Happy Birthday, Wayne Shorter

Jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter was born on August 25, 1933, in Newark, New Jersey. Shorter is regarded by many as the greatest living composer in jazz and has won 9 Grammy Awards. He worked with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in the late 1950s, Miles Davis's second quintet in the 1960s, and Weather Report in the 1970s.

Critic Richard S. Ginell describes Shorter's style as a "more succinct manner on tenor sax, retaining the tough tone quality and intensity and, in later years, adding an element of funk."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the following recordings that include Shorter:

• Miles Davis: Miles Smiles (Buy at Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (Buy at Amazon.com.)
• V.S.O.P.: The Quintet (Buy at Amazon.com.)
• Weather Report: 8:30 (Buy at Amazon.com.)

Shorter plays "Footprints" with Herbie Hancock on piano here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 12 July 2015

Louis Armstrong: The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong discusses Armstrong's 1970 birthday celebration in Newport.

Art Blakey: Night Lights features a podcast about Art Blakey's 1957 band, which included saxophonists Jackie McLean and Johnny Griffin, as well as trumpeter Bill Hardman.

Clifford Brown: All About Jazz announces "Brownie Speaks at Newport," an event planned for July 30, on the eve of the Newport Jazz Festival to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Brown's performance at that festival.

John Coltrane: Night Lights features a podcast about John Coltrane's 1957, the year that he kicked his drug and alcohol addictions and made his first recordings as a leader.

Erroll Garner: Eric R. Danton reviews the Erroll Garner album, The Complete Concert By the Sea, at The Wall Street Journal. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Thelonious Monk: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Thelonious Monk Quintet playing "Think of One." (The song is available on the album, The Complete Prestige Recordings, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Jaco Pastorius: New Jazz United shares a video of Jaco Pastorius and Toots Thielemans playing "Sophisticated Lady" at a 1982 New York City concert.

Sonny Rollins: According to JazzTimes, Sonny Rollins will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jazz Foundation of America.

Sonny Rollins: Night Lights shares a podcast about Sonny Rollins and 2957, the year he recorded the iconic album, A Night at the Village Vanguard. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Wayne Shorter: At MacSparky, David Sparks discusses Wayne Shorter's song, "Witchcraft," from the 1966 album, Speak No Evil. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 18 June 2015

Ornette Coleman: More sites remember the late jazz icon Ornette Coleman. These include:

• Dark Forces Swing Blind Punches
• In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond
• JazzWax
• medici.tv
• No Sound Left Behind — Part One and Part Two
• The Paris Review
• The Wall Street Journal
• Zeal Jazz & Cabaret News & Reviews

John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter: The 19th annual Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards have been announced. Winners include:

• Best Liner Notes of the Year: John Coltrane, Offering: Live at Temple, U(Resonance)by Ashley Kahn. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Keyboards player of the Year: Chick Corea.
• Historical Record of the Year: Miles Davis, Miles at the Fillmore: Miles Davis Bootleg Series Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Book of the Year: Herbie Hancock: Possibilities by Herbie Hancock, with Lisa Dickey. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
• Midsize Ensemble of the Year: Wayne Shorter Quartet.

Miles Davis: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the town of Alton will unveil a statue of Miles Davis in September.

Bill Evans: According to JazzTimes, the Concord Music Group will reissue The Complete Fantasy Recordings of Bill Evans as a nine-CD box set in July.

Erroll Garner: On June 15, his birthday, Erroll Garner was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Erroll Garner: At The New York Times, Nate Chinen writes about the upcoming reissue of Erroll Garner’s 1955 Concert by the Sea. JazzTimes also notes this release.

Erroll Garner: According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Erroll Garner's professional materials have been donated to the University of Pittsburgh Library System.

Thelonious Monk: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses the newly re-released Thelonious Monk box set, The Complete Riverside Recordings. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Sun Ra: Tim Niland reviews the Sun Ra release, Oblique Parallax, at Music and More. (Purchase the MP3 version from Amazon.com.)

Sun Ra: Tim Niland reviews the Sun Ra release, Planets Of Life Or Death: Amiens '73, at Music and More. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 14 June 2015

Ornette Coleman: Several sites pay tribute to the late saxophonist Ornette Coleman, including:

• Alex Ross: The Rest Is Noise
• Fresh Air
• Brick Wahl at The International Review of Music
• Devon Wendell at The International Review of Music
• Don Heckman at The International Review of Music
• JazzInk
• JazzTimes
• New Music Box
• The New Yorker
• NPR's A Blog Supreme
• Rifftides
• Slipped Disc
• Steve Wallace

Ornette Coleman: At The Guardian, John Fordham shares the best tracks of Ornette Coleman over six decades.

Ornette Coleman: Locus Solus: The New York School of Poets discusses Ornette Coleman's influence on Amiri Baraka, Frank O’Hara, and other young New York poets..

Ornette Coleman: At The New Yorker, Richard Brody discusses a 1997 interview by philosopher Jacques Derrida with Ornette Coleman.

Ornette Coleman: Slipped Disc links to a 2006 interview with Ornette Coleman.

Chick Corea: On June 12, his birthday, Chick Corea was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Miles Davis: According to Advantage News, the Miles Davis Memorial Project has received a grant to create a music plaza and a sculpture of the musician.

Miles Davis: At Night Lights, David Brent Johnson discusses Miles Davis's career between 1961 and 1963.

Miles Davis: Rolling Stone shares a clip of Miles Davis performing "Stella by Starlight" at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1966. (The song is available on the album, Miles Davis At Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht discusses Duke Ellington's recording, The Conny Plank Sessions, which will be released in July by Grönland Records, 45 years after the original sessions. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Wayne Shorter: At The International Review of Music, Devon Wendell interviews Wayne Shorter about his upcoming performance at the Hollywood Bowl.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 22 May 2015

John Coltrane, Miles Davis: At All About Jazz, K. Shackelford reviews the play, "Miles & Coltrane: Blue."

Keith Jarrett: At All About Jazz, Karl Ackermann reviews the Keith Jarrett album, Creation. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John McLaughlin: According to JazzTimes and All About Jazz, John Mclaughlin will release a new album, entitled "Black Light," this fall.

Thelonious Monk: At The New Yorker, Richard Brody reviews the new Thelonious Monk box set, The Complete Riverside Recordings. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Sun Ra: According to Billboard, Minimal Group will release a new series of remastered, reissued, and unreleased recordings by Sun Ra this fall.

Sun Ra: At Pitchfork, Andy Beta discusses Sun Ra and his 1974 science-fiction film, "Space Is the Place." (Purchase the CD/DVD/book from Birdman Records.)

Wayne Shorter: Ben Ratliff reviews Wayne Shorter's May concert at Lincoln Center at The New York Times.

Wayne Shorter: Natalie Weiner interviews Wayne Shorter for Billboard.

Bessie Smith: NPR's All Things Considered interviews Queen Latifah about her role as Bessie Smith in the HBO movie, "Bessie."

Bessie Smith: At The Daily Beast, Ted Gioia discusses the career of Bessie Smith.

Fats Waller: On May 21, his birthday, Fats Waller was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 18 May 2015

Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane: Nextbop shares animated shorts from Blank on Blank, featuring Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, and John Coltrane.

Herbie Hancock: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Herbie Hancock Trio performing "Triangle." (The song is available on the album, Inventions and Dimensions, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter: According to The Jazz Line, the 2015 Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Award Winners have been announced. They include:

• Keyboards Player of the Year: Chick Corea.
• Historical Record of the Year: Miles Davis, Miles At The Fillmore (Miles Davis Bootleg Series Vol 3). (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Midsize Ensemble: Wayne Shorter Quartet.

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Miles Davis Quintet playing "Tadd’s Delight." (The song is available on the album, 'Round About Midnight, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett: At The Guardian, John Fordham reviews Keith Jarrett's Creation. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Charles Mingus: New Jazz United shares a clip of Charles Mingus with the Wally Cirillo Quartet playing "Smog L.A." (The song is available on the album, Jazz Composers Workshop, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Wes Montgomery: At JazzWax, Marc Myers reviews Wes Montgomery's In the Beginning. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Woody Herman: On May 16, his birthday, Woody Herman was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 7 May 2015

Louis Armstrong: At Jazz Lives, Michael Steinman discusses his love for Louis Armstrong and shares clips of Armstrong performing "It's All in the Game" and "On a Coconut Island."

Dave Brubeck: As part of the "Falling in Love Supreme" series on Capital Public Radio, educator Roy Childs talks about hearing Dave Brubeck for the first time.

Ornette Coleman: The Notes You Don't Play shares an interview with Ornette Coleman.

John Coltrane, Milt Jackson: New Jazz United shares a clip of Milt Jackson and the John Coltrane Quintet playing "Three Little Words." (The song is available on the album, `Bags & Trane, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: Chris Mosey reviews Duke Elllington and His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, Volume 19 at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Storyville Records.)

Bill Evans: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Bill Evans's recording, "The Dolphin." (The song is available on the album, From Left to Right, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett: John Kelman reviews Keith Jarrett's album, Creation, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Wayne Shorter: At Zeal Jazz & Cabaret News & Reviews, Dan Ouelette shares his notes from interviews with Wayne Shorter.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 18 April 2015

Louis Armstrong, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard: As part of its "Building a Jazz Library" series, All About Jazz lists the best jazz trumpet albums, including:

• Louis Armstrong, Plays W.C. Handy. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Clifford Brown, The Beginning and The End. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis, Miles Ahead. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Dizzy Gillespie, An Electrifying Evening with the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Freddie Hubbard, Above And Beyond. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock: At All About Jazz, Victor L. Schermer reviews the April 11 concert by Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock at Philadelphia's Academy of Music.

Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter: The finalist nominees for the Jazz Journalists Association 2015 Jazz Awards have been announced. These include:

• Louis Armstrong's The Columbia & RCA Victor Live Recordings, liner notes by Ricky Riccardi for Best Liner Notes of the Year. (Purchase the album from Mosaic Records.)
• John Coltrane's Offering: Live at Temple University, liner notes by Ashley Kahn for Best Liner Notes of the Year. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John Coltrane's Offering: Live At Temple University for Historical Record of the Year.
• Chick Corea for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz.
• Chick Corea for Musician of the Year.
• Chick Corea for Pianist of the Year.
• Chick Corea for Keyboards Player of the Year.
• Miles Davis's Miles at the Fillmore (Miles Davis Bootleg Series Vol 3) for Historical Record of the Year. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Herbie Hancock: Possibilities by Herbie Hancock with Lisa Dickey for Best Book About Jazz of the Year. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
• Wayne Shorter for Soprano Saxophonist of the Year.
• Wayne Shorter Quartet for Mid-Size Ensemble of the Year.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 23 March 2015

George Benson: On March 22, his birthday, George Benson was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Art Blakey: At All About Jazz, Marc Davis reviews the Art Blakey album, Orgy in Rhythm, Volumes 1 and 2. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: At All About Jazz, Nenad Georgievski discusses the iconic Miles Davis album, Kind of Blue. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Bill Evans: As part of the "Building a Jazz Library" series at All About Jazz, Mark Sabbatini lists the best Bill Evans albums.

Benny Goodman: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares videos of Benny Goodman at Disneyland in 1961.

Billie Holiday: According to JazzTimes, Billie Holiday will be inducted into the Apollo Walk of Fame in April 2015.

Wayne Shorter: Charles L. Latimer reviews a Wayne Shorter concert in Detroit at I Dig Jazz.

Cecil Taylor: Burning Ambulance shares videos of Cecil Taylor from performances in 1983.

McCoy Tyner: In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond features McCoy Tyner.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 9 March 2015

Louis Armstrong, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus, Oliver Nelson, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter: As part of its "Building a Jazz Library" series, All About Jazz lists the albums most frequently mentioned by its readers. These include, in order of popularity:

• Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John Coltrane, "A Love Supreme." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John Coltrane, "Giant Steps." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Charles Mingus, "Mingus Ah Um." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sonny Rollins, "Saxophone Colossus." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Louis Armstrong, "Complete Hot Fives and Sevens." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Eric Dolphy, "Out to Lunch." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Ornette Coleman, "The Shape of Jazz to Come." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Herbie Hancock, "Maiden Voyage." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bill Evans, "Sunday at the Village Vanguard." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John Coltrane, "Blue Train." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Oliver Nelson, "Blues and the Abstract Truth." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wayne Shorter, "Speak No Evil." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: The Economist looks at John Coltrane's album, A Love Supreme. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Eric Dolphy: At All About Jazz, C. Andrew Hovan reviews the reissue by Blue Note of Eric Dolphy's album, Out to Lunch. (Purchase the album from Music Matters.)

Freddie Hubbard: Dangerous Minds recounts a 1966 episode where Freddie Hubbard lost his cool onstage in Austria.

Wes Montgomery: On his birthday, March 6, Wes Montgomery was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

McCoy Tyner: The All About Jazz "Building a Jazz Library" series features McCoy Tyner and 11 of his albums.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 16 February 2015

Eubie Blake: On his birthday, February 7, Eubie Blake was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Chick Corea: As reported in JazzTimes, the Grammy Awards for jazz were announced on February 8. Winners included Chick Corea for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, "Fingerprints," and Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Trilogy. (The song is available on the album, Trilogy, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea: Curt's Jazz Cafe previews the 2015 Grammy nominees for Best Improvised Jazz Solo, including Chick Corea's "Fingerprints." Curt's Jazz Cafe also previews the 2015 Grammy nominees for Best Instrumental Jazz Album, including Chick Corea's Trilogy.

Bill Evans: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a 1976 radio interview with Bill Evans.

Duke Ellington: At Air & Space, Richard Jurek writes about Duke Ellington’s 10-minute vocal ode to the first moon landing and provides a video of Ellington's performance.

Bill Evans: Marc Myers shares the first draft of Bill Evans's liner notes for the Miles Davis album, Kind of Blue, at JazzWax.

Erroll Garner, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, Lester Young: Brilliant Corners features clips of "8 Cats Who Make it Look Easy," including Erroll Garner, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Lester Young.

Billie Holiday: According to All About Jazz, Legacy Recordings will celebrate Billie Holiday's 100th birthday by releasing The Centennial Collection, 20 Essential Lady Day Recordings, on March 31, 2015. JazzTimes shares the track list from the album.

Carmen McRae: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Carmen McRae's 1957 album, Carmen for Cool Ones. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Wayne Shorter: At Nextbop, Sebastien Helary provides a full concert video of Wayne Shorter's performance at the 2014 Stockholm Jazz Festival. (Note that the video expires on February 18, 2015.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 21 January 2015

Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith: The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong looks at the January 1925 recording session with Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith.

Miles Davis: At The Free Jazz Collective, Ed Pettersen reviews the Miles Davis Quintet's album, All of You: The Last Tour 1960. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: The Jazz Line reports that New York’s highest court, the State Court of Appeals, has denied Duke Ellington‘s heirs the right to retry a lawsuit against EMI Music Publishing.

Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter: JazzTimes shares the results of its 2014 Readers' Poll. Winners include:

• Best book: Herbie Hancock: Possibilities by Herbie Hancock with Lisa Dickey (Viking). (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)
• Best composer: Wayne Shorter.

Billie Holiday: At In These Times, Johann Hari recounts Harry Anslinger, the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, and his "war" on Billie Holiday. The same story is told at Politico.

Charlie Parker: Open Culture discusses Ode to a Highflying Bird, Rolling Stone's drummer Charlie Watts's children’s book about Charlie Parker. (Purchase the book from AbeBooks.)

Sun Ra: At The Free Jazz Collective, Martin Schray discusses the Sun Ra album, Sign of the Myth. (Purchase the album in vinyl from Amazon.com.)

Bessie Smith: The Jazz Line reports that Queen Latifah "had no idea who Bessie Smith was" when she was approached about playing the singer in a biopic.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 31 December 2014

Cannonball Adderley: Shadow and Act shares a 1961 video narrated by Cannonball Adderley, "A Child's Introduction to Jazz."

Anthony Braxton: Avant Music News lists its best album of 2014, including Anthony Braxton's Trio (New Haven) 2013. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: At Musings in Cb, Chris Burnett lists his favorite jazz recordings of 2014, including John Coltrane's Offering: Live At Temple University. At Gapplegate Music Review, Grego Applegate Edwards picks the Coltrane album as the best jazz album, reissue, of 2014. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea: At Capital Public Radio Music, Gary G. Vercelli lists their top 5 jazz albums of 2014, including Chick Corea's Trilogy. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: The Big City lists the best jazz albums of 2014 and includes Miles Davis's At the Fillmore, 1970: The Boot­leg Series, Vol. 3 among its top reissues. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Bill Evans: New Jazz United shares a video of Bill Evans and Jim Hall playing "Stairway to the Stars." (The song is available on the album, Undercurrent, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett: At Something Else!, S. Victor Aaron lists his favorite "straight ahead" jazz albums of 2014 and names Keith Jarrett's Hamburg '72 as the best archival release. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter: 100 Greatest Jazz Albums lists its best 20 jazz albums of 2014, including:

• Keith Jarrett, Somewhere. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wayne Shorter, Without A Net. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett: AllMusic lists its favorite jazz albums of 2014, including Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden's Last Dance. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Oregon: At All About Jazz, John Kelman discusses the album, Oregon: In Performance. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Sonny Rollins: At Curt's Jazz Cafe, CurtJazz picks his best jazz albums of the year, including Road Shows, Volume 3 by Sonny Rollins. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 26 December 2014

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong's 1971 recording of "The Night Before Christmas."

Louis Armstrong: The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong discusses an article about Louis Armstrong's time in the Colored Waifs Home in New Orleans between 1910 and 1913.

Count Basie: At The Telegraph, Ivan Hewett reviews the Warner Jazz release, Count Basie: Original Album Series. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: At The Paris Review, Sam Stephenson talks about Cuthbert Ormond Simpkins’s 1975 book, Coltrane: A Biography. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: The Wondering Sound staff list their 25 top jazz albums of 2014, including John Coltrane's Offering: Live at Temple University (honorable mention). (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins: At Blu Notes, Larry Blumenfeld lists the best jazz releases of 2014, including:

• John Coltrane, Offering: Live at Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sonny Rollins, Road Shows: Volume 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea, Sonny Rollins: At the San Jose Mercury News, Richard Scheinin lists his top 10 jazz CDs of 2014, including:

• Chick Corea, Trilogy. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sonny Rollins, Road Shows, Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Charlie Parker: New Jazz United shares a video of the Charlie Parker Quintet playing "White Christmas." (The song is available on the album, Complete Royal Roost Broadcasts, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Sun Ra: At Perfect Sound Forever, Kris Needs provides the third installment of his "ultimate guide" to Sun Ra's music.

Sun Ra: Open Culture shares a 1976 Sun Ra Christmas radio broadcast.

Wayne Shorter: According to JazzTimes, Wayne Shorter will receive a 2015 Grammy Special Merit Award.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 20 November 2014

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi writes about Armstrong's performance of "Will You, Won't You Be My Baby" from the 1934 Paris session.

Chick Corea: Bill Meredith reviews the Chick Corea Trio's album, Trilogy, at JazzTimes. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Ella Fitzgerald, George Russell, Wayne Shorter: At Brilliant Corners, Steve Provizer provides a list of "songs that deeply move." They include:

• "Good Morning Heartache" by Ella Fitzgerald. (The song is available on the album, Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• "You Are My Sunshine" by the George Russell Sextet. (The song is available on the album, Outer View, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• "Dindi" by Wayne Shorter. (The song is available on the album, Super Nova, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Jon Hendricks: Roseanna Vitro shares an interview with Jon Hendricks at JazzTimes.

Keith Jarrett: James Hale lists his favorite CDs of 2014 at Jazz Chronicles. They include Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden's Last Dance. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Thelonious Monk: New Jazz United shares a video of Thelonious Monk's "I Love You (Sweetheart Of All My Dreams)." (The song is available on the album, Monk, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 30 October 2014

Count Basie: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Count Basie's piano technique and shares a video of the Count Basie Quartet on Ralph J. Gleason's "Jazz Casual" television show in August 1968.

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a video of "There Is No Greater Love," by the Miles Davis Quintet. (The song is available on the album, Miles, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: Miles Davis Online provides the latest update on Don Cheadle's biopic about Miles Davis.

Herbie Hancock: On NPR's Morning Edition, Steve Inskeep interviews Herbie Hancock about his memoir, Possibilities. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Herbie Hancock: Howard Mandel reports at Jazz Beyond Jazz that Herbie Hancock received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jazz Foundation of America in October.

Billie Holiday: Brilliant Corners shares a link to a radio theatre piece about Billie Holiday's iconic song, "Strange Fruit."

Wayne Shorter: New Jazz United shares a video of the Wayne Shorter tune, "Juju." (The song is available on the album, Juju, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 12 October 2014

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses the October 2, 1939, concert at Carnegie Hall that was dedicated to African-African American composers and that included Louis Armstrong.

Anthony Braxton: At All About Jazz, Robert Bush reviews a recent concert by Anthony Braxton and the Wadada Leo Smith Silver Orchestra in Los Angeles.

John Coltrane: At The Guardian, John Fordham reviews the John Coltrane album, Offering: Live at Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a video of Miles Davis playing "When I Fall in Love." (The song is available on the album, Miles Davis Plays for Lovers, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: Open Culture discusses the paintings of Miles Davis.

Duke Ellington: The Jazz Line reports that the long-standing royalty dispute between Duke Ellington‘s heirs and EMI Music Publishing is close to a final decision in New York’s highest court.

Duke Ellington: About Last Night reports that Terry Teachout's biography of Duke Ellington, Duke, has won an ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award for "outstanding print, broadcast and new media coverage of music." (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Herbie Hancock: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, the Jazz Foundation of America will honor Herbie Hancock with a Lifetime Achievement Award in October.

Wayne Shorter: According to The Jazz Line, the fundraising event for Wayne Shorter's documentary "Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity," raised almost $300,000 in a single night.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 5 September 2014

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses two Armstrong standards: "That Lucky Old Sun" and "Blueberry Hill."

Chick Corea: At All About Jazz, John Kelman reviews the Chick Corea Trio's album, Trilogy. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, ECM will release several titles via Apple’s Mastered for iTunes. These include:

• Chick Corea: Return To Forever
• Keith Jarrett: Sleeper

Sonny Rollins: In anticipation of Sonny Rollins's birthday, Marc Myers discusses the legendary saxophonist at JazzWax.

Wayne Shorter: Peter Blasevick shares a video of Wayne Shorter discussing his music on International Jazz Day at The Notes You Don't Play.

Horace Silver: On September 2, his birthday, Horace Silver was the Jazz Musician Of The Day at All About Jazz.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 31 August 2014

Clifford Brown: At All About Jazz, Nick Catalano shares a recording of Clifford Brown being interviewed by Willis Conover for Voice of America radio in 1956, shortly before Brown's untimely death.

John Coltrane: At All About Jazz, Robert Bush reviews the John Coltrane album, Offering: Live At Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Charlie Parker: At Night Lights, David Brent Johnson discusses Charlie Parker's work with big bands.

Charlie Parker: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Charlie Parker's work with string orchestras.

Charlie Parker: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht discusses Charlie Parker's appearance at the Royal Roost, a New York jazz club, in 1949.

Wayne Shorter: At Today is the Question, Ted Panken shares an interview with Wayne Shorter on the musician's favorite Blue Note recordings and other topics.

Lester Young: On August 27, his birthday, Lester Young was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Lester Young: At New England Public Radio, Tom Reney shares a video of Lester Young playing with Lee Young's Esquires of Rhythm in Hollywood in May 1941.

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Wayne Shorter

Jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter turns 81 today, having been born on August 25, 1933, in Newark, New Jersey. Shorter is regarded by many as the greatest living composer in jazz and has won 9 Grammy Awards. He worked with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in the late 1950s, Miles Davis's second quintet in the 1960s, and Weather Report in the 1970s.

Critic Richard S. Ginell describes Shorter's style as a "more succinct manner on tenor sax, retaining the tough tone quality and intensity and, in later years, adding an element of funk."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the following recordings that include Shorter:

• Miles Davis: Miles Smiles (Buy at Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (Buy at Amazon.com.)
• V.S.O.P.: The Quintet (Buy at Amazon.com.)
• Weather Report: 8:30 (Buy at Amazon.com.)

Shorter plays "Speak No Evil" here:

Robert
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