Farewell to Ira Sabin, a jazz drummer who turned his attention to jazz journalism. In 1970, Sabin founded the publication … More
Tag: Duke Ellington
Happy JazzApril — Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month
Jazz is alive and, well, in surprisingly good shape for its age, particularly given the ravages of time, the advent … More
Goodbye, Clark Terry
So sad to hear of the passing of the great Clark Terry, although he has been ill and in failing … More
The Unstoppable Christian McBride — Remembering His Vanguard Show
Huge tone, impeccable technique, compositional acumen, big personality, ambition — just a few of the traits that have driven bassist … More
Sam Newsome, “The Art of the Soprano, Vol. 1” (CD review)
(recently published in JazzTimes; direct link) The Art of the Soprano, Vol. 1 isn’t Sam Newsome’s first solo soprano saxophone recording, … More
Ron Carter, “Ron Carter’s Great Big Band” (CD review)
(recently reviewed for Jazz Times; direct link) Ron Carter, Ron Carter’s Great Big Band (Sunnyside) Given the thousands of recordings … More
Essentially Ellington: High-School Jazz Band Finalists Announced
Jazz bands from two Florida high schools made the list of 15 finalists selected to play the 15th annual Essentially … More
Marcus Roberts: NPR interview
Marcus Roberts, whose New Orleans Meets Harlem, Vol. 1, is officially released today (the physical disc; download was available last … More
R.I.P., Louie Bellson
Louie Bellson, the great big band drummer and a veteran of performances and recordings with everyone from Duke Ellington, Count … More
Mark O’Connor’s Hot Swing Trio, Live in New York (CD review)
The spirit of Gypsy jazz is alive and well in the hands of Mark O’Connor, the virtuoso Nashville violinist who … More