Julian “Cannonball” Adderley was such an uplifting force of nature. As a composer and bandleader he had a distinctive voice, but wow, as a saxophonist he was (to quote the title of one of his best-loved albums) somethin’ else. The way he combined gutbucket blues and the technical and theoretical mastery of Charlie Parker is…

October 25, 2026 marks the centennial of Jimmy Heath, the great saxophonist, composer, and arranger (a true “triple threat,” as implied by one of the album titles below). While small in stature, he was huge in musical authority, all the more so when one considers the strength and courage required to get clean in the…