Overdue Ovation: George V. Johnson
George V. Johnson keeps a recording close at hand. It’s a 16-second clip of Eddie Jefferson, the jazz vocalist who invented “vocalese,” from 1977. In … Read More “Overdue Ovation: George V. Johnson”
Michael J. West
Michael J. West is a jazz journalist in Washington, D.C. In addition to his work on the national and international jazz scenes, he has been covering D.C.’s local jazz community since 2009. He is also a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader, and as such spends most days either hunkered down at a screen or inside his very big headphones. He lives in Washington with his wife and two children.
Michael J. West on social media
The Many Keys of Fred Hersch
Behind Fred Hersch there’s a view of Central Park. Billows of lush trees buffer the bright, sunny green of the Sheep Meadow, bracketed by the … Read More “The Many Keys of Fred Hersch”
Joy to the World: Samara Joy Wins Big at the Grammys
Defying expectations—and sparking an uproar on Brazilian Twitter—jazz vocalist Samara Joy won the 2023 Grammy Award for Best New Artist during the CBS broadcast of … Read More “Joy to the World: Samara Joy Wins Big at the Grammys”
Mastering A New Educational Mix
Hans Helewaut, a Belgian film composer and saxophonist, came to jazz late in life, but not too late to use Jamey Aebersold’s play-along CDs as … Read More “Mastering A New Educational Mix”
Everything A Jazz Fan Needs to Know Before the 65th Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards—the 65th edition of which will be broadcast on CBS Feb. 5 from Los Angeles—have an annoying tendency to downplay the jazz and … Read More “Everything A Jazz Fan Needs to Know Before the 65th Grammy Awards”
Explaining the Taubman Approach
Several years ago, one of Danilo Pérez’s students was suffering from tendinitis. Pianist Pérez was then a professor at the New England Conservatory; his student, … Read More “Explaining the Taubman Approach”
A Question of Balance: Racial and Gender Equity in the Jazz Classroom
About a year after he began working at Harvard University, pianist/composer Vijay Iyer was in a faculty meeting. A visiting committee—a group of academics from … Read More “A Question of Balance: Racial and Gender Equity in the Jazz Classroom”
JazzTimes 10: Essential Cannonball Adderley
Just as Chicago is America’s Second City, Julian “Cannonball” Adderley is modern jazz’s second alto saxophonist. The instrument’s best-known and most important practitioner after Charlie … Read More “JazzTimes 10: Essential Cannonball Adderley”
Roy Eldridge Quartet/Ella Fitzgerald Quintet: In Concert (SteepleChase)
Roy Eldridge’s name on this disc is a bit of a red herring. The trumpeter plays the first two songs, accompanied by the same band … Read More “Roy Eldridge Quartet/Ella Fitzgerald Quintet: In Concert (SteepleChase)”
David Ornette Cherry, Eclectic Son of Jazz Nobility, Dies at 64
David Ornette Cherry, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and poet who worked to merge the jazz tradition with classical and various African and world music traditions, died … Read More “David Ornette Cherry, Eclectic Son of Jazz Nobility, Dies at 64”
Mick Goodrick 1945 — 2022
Mick Goodrick, a guitarist and teacher who was arguably the most influential guitar pedagogue in the history of jazz, died November 16 at his home … Read More “Mick Goodrick 1945 — 2022”
The Comet Is Coming: Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam (Impulse!)
Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam contains some of the most aggressive music that London electro-jazz trio The Comet Is Coming has ever purveyed. Betamax’s drum attack all … Read More “The Comet Is Coming: Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam (Impulse!)”
Clark Sommers Lens: Intertwine (Outside In)
Though bassist Clark Sommers leads the Chicago quintet behind this angular but appealing postbop outing—and it features an ace two-reed frontline of Geof Bradfield and … Read More “Clark Sommers Lens: Intertwine (Outside In)”
Kenny Garrett and Takuya Kuroda to Perform Elden Ring Game Music
You’ve heard of jazz-rock, jazz-funk, jazz-hip-hop, and even jazz-world fusion. Jazz-gaming fusion is something new, and Kenny Garrett and Takuya Kuroda are pioneering it. On … Read More “Kenny Garrett and Takuya Kuroda to Perform Elden Ring Game Music”
Baritone Saxophonist Ronnie Cuber Dies at 80
Ronnie Cuber, a baritone saxophonist with a wide and versatile range on his instrument, died October 8 at his studio in New York City. He … Read More “Baritone Saxophonist Ronnie Cuber Dies at 80”
Sue Mingus 1930 — 2022
Sue Mingus, the fourth wife and widow of Charles Mingus who for over 40 years curated his music and ensured its regular public performance, died … Read More “Sue Mingus 1930 — 2022”
Pharoah Sanders 1940 — 2022
Pharoah Sanders, a pioneering tenor saxophonist and composer who became synonymous with the spiritual jazz aesthetic, died September 24 at a hospital in Los Angeles, … Read More “Pharoah Sanders 1940 — 2022”
Overdue Ovation: Enrico Rava Overcomes Cancer and Puts Out New Music
When Enrico Rava recorded The Song Is You (ECM), his new album of duets with pianist Fred Hersch, in Lugano, Switzerland, he was just out … Read More “Overdue Ovation: Enrico Rava Overcomes Cancer and Puts Out New Music”
Delfeayo Marsalis Is the Hartt School’s New Artist in Residence
The University of Hartford’s Hartt School has appointed Delfeayo Marsalis its 2022-23 Artist in Residence. Marsalis will work with students at the school’s Jackie McLean Institute … Read More “Delfeayo Marsalis Is the Hartt School’s New Artist in Residence”
Terri Lyne Carrington Establishes “New Standards” on Several Fronts
Long esteemed for her versatility, daring, and wide range of talents, Terri Lyne Carrington is outdoing herself with the release of her New Standards project in … Read More “Terri Lyne Carrington Establishes “New Standards” on Several Fronts”
Ramsey Lewis 1935 – 2022
Ramsey Lewis, a Chicago-born and -based pianist whose successful early career in jazz led him to surprising pop stardom, died September 12 at his Chicago … Read More “Ramsey Lewis 1935 – 2022”
jaimie branch 1983 — 2022
jaimie “breezy” branch, a trumpeter and composer who was among the fastest-rising jazz stars of her generation, died August 22 at her home in Red … Read More “jaimie branch 1983 — 2022”
Creed Taylor 1929 — 2022
Creed Taylor, a groundbreaking jazz record producer and executive who founded two of the most highly influential record labels in the music, died August 22 … Read More “Creed Taylor 1929 — 2022”
Joey DeFrancesco 1971 — 2022
Joey DeFrancesco, an astonishingly gifted multi-instrumentalist who as a teenager kickstarted a renaissance of the Hammond B-3 organ in jazz, died August 25 after a … Read More “Joey DeFrancesco 1971 — 2022”
Billy Drummond & Freedom of Ideas: Valse Sinistre (Cellar)
Valse Sinistre is so good that it almost feels irresponsible. Drummer Billy Drummond and his postbop quartet (saxophonist Dayna Stephens, pianist Micah Thomas, and bassist … Read More “Billy Drummond & Freedom of Ideas: Valse Sinistre (Cellar)”
Pioneering Cellist Abdul Wadud Dies at 75
Abdul Wadud, a cellist who pioneered the use of his instrument as a vehicle for jazz improvisation, died August 10 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was … Read More “Pioneering Cellist Abdul Wadud Dies at 75”
Nate Wooley Columbia Icefield: Ancient Songs of Burlap Heroes (Pyroclastic)
Does the weird title of trumpeter Nate Wooley’s second outing with his Columbia Icefield quartet suggest a departure from the icy, atmospheric beauty of their … Read More “Nate Wooley Columbia Icefield: Ancient Songs of Burlap Heroes (Pyroclastic)”
Seeing Double: Mary Halvorson Makes Nonesuch Records Debut with Two Albums
Be careful what you wish for. By the beginning of 2020 guitarist Mary Halvorson, one of the most acclaimed musicians of her generation, was also … Read More “Seeing Double: Mary Halvorson Makes Nonesuch Records Debut with Two Albums”
Freddie Hubbard: Music Is Here (Live at ORTF Paris 1973) (Wewantsounds)
In the early ’70s, Freddie Hubbard was paralleling Miles Davis in going electric and funky. Unlike Miles, though, Hubbard’s recordings were increasingly defined by his … Read More “Freddie Hubbard: Music Is Here (Live at ORTF Paris 1973) (Wewantsounds)”
Revive Music Group Founder Meghan Stabile Has Died at 39
Meghan Stabile, an innovative jazz promoter, producer, organizer, curator, and advocate who proudly adopted the New York Times’ description of her as a “modern impresario,” … Read More “Revive Music Group Founder Meghan Stabile Has Died at 39”