Artist’s Choice: Leni Stern on West African Music
I owe an enormous gratitude to West Africa and all of the musicians that I’ve had the honor of playing with; they have been my … Read More “Artist’s Choice: Leni Stern on West African Music”
Lists
Expand your jazz knowledge with our JazzTimes 10 lists, Artist’s Choice playlists, and Before & After listening session features.
Before & After: Simba Baumgartner
Simba Baumgartner, Django Reinhardt’s great-grandson, is just 22, but he has already proven himself an adept practitioner of Gypsy jazz, the indelible style pioneered by … Read More “Before & After: Simba Baumgartner”
JazzTimes 10: Jazz on Film
When it comes to symbiosis, jazz and cinema aren’t exactly the clownfish and the sea anemone. Cinema asks us to travel with our eyes, to … Read More “JazzTimes 10: Jazz on Film”
Artist’s Choice: Lauren Sevian’s Favorite Baritone Sax Solos
I was playing alto saxophone when I was growing up and was not really connected to it. I didn’t want to switch to tenor, so … Read More “Artist’s Choice: Lauren Sevian’s Favorite Baritone Sax Solos”
JazzTimes 10: Classic Punk Jazz Albums
Forty years ago, a new sound oozed up from the New York City underground, combining the boundlessness of free jazz with the aggressive attitude of … Read More “JazzTimes 10: Classic Punk Jazz Albums”
Before & After: Dayna Stephens
There’s a tune called “Clouds” on Gratitude—saxophonist Dayna Stephens’ ninth and latest album, from 2017—that captures his personality well. Serene on the surface, it opens … Read More “Before & After: Dayna Stephens”
Artist’s Choice: Amina Claudine Myers on the AACM
These compositions are from albums by artists that I love and respect, on which they were doing things I really liked. Notice that I say … Read More “Artist’s Choice: Amina Claudine Myers on the AACM”
JazzTimes 10: Landmark ECM Albums
One day about a decade ago, I was loading CDs (remember those?) onto my iTunes and discovered that a John Surman disc’s metadata had listed … Read More “JazzTimes 10: Landmark ECM Albums”
Before & After: Lewis Porter
Hanging with Lewis Porter brings an exciting promise of discovery—some unknown fact about a jazz hero or some new insight into an historic recording. It … Read More “Before & After: Lewis Porter”
