The Sun of Latin Music has set, so we should all wish safe passage to the truly great Eddie Palmieri. I know Latin jazz like the back of my neck (which is to say better than the average citizen but not to what I’d consider an expert degree) but I do know that Eddie Palmieri…
Continue ReadingIt was bound to happen, but the passing of drum titan Al Foster is nonetheless representative of the end of an era. While a highly proficient player by any metric (in spite of not being a music reader) the individuality of his sound is a source of particular inspiration for drummers and other musicians and…
Continue ReadingFarewell, genius. If Sylvester Stewart’s only legacy had been the generations of musicians he influenced (from Miles to Prince) then he’d be a legendary figure, and the way he crossed over to diverse audiences made him an essential cultural trailblazer and industry leader. But the music! The music he produced from the late ‘60s through…
Continue ReadingI had some special performances last year, but I think this one might have taken the cake, and in honor of EDS Awareness Month, I’ll reflect on it a bit since it is highly unlikely that you were there, as well as reflecting on a few of the moments that shaped me to be especially…
Continue ReadingDrummer Michael Sarin has been a mainstay of the jazz scene (and in particular of a certain difficult-to-describe niche within said scene) for over three decades and one of the most fascinating things about looking at his career is the loyalty he has earned from bandleaders whose music he enriches. This list is an interesting…
Continue ReadingWhen a musician has a very eclectic career, is that a product of their thirst for different experiences or of the need to be versatile enough to stay working? Obviously that depends on the individual, but for violinist (and composer) Sam Bardfeld the former is certain and the latter has been a consequence. From Bruce…
Continue ReadingThe mercurial and undeniably brilliant pianist Keith Jarrett turns 80 years old today and the rest of us, of course, are fortunate to reap the sonic benefits of his unflinching creativity and artistic integrity. It’s interesting to me that due to the comparable depth of numerous facets and phases of his career, I know people…
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Continue ReadingFor whatever combination of reasons, from geography to stylistic restlessness, the breadth and depth of 84 year old woodwind virtuoso Bennie Maupin’s work have long been underappreciated. His playing is at times simple and at times cerebral and complex, at times emotionally uninhibited and at times patient and restrained, at times presented in highly modern…
Continue ReadingSaxophonist George Coleman turns 90 today, and what a gift that he still graces our presence! If his only claim to fame were his couple years of creative, soulful, and muscular contributions to the burgeoning 1960s Miles Davis Quintet, that would be enough to go down in the history books, but of course his hundreds…
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