhapsody's second annual Jazz Critics' Poll were:
  • Chick Corea and Gary Burton, Hot House. (Available from Amazon.com.)
  • Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson, and Jon Christensen, Sleeper. (Available from Amazon.com.)
• Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Charles Mingus, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell: Among the top 10 reissues in Rhapsody's second annual Jazz Critics' Poll were:
  • Duke Ellington, The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection 1951-58. (Available from Amazon.com.)
  • Coleman Hawkins, Classic Sessions 1922-1947. (Available from Mosaic Records.)
  • Charles Mingus, The Jazz Workshop Concerts: 1964-65. (Voted # 1 reissue and available from Mosaic Records.)
  • Charles Mingus, The Complete Columbia and RCA Albums Collection. (Available from Amazon.com.)
  • The Quintet (Charlie Parker / Dizzy Gillespie / Bud Powell / Max Roach / Charles Mingus), Jazz at Massey Hall. (Available from Amazon.com.)
• Charles Mingus: New United Jazz shares a clip of Charles Mingus and Max Roach playing "Percussion Discussion," from the 1955 album Mingus At The Bohemia. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 10 January 2013

• Dave Brubeck: John Blake writes about Dave Brubeck's contributions, particularly to civil rights, at CNN.
• Miles Davis: Miles Davis Online notes that Miles is featured in Marc Myers's new book, Why Jazz Happened. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter: Among the albums that Patrick Jarenwattananon lists in his article, "15 Jazz Albums To Look Out For In 2013," at NPR's A Blog Supreme, are:
  • Miles Davis, Live In Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
  • Wayne Shorter, Without A Net. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Dizzy Gillespie: New Jazz United shares a video of Dizzy Gillespie's Big Band playing "Cubano Be, Cubano Bop" in New York in 1947.
• Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter: According to All About Jazz, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter have been named distinguished professors at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music.
• Wayne Shorter: Peter Hum includes the Wayne Shorter Quartet's album, Without A Net, in his list of "Seven Jazz Discs to Savour in Early 2013" at the Ottawa Citizen. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 7 January 2013

• Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett: Among the top five historical jazz recordings of 2012 at Culture Catch were:
  • Miles Davis Quintet, Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series, vol. 1. (Available from Amazon.com.)
  • Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson, and Jon Christensen, Sleeper: Tokyo, April 16, 1979. (Available from Amazon.com.)
• Bill Evans, Coleman Hawkins, Charles Mingus, Wes Montgomery: David Brent Johnson lists the best historical releases of 2012 at Night Lights. These include:
  • Bill Evans, Live At Art D'Lugoff's Top Of The Gate (Available from Amazon.com.)
  • Coleman Hawkins, Classic Coleman Hawkins Sessions 1922-47 (Available from Mosaic Records.)
  • Charles Mingus, 1964-65 Jazz Workshop Concerts (Available from Mosaic Records.)
  • Wes Montgomery, Echoes Of Indiana Avenue (Available from Amazon.com.)
• Dizzy Gillespie: Brilliant Corners shares a video of Dizzy Gillespie's 1945 recording of "I Can't Get Started" and includes words to accompany the solo.
• Art Tatum: New Jazz United shared a clip of Art Tatum playing "Where or When" with saxophonist Ben Webster. (From the album Art Tatum, Ben Webster: The Album, available from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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RIP, Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993)

Jazz trumpeter John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (1917-1993) died of pancreatic cancer on January 6, 1993, in Englewood, New Jersey. He is buried in the Flushing Cemetery, Queens, New York.

Gillespie was one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time and the intellectual force behind bebop. His brilliant solo lines, showmanship, and ability to communicate with his audiences made him perhaps the greatest single force in leading the public to accept bebop.

Wynton Marsalis said of Gillespie, "Dizzy was so quick-minded, he could create an endless flow of ideas at unusually fast tempi. Nobody had ever even considered playing a trumpet that way, let alone had actually tried. All the musicians respected him because, in addition to outplaying everyone, he knew so much and was so generous with that knowledge..."

Gillespie and his band play "One Note Samba," here:

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two of Gillespie's albums:

• In the Beginning (Prestige). This album is only available in vinyl, but Jim Determan recommends as an alternative, Shaw Nuff (Discovery), which has all but one cut from In the Beginning. (Purchase the CD, Shaw Nuff, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• The Original Dizzy Gillespie Big Band: In Concert (GNP), which is available on CD. (Purchase the CD, The Original Dizzy Gillespie Big Band: In Concert, at Amazon.com.)
  

Robert
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Recent Links :: 5 January 2013

• Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Weather Report: Among the top 20 reissues in the 7th Annual Jazz Critics Poll at Hullworks were:
  • Louis Armstrong, Satchmo at Symphony Hall 65th Anniversary: The Complete Performances. (Available from Amazon.com.)
  • Duke Ellington, The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection 1951-1958. (Available from Amazon.com.)
  • Coleman Hawkins, Classic Sessions 1922-1947. (Available from Mosaic Records.)
  • Charles Mingus, The Jazz Workshop Concerts: 1964-65. (Available from Mosaic Records.)
  • Charles Mingus, The Complete Columbia & RCA Albums Collection. (Available at Amazon.com.)
  • Thelonious Monk, The Complete Columbia Studio Albums Collection. (Available at Amazon.com.)
  • The Quintet, Jazz at Massey Hall. (Available from Amazon.com.)
  • Weather Report, The Complete Columbia Albums, 1971-1975. (Available at Amazon.com.)
• Dave Brubeck: Jack Bowers remembers the late Dave Brubeck at All About Jazz.
• Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett: Among the top 20 new albums in the 7th Annual Jazz Critics Poll at Hullworks were:
  • Chick Corea and Gary Burton, Hot House. (Available from Amazon.com.)
  • Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson, and Jon Christensen, Sleeper. (Available from Amazon.com.)
• Bill Evans: New Jazz United shared a clip of Bill Evans playing "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life," from the 1974 album, Blue in Green. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John McLaughlin: On his birthday (January 4), John McLaughlin was honored as the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Robert
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RIP, Charles Mingus (1922-1979)

Jazz bassist Charles Mingus (1922-1979) died on January 5, 1979, in Cuernavaca, Mexico, following complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). He was 56 years old. His ashes were scattered in the Ganges River.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons calls Mingus a "crucial" transitional figure between modern jazz and free jazz and attributes the power of his music "to his mastery of a wide range of emotions."

In his book, Lyons recommends two of Mingus's albums:

• The Charlie Mingus Jazz Workshop/Stormy Weather (Barnaby). Unfortunately, this album is not available on CD, and so Jim Determan recommends instead Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus (Candid), which contains about half of the Barnaby album. Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus is available on CD from Amazon.com.
  
• Passions of a Man (Atlantic). Available on CD from Amazon.com.
  

Mingus and his quintet play "Flowers For A Lady" here:

Robert
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Happy Birthday, John McLaughlin

British jazz guitarist John McLaughlin was born on January 4, 1942, in Doncaster, England. He turns 71 today.

McLaughlin is a highly regarded guitarist — no less than Jeff Beck called him "the best guitarist alive." McLaughlin worked with Miles Davis on his landmark electric jazz-fusion albums In A Silent Way and Bitches Brew before forming his own Mahavishnu Orchestra in the 1970s.  In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons notes that "The Mahavishnu Orchestra, led by the British guitar virtuoso John McLaughlin, proved that challenging improvisation and precise interplay among group members was entirely compatible with the high-energy, high-decibel sound of hard rock."

Lyons recommends McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra's album, The Inner Mounting Flame (Columbia), which he describes as an album of "compelling urgency and enthusiasm." The CD is available from Barnes & Noble.

The Mahavishnu Orchestra plays "One Word" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 2 January 2013

• Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi shares links to audio clips from four of Louis Armstrong's New Year's Eve broadcasts at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong.
• Art Blakey: the head in discusses the Hank Mobley album, Soul Station, which featured Art Blakey on drums. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Dave Brubeck: The Dave Brubeck Quartet's album, Their Last Time Out, was a runner-up in the voting for Top Historical Release in the 2012 Readers Poll at JazzTimes. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Chick Corea: Chick Corea was voted Best Keyboardist of the Year in the 2012 Readers Poll at JazzTimes. Corea was also a runner-up for Best Pianist.
• Bill Evans: The Bill Evans album, Live at Art D’Lugoff’s Top of the Gate, was voted Top Historical Release in the 2012 Readers Poll at JazzTimes. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Herbie Hancock: Herbie Hancock was voted Best Pianist of the Year in the 2012 Readers Poll at JazzTimes. Hancock was also a runner-up for Best Electronic Keyboardist.
• Keith Jarrett: The Keith Jarrett album, Sleeper: Tokyo, April 16, 1979, was a runner-up in the voting for Top Historical Release in the 2012 Readers Poll at JazzTimes. Jarrett was also a runner-up for Best Pianist. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wes Montgomery: The Wes Montgomery album, Echoes of Indiana Avenue, was a runner-up in the voting for Top Historical Release in the 2012 Readers Poll at JazzTimes. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Airto Moreira: Airto Moreira was a runner-up for Best Percussionist of the Year in the 2012 Readers Poll at JazzTimes.
• Sonny Rollins: Sonny Rollins was voted Artist of the Year and Best Tenor Saxophone in the 2012 Readers Poll at JazzTimes.
• Wayne Shorter: The Wayne Shorter Quartet was voted Acoustic Group of the Year in the 2012 Readers Poll at JazzTimes. Shorter was also voted Best Soprano Saxophone and was a runner-up for Best Tenor Saxophone.

Robert
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RIP, Erroll Garner (1921-1977)

Jazz pianist Erroll Garner died of cancer on January 2, 1977, in Los Angeles.  He is buried in Pittsburgh's Homewood Cemetery.

 As critic Scott Yanow notes, Garner was a "brilliant virtuoso who sounded unlike anyone else." Garner's best-known composition, "Misty," is a jazz standard.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Garner's album, Concert by the Sea, which he calls "the steadiest selling jazz album in history." The album is available on CD from Amazon.com.

Garner plays "Misty" here:

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Milt Jackson

Jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson was born on January 1, 1923, in Detroit, Michigan.  Jackson is best known as a member — and, according to Len Lyons, the "showpiece" — of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

As Lyons notes, Jackson was "a spontaneous player and personality" and was "'emotionally contrapuntal' to the austere, restrained [John] Lewis."  In fact, the differences between Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

Jackson is highlighted here at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival in 1986 on his composition, "Bags' Groove":

Robert
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