He’s been dead 52 years. He would’ve been 78 today. Still such a sad, profound loss.
WKCR is doing 24hrs of Clifford Brown in celebration:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/wkcr/
Updated: Here’s a link to an excellent Washington Post article on the 50th anniversary of Clifford’s passing…
Categories: Jazz · Jazz radio · Music · max roach · radio
Tagged: Clifford Brown, wkcr
Mary Lou Williams – piano / Theodore Cromwell – bass / George Chamble – drums
Mary Lou Williams was an amazing piano player and an inspirational force in music. A pioneer on her instrument and widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of her era– an era where there was hardly any female presence in jazz. She was its “first lady,” as Duke Ellington put it. Fearless, courageous, and ever moving forward, she was the first to embrace so-called avant-gardists like Thelonious Monk and Cecil Taylor long before their more mainstream jazz acceptance. All her work from the boogie-woogie/stride sides of the 1930’s through to her religious jazz-masses of the 1970’s is vital and important to the history of American music.
From her album Black Christ of the Andes comes my all-time favorite version of the Gershwin classic “It Ain’t Necessarily So.” If it sounds different from other versions you’ve heard, its because she takes it in 6/8 time instead of the usual 4/4. Many other people have recorded lovely instrumental versions of this song, including Miles Davis, Grant Green, Herbie Hancock, and Stanley Turrentine. But not one of them sounds quite like Mary Lou William’s version. Enjoy!
Categories: Jazz · Music · mary lou williams
Tagged: george gershwin, mary lou williams
The Jazz Reviews section has been updated again with reviews of albums by Louis Smith and Billie Holiday.
I also hope to have news about my radio show soon. I know many of you here have missed it. I certainly have too!
For those of you in the NYC area, the one-and-only Cecil Taylor will be at the Village Vanguard from November 4th-9th. This is a last minute booking so I’m just trying to get the word out…
Categories: Jazz · Jazz radio · Music · jazz concerts
Tagged: billie holiday, cecil taylor, louis smith
One of my all-time favorite tenor players turns 86 tomorrow! Check him here swingin’ with John Young, Sam Jones, and Jimmy Cobb:
Von Freeman – Doin’ It Right Now (1972)
Categories: Jazz · Music · jimmy cobb · von freeman
Tagged: jimmy cobb, von freeman
