A jazz album arranged and conducted by Manny Albam featuring instrumental jazz versions of songs from the Broadway musical West Side Story. The album showcases big-band and small-group jazz treatments of Leonard Bernstein’s compositions.
Friday, March 13, 2026
Manny Albam and His Jazz Greats • Play Music from West Side Story
Rev. Gary Davis • Complete Early Recordings
Biography by Bruce Eder
In his prime of life, which is to say the late '20s, the Reverend Gary
Davis was one of the two most renowned practitioners of the East Coast
school of ragtime guitar; 35 years later, despite two decades spent
playing on the streets of Harlem in New York, he was still one of the
giants in his field, playing before thousands of people at a time, and
an inspiration to dozens of modern guitarist/singers including Bob
Dylan, Taj Mahal, and Donovan; and Jorma Kaukonen, David Bromberg, and
Ry Cooder, who studied with Davis.
Davis was partially blind at birth, and lost what little sight he had
before he was an adult. He was self-taught on the guitar, beginning at
age six, and by the time he was in his 20s he had one of the most
advanced guitar techniques of anyone in blues; his only peers among
ragtime-based players were Blind Arthur Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson,
and Blind Willie Johnson. Davis himself was a major influence on Blind
Boy Fuller.
Davis' influences included gospel, marches, ragtime, jazz, and minstrel
hokum, and he integrated them into a style that was his own. In 1911,
when Davis was a still teenager, the family moved to Greenville, SC, and
he fell under the influence of such local guitar virtuosi as Willie
Walker, Sam Brooks, and Baby Brooks. Davis moved to Durham in the
mid-'20s, by which time he was a full-time street musician. He was
celebrated not only for the diversity of styles that his playing
embraced, but also for his skills with the guitar, which were already
virtually unmatched in the blues field.
Davis went into the recording studio for the first time in the '30s with
the backing of a local businessman. Davis cut a mixture of blues and
spirituals for the American Record Company label, but there was never an
equitable agreement about payment for the recordings, and following
these sessions, it was 19 years before he entered the studio again.
During that period, he went through many changes. Like many other street
buskers, Davis always interspersed gospel songs amid his blues and
ragtime numbers, to make it harder for the police to interrupt him. He
began taking the gospel material more seriously, and in 1937 he became
an ordained minister. After that, he usually refused to perform any
blues.
Davis moved to New York in the early '40s and began preaching and
playing on street corners in Harlem. He recorded again at the end of the
1940s, with a pair of gospel songs, but it wasn't until the mid-'50s
that a real following for his work began developing anew. His music, all
of it now of a spiritual nature, began showing up on labels such as
Stinson, Folkways, and Riverside, where he recorded seven songs in early
1956. Davis was "rediscovered" by the folk revival movement, and after
some initial reticence, he agreed to perform as part of the budding folk
music revival, appearing at the Newport Folk Festival, where his raspy
voiced sung sermons; most notably his transcendent "Samson and Delilah
(If I Had My Way)" -- a song most closely associated with Blind Willie
Johnson -- and "Twelve Gates to the City," which were highlights of the
proceedings for several years. He also recorded a live album for the
Vanguard label at one such concert, as well as appearing on several
Newport live anthology collections. He was also the subject of two
television documentaries, one in 1967 and one in 1970.
Davis became one of the most popular players on the folk revival and
blues revival scenes, playing before large and enthusiastic audiences;
most of the songs that he performed were spirituals, but they weren't
that far removed from the blues that he'd recorded in the 1930s, and his
guitar technique was intact. Davis' skills as a player, on the jumbo
Gibson acoustic models that he favored, were undiminished, and he was a
startling figure to hear, picking and strumming complicated rhythms and
counter-melodies. Davis became a teacher during this period, and his
students included some very prominent white guitar players, including
David Bromberg and the Jefferson Airplane's Jorma Kaukonen (who later
recorded Davis' "I'll Be Alright" on his acclaimed solo album Quah!).
The Reverend Gary Davis left behind a fairly large body of modern (i.e.
post-World War II) recordings, well into the 1960s, taking the revival
of his career in his stride as a way of carrying the message of the
gospel to a new generation. He even recorded anew some of his blues and
ragtime standards in the studio, for the benefit of his students.
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Biografía de Bruce Eder
En la flor de la vida, es decir, a finales de los años 20, el reverendo
Gary Davis fue uno de los dos practicantes más renombrados de la escuela
de guitarra ragtime de la Costa Este; 35 años más tarde, a pesar de las
dos décadas que pasó tocando en las calles de Harlem en Nueva York,
seguía siendo uno de los gigantes en su campo, tocando ante miles de
personas a la vez, y una inspiración para docenas de
guitarristas/cantantes modernos como Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal y Donovan; y
Jorma Kaukonen, David Bromberg y Ry Cooder, que estudiaron con Davis.
Davis era parcialmente ciego de nacimiento y perdió la poca visión que
tenía antes de ser adulto. Fue autodidacta en la guitarra, a partir de
los seis años, y para cuando tenía veintitantos años ya tenía una de las
técnicas de guitarra más avanzadas de todo el mundo en el blues; sus
únicos compañeros entre los músicos de ragtime eran Blind Arthur Blake,
Blind Lemon Jefferson, y Blind Willie Johnson. El mismo Davis fue una
gran influencia en Blind Boy Fuller.
Las influencias de Davis incluyeron gospel, marchas, ragtime, jazz, y
minstrel hokum, y los integró en un estilo que era el suyo propio. En
1911, cuando Davis era todavía un adolescente, la familia se mudó a
Greenville, SC, y cayó bajo la influencia de virtuosos locales de la
guitarra como Willie Walker, Sam Brooks y Baby Brooks. Davis se mudó a
Durham a mediados de los años 20, cuando ya era músico callejero a
tiempo completo. Fue celebrado no sólo por la diversidad de estilos que
abrazaba, sino también por sus habilidades con la guitarra, que ya eran
prácticamente inigualables en el campo del blues.
Davis entró al estudio de grabación por primera vez en los años 30 con
el apoyo de un empresario local. Davis cortó una mezcla de blues y
spirituals para el sello American Record Company, pero nunca hubo un
acuerdo equitativo sobre el pago por las grabaciones, y después de estas
sesiones, pasaron 19 años antes de que él entrara de nuevo al estudio.
Durante ese período, pasó por muchos cambios. Como muchos otros músicos
callejeros, Davis siempre intercalaba canciones gospel entre sus números
de blues y ragtime, para hacer más difícil que la policía lo
interrumpiera. Comenzó a tomar más en serio el material evangélico, y en
1937 se convirtió en ministro ordenado. Después de eso, por lo general
se negaba a tocar blues.
Davis se mudó a Nueva York a principios de los años 40 y comenzó a
predicar y a tocar en las esquinas de Harlem. Volvió a grabar a finales
de la década de 1940, con un par de canciones gospel, pero no fue hasta
mediados de los años 50 que un verdadero seguidor de su trabajo comenzó a
desarrollarse de nuevo. Su música, toda de naturaleza espiritual,
comenzó a aparecer en sellos como Stinson, Folkways y Riverside, donde
grabó siete canciones a principios de 1956. Davis fue "redescubierto"
por el movimiento de renacimiento folclórico, y después de algunas
reticencias iniciales, aceptó actuar como parte del renacimiento de la
música folclórica en ciernes, apareciendo en el Festival Folclórico de
Newport, donde sus sermones cantados con voz ronca; más notablemente su
trascendente "Samson and Delilah (If I Had My Way)" - una canción que
está más estrechamente asociada con Blind Willie Johnson - y "Twelve
Gates to the City", que fueron los puntos culminantes de las actuaciones
durante varios años. También grabó un álbum en vivo para el sello
Vanguard en uno de esos conciertos, además de aparecer en varias
colecciones de antologías en vivo de Newport. También fue objeto de dos
documentales televisivos, uno en 1967 y otro en 1970.
Davis se convirtió en uno de los intérpretes más populares en las
escenas de renacimiento del folk y del blues, tocando ante un público
grande y entusiasta; la mayoría de las canciones que interpretaba eran
espirituales, pero no estaban tan alejadas del blues que había grabado
en la década de 1930, y su técnica de guitarra estaba intacta. Las
habilidades de Davis como jugador, en los modelos acústicos gigantescos
de Gibson que él prefería, no se vieron mermadas, y fue una figura
sorprendente para escuchar, escogiendo y rasgueando ritmos complicados y
contra-melodías. Davis se convirtió en profesor durante este período, y
entre sus alumnos había algunos guitarristas blancos muy prominentes,
como David Bromberg y Jorma Kaukonen de Jefferson Airplane (que más
tarde grabó "I'll Be Alright" de Davis en su aclamado álbum en solitario
Quah!)
El reverendo Gary Davis dejó un cuerpo bastante grande de grabaciones
modernas (es decir, después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial), hasta bien
entrada la década de 1960, tomando el renacimiento de su carrera en su
camino como una forma de llevar el mensaje del evangelio a una nueva
generación. Incluso grabó de nuevo algunos de sus estándares de blues y
ragtime en el estudio, para el beneficio de sus estudiantes.
Where the Dark and the Light Folks Meet Race and the Mythology, Politics, and Business of Jazz
Where the Dark and the Light Folks Meet tackles a controversial
question: Is jazz the product of an insulated African-American
environment, shut off from the rest of society by strictures of
segregation and discrimination, or is it more properly understood as the
juncture of a wide variety of influences under the broader umbrella of
American culture? This book does not question that jazz was created and
largely driven by African Americans, but rather posits that black
culture has been more open to outside influences than most commentators
are likely to admit. The majority of jazz writers, past and present,
have embraced an exclusionary viewpoint.
Where the Dark and the
Light Folks Meet begins by looking at many of these writers, from the
birth of jazz history up to the present day, to see how and why their
views have strayed from the historical record. This book challenges many
widely held beliefs regarding the history and nature of jazz in an
attempt to free jazz of the socio-political baggage that has so
encumbered it. The result is a truer appreciation of the music and a
greater understanding of the positive influence racial interaction and
jazz music have had on each other.
Alvis Wayne • Rockabilly Daddy
Alvis Wayne (December 31, 1937 – July 31, 2013) was an American rockabilly singer.
Alvis Wayne Samford was born in Paducah, Texas and listened to country music on the radio as a child and was given a guitar at age ten. He began playing in local bars and clubs at 12 and joined Tony Wayne & the Rhythm Wranglers at 20. This group released one single in 1957 and then disbanded. Following this, Alvis signed with Westport Records.
He recorded enough for Westport to put out an LP; though none were released, his single "Don't Mean Maybe Baby" was a regional hit in Texas, and he toured extensively in the state. He put his career in music on hold and joined the Air Force in 1960; after his tour of duty, he continued recording and performing.
In subsequent decades, Alvis became the subject of a cult following in the United Kingdom, where his singles were in great demand. In 2000, Wayne signed with Rolling Rock Records and released two full-length albums, Rockabilly Daddy (2000) and Proud of My Rockabilly (2001).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvis_Wayne
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Alvis Wayne (31 de diciembre de 1937 - 31 de julio de 2013) fue un cantante de rockabilly americano.
Alvis Wayne Samford nació en Paducah, Texas y escuchó música country en la radio cuando era niño y le regalaron una guitarra a los diez años. Comenzó a tocar en bares y clubes locales a los 12 años y se unió a Tony Wayne & the Rhythm Wranglers a los 20. Este grupo lanzó un single en 1957 y luego se disolvió. Después de esto, Alvis firmó con Westport Records.
Grabó lo suficiente para que Westport sacara un LP; aunque no salió ninguno, su single "Don't Mean Maybe Baby" fue un éxito regional en Texas, y realizó numerosas giras por el estado. Dejó su carrera musical en suspenso y se unió a la Fuerza Aérea en 1960; después de su gira, continuó grabando y actuando.
En las décadas siguientes, Alvis se convirtió en objeto de un culto en el Reino Unido, donde sus singles eran muy solicitados. En 2000, Wayne firmó con Rolling Rock Records y publicó dos álbumes completos, Rockabilly Daddy (2000) y Proud of My Rockabilly (2001).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvis_WayneRhoda Scott • Live at the Olympia
The daughter of an AME minister, Scott spent much of her childhood in
New Jersey, where she learned to play organ in the churches where her
father served. Soon she herself was serving frequently as organist for
youth and gospel choirs at her father's and other churches. Scott later
studied classical piano, but she concentrated on the organ, eventually
earning a Masters' degree in music theory from the Manhattan School of
Music. By this time she had been asked by a choir member to fill in with
a small band as a jazz pianist. Enjoying the music, she agreed to stay
on with the band on condition that she be allowed to play organ instead
of piano. Choosing as her instrument the Hammond Organ, she soon became a
preeminent jazz musician.
Scott was first attracted to the organ in her father’s church at age
seven. “It's really the most beautiful instrument in the world,” she
stated in a recent interview. “The first thing I did was take my shoes
off and work the pedals.” From then on she always played her church
organ in her bare feet, and to this date she has continued the practice,
earning her nicknames such as “The Barefoot Lady” and “The Barefoot
Contessa.” Following her lead, many other performers of popular organ
music now also play barefoot. Because of her church training, however,
Scott uses the pedals to play a genuine bass line, unlike many other
jazz organists, which allows her to use her left hand for more elaborate
chord work. The resulting music is an energetic fusion of musical
styles that partakes of jazz, gospel, and classical, reflecting both
Scott’s early experience and her formal training.
In 1967 Scott moved to France, where she has since spent most of her
career and earned recognition far greater than that accorded to her in
the United States, though she often performs in the latter country as
well.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/rhodascott
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Hija de un ministro de AME, Scott pasó gran parte de su infancia en
Nueva Jersey, donde aprendió a tocar el órgano en las iglesias donde su
padre servía. Pronto ella misma sirvió frecuentemente como organista
para coros de jóvenes y de gospel en la iglesia de su padre y en otras
iglesias. Más tarde, Scott estudió piano clásico, pero se concentró en
el órgano, y con el tiempo obtuvo una maestría en teoría musical de la
Escuela de Música de Manhattan. Para entonces, un miembro del coro le
había pedido que formara parte de una pequeña banda como pianista de
jazz. Disfrutando de la música, aceptó quedarse con la banda con la
condición de que se le permitiera tocar el órgano en lugar del piano.
Eligiendo como instrumento el órgano de Hammond, pronto se convirtió en
una destacada músico de jazz.
Scott fue atraída por primera vez al órgano de la iglesia de su padre a
la edad de siete años. "Es realmente el instrumento más hermoso del
mundo", declaró en una entrevista reciente. "Lo primero que hice fue
quitarme los zapatos y trabajar los pedales" Desde entonces siempre
tocaba el órgano de su iglesia descalza, y hasta la fecha ha seguido
practicando, ganándose apodos como "La Dama Descalza" y "La Condesa
Descalza". Siguiendo su ejemplo, muchos otros intérpretes de música
popular de órgano ahora también tocan descalzos. Sin embargo, debido a
su formación en la iglesia, Scott utiliza los pedales para tocar una
línea de bajo genuina, a diferencia de muchos otros organistas de jazz,
lo que le permite usar su mano izquierda para un trabajo de acordes más
elaborado. La música resultante es una fusión energética de estilos
musicales que participan del jazz, el gospel y el clásico, reflejando
tanto la experiencia temprana de Scott como su formación formal.
En 1967 Scott se mudó a Francia, donde desde entonces ha pasado la mayor
parte de su carrera y se ha ganado un reconocimiento mucho mayor que el
que se le otorgó en los Estados Unidos, aunque a menudo también actúa
en este último país.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/rhodascott
The Gerry Beaudoin Trio with David Grisman & Duke Robillard • Minor Swing
Gerry Beaudoin is an American jazz guitarist who was a member of the New Guitar Summit with Jay Geils and Duke Robillard.
Beaudoin's father listened to Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Andrés Segovia, and country music. Inspired by Chet Atkins and Johnny Cash, Beaudoin started playing guitar around the time he was ten-years-old. When he was fifteen, he began playing professionally with a country band. During the rest of high school, he played in blues bands, rock bands, and an Italian wedding band.
In 1972, he went to the Berklee College of Music in Boston. While visiting his sister in New York City, he saw performances by jazz guitarists Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, Joe Puma, and Chuck Wayne. One night he saw Bucky Pizzarelli and was motivated to buy a seven-string guitar. Pizzarelli became a lifelong friend and mentor.
Beaudoin had the good fortune to work with two guitarists he admired when he was younger. In high school, he had seen a concert by blues guitarist Duke Robillard and Roomful of Blues that left a deep impression on him. During the 1980s, he worked with Roomful of Blues when it was led by Ronnie Earl and occasionally was accompanied by Jay McShann and Eddie Cleanhead Vinson. In high school, he was given the J. Geils Band's first album, which he tried to work out on guitar. In 1992, he met Jay Geils, who said he owned some of Beaudoin's albums. Years later, Beaudoin, Robillard, and Geils formed the New Guitar Summit, a swing trio with roots in the music of Charlie Christian and Benny Goodman. Their second album, Jazzthing II, featured guest performances by Randy Bachman.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Beaudoin
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Gerry Beaudoin es un guitarrista de jazz americano que fue miembro de la New Guitar Summit con Jay Geils y Duke Robillard.
El padre de Beaudoin escuchaba a Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Andrés Segovia y música country. Inspirado por Chet Atkins y Johnny Cash, Beaudoin empezó a tocar la guitarra cuando tenía diez años. A los quince años, empezó a tocar profesionalmente con una banda de country. Durante el resto de la escuela secundaria, tocó en bandas de blues, bandas de rock y en un grupo de bodas italiano.
En 1972, fue al Berklee College of Music en Boston. Mientras visitaba a su hermana en la ciudad de Nueva York, vio las actuaciones de los guitarristas de jazz Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, Joe Puma y Chuck Wayne. Una noche vio a Bucky Pizzarelli y se sintió motivado a comprar una guitarra de siete cuerdas. Pizzarelli se convirtió en un amigo y mentor de toda la vida.
Beaudoin tuvo la suerte de trabajar con dos guitarristas que admiraba cuando era más joven. En el instituto, había visto un concierto del guitarrista de blues Duke Robillard y Roomful of Blues que le dejó una profunda impresión. Durante los años 80, trabajó con Roomful of Blues cuando era dirigido por Ronnie Earl y ocasionalmente era acompañado por Jay McShann y Eddie Cleanhead Vinson. En el instituto, le dieron el primer álbum de la J. Geils Band, que intentó grabar con la guitarra. En 1992, conoció a Jay Geils, quien dijo ser el dueño de algunos de los álbumes de Beaudoin. Años más tarde, Beaudoin, Robillard y Geils formaron el New Guitar Summit, un trío de swing con raíces en la música de Charlie Christian y Benny Goodman. Su segundo álbum, Jazzthing II, contó con la participación de Randy Bachman.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Beaudoin
Lyle Mays • Fictionary
LYLE: In a way, Fictionary is a sort of tribute album to the pianists that have had the greatest impact on my playing, (Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Paul Bley were singled out). I guess they are my favorites because they move me, (first and foremost), but also because of the level of conception and execution. Again, style has nothing to do with it.
MARC JOHNSON: This was a piano trio project with Jack DeJohnette on drums. Our affinity with the music of pianist Bill Evans is front and center on this recording. I was intrigued by some of the structures Lyle presented for this project in terms of combining composition and improvisation in ways that would at times blur the lines between what was composed and what was improvised. Also, some of the forms like the title track are a hallmark of Lyle’s; an insistence on creating unconventional forms to improvise on. Always a challenge and always taking me out of my comfort zone. I enjoyed every minute of it.
https://www.lylemays.com/fictionary
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LYLE: En cierto modo, Fictionary es una especie de álbum tributo a los pianistas que han tenido el mayor impacto en mi interpretación (Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea y Paul Bley fueron seleccionados). Supongo que son mis favoritas porque me conmueven, (ante todo), pero también por el nivel de concepción y ejecución. De nuevo, el estilo no tiene nada que ver con eso.
MARC JOHNSON: Este fue un proyecto de trío de piano con Jack DeJohnette a la batería. Nuestra afinidad con la música del pianista Bill Evans está al frente y al centro de esta grabación. Me intrigaron algunas de las estructuras que Lyle presentó para este proyecto en términos de combinar composición e improvisación de maneras que a veces borrarían las líneas entre lo que se compuso y lo que se improvisó. Además, algunas de las formas, como la canción principal, son un sello distintivo de Lyle; una insistencia en crear formas poco convencionales para improvisar. Siempre un reto y siempre sacándome de mi zona de confort. Disfruté cada minuto.
https://www.lylemays.com/fictionary
www.lylemays.com ...
VA • Ace Story
Little over 30 years ago, the R&B and rock'n'roll loving directorate of Chiswick Records decided that it might be fun to start a sister label, which did for the recordings of what was then a mere 20 years previously what Chiswick was doing for the more current stuff. Chiswick itself had sprung from small beginnings involving two men with a market stall full of golden oldies both common and rare, so this was not something that surprised too many people who witnessed the birth of this new reissue label which shared the name of one of the most famous imprints in rock'n'roll/R&B history and which, in 2010, still goes by the name of Ace Records.
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Hace poco más de 30 años, la dirección de Chiswick Records, amante del R&B y el rock'n'roll, decidió que sería divertido crear un sello hermano que hiciera por las grabaciones de apenas 20 años antes lo que Chiswick hacía por las más actuales. El propio Chiswick había surgido de unos comienzos modestos en los que dos hombres tenían un puesto en el mercado repleto de viejos éxitos tanto comunes como raros, así que esto no sorprendió a demasiada gente que presenció el nacimiento de este nuevo sello de reediciones que compartía el nombre de uno de los sellos más famosos de la historia del rock'n'roll/R&B y que, en 2010, sigue llamándose Ace Records.
Al Caiola • Let The Sunshine In
Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Guitarist Al Caiola initially made his reputation as a session musician,
playing on records made by Percy Faith and Andre Kostelanetz, among
others. Caiola was the conductor and arranger for United Artists Records
in the late '40s and early '50s. After leaving UA, he signed with RCA,
where he released a number of singles in the '50s. In the early '60s, he
went back to United Artists, which is where he scored his first hit
with the theme to the film The Magnificent Seven. The single peaked at
35 in early 1961 and it was quickly followed by the theme to the
television series Bonanza, which climbed to number 19. For the rest of
the '60s, Caiola released a number of easy listening instrumental albums
and also hosted a television show, which was only aired for a short
while. Caiola continued to record throughout subsequent decades; he died
in Allendale, New Jersey in 2016 at the age of 96.
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Biografía de Stephen Thomas Erlewine
El guitarrista Al Caiola inicialmente hizo su reputación como músico de
sesión, tocando en discos hechos por Percy Faith y Andre Kostelanetz,
entre otros. Caiola fue la directora y arreglista de United Artists
Records a finales de los años 40 y principios de los 50. Después de
dejar UA, firmó con RCA, donde lanzó una serie de singles en los años
50. A principios de los años 60, regresó a United Artists, que es donde
anotó su primer éxito con el tema de la película The Magnificent Seven.
El single alcanzó su punto máximo en 35 a principios de 1961 y fue
seguido rápidamente por el tema de la serie de televisión Bonanza, que
llegó al número 19. Durante el resto de los años 60, Caiola lanzó una
serie de álbumes instrumentales fáciles de escuchar y también presentó
una televisión. Espectáculo, que solo se emitió por un corto tiempo.
Caiola continuó grabando a lo largo de décadas posteriores; murió en
Allendale, Nueva Jersey en 2016 a la edad de 96 años.
All My Yesterdays: The Autobiography of Steve Howe
Renowned guitarist Steve Howe tells his own story in his own words, often unflinchingly as he recounts times of triumph and torment amidst the cream of the UK's prog rock bands. Best known for his work with Yes, a group prone to sudden upheavals, and AOR supergroup Asia, Steve Howe's passage through these and other bands is a roller-coaster ride of constant touring, tense recording sessions, and frequent trips to all corners of the globe. A workaholic, he soon realised that the temptations of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle weren't for him and instead dedicated his life to excellence in musicianship. Born in North London in 1947, Steve got his first guitar at the age of 12 and thereafter devoted himself passionately to mastering its intricacies. After spells in psychedelic bands of the late sixties, he was invited to join Yes in 1970, thus finding himself in a spotlight that shines to this day. In the meantime he raised a family, adopted vegetarianism as a lifestyle, and watched as many of his peers succumbed to the impulses he managed to avoid. As well as Yes and Asia, Steve has led bands of his own, released numerous solo recordings in many different musical styles and amassed a legendary collection of priceless stringed instruments.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Don Wilkerson • The Complete Blue Note Sessions
By DAVID ADLER
One of the paragons of the "Texas tenor" style, Don Wilkerson gained his greatest notoriety as a soloist with Ray Charles throughout much of the 50s and 60s. Less known is Wilkerson’s limited work as a leader, the majority of which is collected on this two-disc package from Blue Note. Wilkerson made three albums for the label during the fruitful years of 1962 and 1963: Preach Brother!, Elder Don, and Shoutin’! All three records feature guitarist Grant Green, who certainly knows how to cook in such a setting. The first also boasts a classic Blue Note rhythm section: Sonny Clark on piano, Butch Warren on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums, with Jual Curtis sitting in on tambourine on "Dem Tambourines" and "Camp Meetin’." On the second album, Johnny Acea takes over on piano, with Lloyd Trotman on bass and Willie Bobo on drums. The last of the three sessions is particularly down and dirty, with Green, John Patton on organ and Ben Dixon on drums.
The prevailing ethos of Preach Brother! is simply summarized: blues, blues, and more blues. And not the fancied-up bebop variety, but straight-up shuffle and boogie and soul. Every track is a blues except for the closer, "Pigeon Peas," a funky thing in AABA form. The two later albums are a bit more compositionally varied. Wilkerson begins Elder Don with exquisitely singing tenor work on "Senorita Eula" and then salutes his fellow Texan Bob Wills with "San Antonio Rose." (Grant Green’s solo on the latter has to be heard to be believed.) From this point on there’s still plenty of blues, but Wilkerson breaks it up with originals like "Scrappy" and "Drawin’ a Tip." He also showcases a totally different aspect of his talent on the ballads "Poor Butterfly" and "Easy Living."
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Por DAVID ADLER
Uno de los parangones del estilo "tenor de Texas", Don Wilkerson ganó su mayor notoriedad como solista con Ray Charles durante gran parte de los años 50 y 60. Menos conocido es el limitado trabajo de Wilkerson como líder, la mayoría del cual se recoge en este paquete de dos discos de Blue Note. Wilkerson hizo tres álbumes para la discográfica durante los fructíferos años de 1962 y 1963: Preach Brother!, Elder Don, y Shoutin'! Los tres discos cuentan con la participación del guitarrista Grant Green, que ciertamente sabe cómo cocinar en un ambiente así. El primero también cuenta con una sección rítmica clásica de Blue Note: Sonny Clark en el piano, Butch Warren en el bajo, y Billy Higgins en la batería, con Jual Curtis en la pandereta en "Dem Tambourines" y "Camp Meetin'". En el segundo álbum, Johnny Acea se hace cargo del piano, con Lloyd Trotman en el bajo y Willie Bobo en la batería. La última de las tres sesiones es particularmente baja y sucia, con Green, John Patton en el órgano y Ben Dixon en la batería.
El espíritu prevaleciente del Predicador Hermano! se resume simplemente: blues, blues y más blues. Y no la variedad de bebop de fantasía, sino el shuffle y el boogie y el soul. Cada canción es un blues excepto la más cercana, "Pigeon Peas", una cosa funky en forma de AABA. Los dos álbumes posteriores son un poco más variados en cuanto a la composición. Wilkerson comienza Elder Don con un exquisito trabajo de tenor en "Señorita Eula" y luego saluda a su compañero tejano Bob Wills con "San Antonio Rose". (El solo de Grant Green en esta última tiene que ser escuchado para ser creído.) A partir de aquí todavía hay mucho blues, pero Wilkerson lo rompe con originales como "Scrappy" y "Drawin' a Tip". También muestra un aspecto totalmente diferente de su talento en las baladas "Poor Butterfly" y "Easy Living".
Tuba Skinny • Six Feet Down
Formed in in 2009, Tuba Skinny has steadily evolved from a loose collection of street musicians into a solid ensemble dedicated to bringing the traditional New Orleans sound to audiences around the world. Drawing on a wide range of musical influences—from spirituals to Depression-era blues, from ragtime to traditional jazz—their sound evokes the rich musical heritage of their New Orleans home. The band has gained a loyal following through their distinctive sound, their commitment to reviving long-lost songs, and their barnstorming live performances.
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Fundada en 2009, Tuba Skinny ha evolucionado constantemente de una colección suelta de músicos callejeros a un sólido conjunto dedicado a llevar el sonido tradicional de Nueva Orleans a audiencias de todo el mundo. Basándose en una amplia gama de influencias musicales -desde espirituales hasta blues de la época de la Depresión, desde ragtime hasta jazz tradicional-, su sonido evoca la rica herencia musical de su hogar en Nueva Orleáns. La banda ha ganado un seguimiento leal a través de su sonido distintivo, su compromiso de revivir canciones perdidas hace mucho tiempo, y sus actuaciones en vivo.
Reverend Gary Davis • Pure Religion & Bad Company
Review by Lindsay Planer
This Rev. Gary Davis release has been issued throughout the world under a bevy of names and should not be confused with the Prestige disc simply titled Pure Religion. These recordings are notable for both their sacred and secular nature. Equally as interesting is the wide range of performance styles that the Reverend incorporates throughout this long-player. Among them are the rarely displayed preachin' blues of "Bad Company," "Runnin' to the Judgement," and "Pure Religion." Notable are the spoken introductions or talkin' blues recitation techniques, as well as the more obvious and overtly religious themes. Davis took his commitment to the Lord seriously and had become an ordained minister in the summer of 1937. His vehemence and compulsion to spread the word is a blatant motif that works on several simultaneous strata. In the musical parables of "Seven Sisters" -- which should not be considered a voodoo reference -- and "Right Now," Davis recalls the fatality of not rebuking sin with lyrics like the following: "Don't 'cha put off today for tomorrow -- for tomorrow may never be. Let the Saviour bless yo' soul, right now." This collection also includes a few equally heady instrumentals -- most notably "Cocaine Blues," "Buck Dance," and "Hesitation Blues." Davis' astonishingly potent guitar playing and conversational approach have arguably never been captured more aptly on record. The direct lineage to artists such as Dave Van Ronk, Jorma Kaukonen, Stefan Grossman, and Brownie McGee becomes infinitely clear. Their versatility in technique coupled with simultaneous chord strumming and picking can be sourced right here. "Moon Goes Down" is one of the more secular pieces and originates in the slave fields as a "holler." Davis' emotionally heavy performance and dirge-like chord changes rank the tune among his most emotive recordings.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/pure-religion-bad-company-mw0000263505
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Reseña de Lindsay Planer
Este lanzamiento del Rev. Gary Davis ha sido publicado en todo el mundo bajo un montón de nombres y no debe ser confundido con el disco de Prestige simplemente titulado Pure Religion. Estas grabaciones son notables por su naturaleza sagrada y secular. Igualmente interesante es la amplia gama de estilos de interpretación que el Reverendo incorpora a lo largo de este disco de larga duración. Entre ellos están el raramente mostrado predicar el blues de "Bad Company", "Runnin' to the Judgement" y "Pure Religion". Destacan las introducciones habladas o las técnicas de recitación del blues parlante, así como los temas más obvios y abiertamente religiosos. Davis se tomó en serio su compromiso con el Señor y se ordenó como ministro en el verano de 1937. Su vehemencia y compulsión por difundir la palabra es un motivo descarado que funciona en varios estratos simultáneos. En las parábolas musicales de "Siete Hermanas" - que no debe ser considerada una referencia vudú - y "Ahora mismo", Davis recuerda la fatalidad de no reprender el pecado con letras como las siguientes: "No dejes el hoy para el mañana... porque el mañana puede no ser nunca. Deja que el Salvador bendiga tu alma, ahora mismo". Esta colección también incluye unos pocos instrumentos igualmente embriagadores... más notablemente "Cocaine Blues", "Buck Dance" y "Hesitation Blues". La asombrosa potencia de la guitarra de Davis y su enfoque conversacional nunca han sido capturados de forma más adecuada en un disco. El linaje directo con artistas como Dave Van Ronk, Jorma Kaukonen, Stefan Grossman y Brownie McGee se hace infinitamente claro. Su versatilidad en la técnica, junto con el rasgueo simultáneo de los acordes y el picking puede ser obtenida aquí mismo. "La luna se hunde" es una de las piezas más seculares y se origina en los campos de esclavos como un "grito". La actuación emocionalmente pesada de Davis y los cambios de acordes como el canto de la muerte clasifican la melodía entre sus grabaciones más emotivas.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/pure-religion-bad-company-mw0000263505
The Guitar in Stuart England A Social and Musical History by Christopher Page
This is the first history of the guitar during the reign of the Stuarts, a time of great political and social upheaval in England. In this engaging and original volume, Christopher Page gathers a rich array of portraits, literary works and other, previously unpublished, archival materials in order to create a comprehensive picture of the guitar from its early appearances in Jacobean records, through its heyday at the Restoration court in Whitehall, to its decline in the first decades of the eighteenth century. The book explores the passion of Charles II himself for the guitar, and that of Samuel Pepys, who commissioned the largest repertoire of guitar-accompanied song to survive from baroque Europe. Written in Page's characteristically approachable style, this volume will appeal to general readers as well as to music historians and guitar specialists.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
The Jazz Crusaders • Freedom Sound
Review:
The first album by the Jazz Crusaders (which started an extensive series for Pacific Jazz) introduced the colorful quintet. With trombonist Wayne Henderson and tenor saxophonist Wilton Felder giving the ensembles a unique sound, the group (also featuring regular members pianist Joe Sample and drummer Stix Hooper along with guests Jimmy Bond on bass and guitarist Roy Gaines) managed to strike a balance between creative hard bop and accessible soul-jazz. In addition to their version of "Theme From Exodus" (hoping to jump on the bandwagon created by Eddie Harris' hit rendition), the Jazz Crusaders perform originals by Felder, Henderson, and Sample ("Freedom Sound").
by Scott Yanow
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Reseña:
El primer álbum de los Cruzados del Jazz (que inició una extensa serie para el Jazz del Pacífico) introdujo el colorido quinteto. Con el trombonista Wayne Henderson y el saxofonista tenor Wilton Felder dando a los grupos un sonido único, el grupo (también con los miembros habituales, el pianista Joe Sample y el baterista Stix Hooper junto con los invitados Jimmy Bond en el bajo y el guitarrista Roy Gaines) se las arregló para lograr un equilibrio entre el hard bop creativo y el soul-jazz accesible. Además de su versión de "Theme From Exodus" (con la esperanza de subirse al carro creado por la exitosa interpretación de Eddie Harris), los Jazz Crusaders interpretan originales de Felder, Henderson y Sample ("Freedom Sound").
Por Scott Yanow 
Homesick James • Blues On The South Side
Review by Bill Dahl
Blues on the South Side is probably the best album slide guitarist Homesick James ever laid down (originally for Prestige in 1964). The stylistic similarities to his cousin, the great Elmore James, are obvious, but Homesick deviates repeatedly from the form. Tough as nails with a bottleneck, he goes for the jugular on "Goin' Down Swingin'," "Johnny Mae," and "Gotta Move," supported by pianist Lafayette Leake, guitarist Eddie Taylor, and drummer Clifton James.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-on-the-south-side-mw0000690464
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Reseña de Bill Dahl
Blues on the South Side es probablemente el mejor álbum que el guitarrista Homesick James haya grabado (originalmente para Prestige en 1964). Las similitudes estilísticas con su primo, el gran Elmore James, son obvias, pero Homesick se desvía repetidamente de la forma. Duro como un clavo con un cuello de botella, va a la yugular en "Goin' Down Swingin'", "Johnny Mae" y "Gotta Move", apoyado por el pianista Lafayette Leake, el guitarrista Eddie Taylor y el baterista Clifton James.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-on-the-south-side-mw0000690464Genre in Popular Music
The popularity of the motion picture soundtrack O Brother, Where Art Thou?
brought an extraordinary
amount of attention to bluegrass, but it also drew its share of
criticism from some aficionados who felt the album’s inclusion of more
modern tracks misrepresented the genre. This soundtrack, these purists
argued, wasn’t bluegrass, but “roots music,” a new and, indeed, more
overarching category concocted by journalists and marketers. Why is it
that popular music genres like these and others are so passionately
contested? And how is it that these genres emerge, coalesce, change, and
die out?
In Genre in Popular Music,
Fabian Holt provides new
understanding as to why we debate music categories, and why those terms
are unstable and always shifting. To tackle the full complexity of
genres in popular music, Holt embarks on a wide-ranging and ambitious
collection of case studies. Here he examines not only the different
reactions to O Brother,
but also the impact of rock
and roll’s explosion in the 1950s and 1960s on country music and jazz,
and how the jazz and indie music scenes in Chicago have intermingled to
expand the borders of their respective genres. Throughout, Holt finds
that genres are an integral part of musical culture—fundamental both to
musical practice and experience and to the social organization of
musical life.
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Chico Hamilton • Complete Studio Sessions [1956-1957]
Review by Michael G. Nastos
This is the fourth Fresh Sound CD reissuing drummer Chico Hamilton's early ensembles to come out, and it is perhaps his most important grouping. The quintet played originals and standard covers that combined elements of Eastern and Western strains of mainstream and chamber jazz with instruments like flute, cello, and guitar. Hamilton created new music that some scratched their heads at, but most understood and enjoyed its softer tones and rounded edges. These studio works from four Los Angeles based sessions released on the Pacific Jazz, World Pacific, and Decca labels stem from the second version of Hamilton's quintet, which originally included Jim Hall and Buddy Collette. When Hall joined the Jimmy Giuffre trio, the tasteful guitarist John Pisano was recruited, then original woodwind player Buddy Collette left for greener pastures, and multi-instrumentalist Paul Horn was asked to join. Cellist Fred Katz and bassist Carson Smith remained, retaining the classical spirit of the group, but the addition of Pisano and Horn did nothing to diminish what the ensemble sound had attained, and would embellish. And it is their compositions that distinguish this music from any other group of the era, save that of Dave Brubeck. Smith's "Chanel #5" is a fluid, sprightly flute/cello waltz with Horn's Paul Desmond style alto sax added on. "Beanstalk" is an easy swinger merging melodies of "Love Me or Leave Me" and "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," while "Mr. Smith Goes to Town" takes off with Smith's witty bass leading the charge. Of the classically oriented compositions of Katz, the beautiful ballad "Lillian" is as romantic as can be with Horn's alto singing his heart out, while "Reflections" has Horn's evocative and pristine flute countering a pristine cello from the author. Hall's tunes remained in the repertoire, especially the extraordinary "Siete-Cuatro" in 7/8 with ostinato bass, Horn's wonderful textures on alto, repeat guitar lines, legato cello, and tambourine accents. There are three abbreviated versions of Hall's band theme "I Know," a classic read of "Satin Doll," an intriguing calypso infused "Soft Winds," an outstanding take of "September Song" where Horn's clarinet and the cello of Katz weep mournfully about the change of season and lost love, and a fine flute front loaded Latin snake charmer style identifying the classic "Caravan." Collette also left behind "Blue Sands" and "The Ghost," performed on the Stars of Jazz ABC television program on Christmas Eve of 1956. The former is an exotic discourse in mysterious notions, the latter using very clever interplay between the five instrumentalists. Hamilton plays brushes and little instruments for the most part, composed two tracks where he is the featured soloist, and co-composed another four with Katz that appeared in the film of Sweet Smell of Success. There is a full CD of that movie soundtrack available on a separate CD that is the fifth reissued Fresh Sound CD featuring this ensemble. While this is not absolutely the complete studio recordings of this legendary ensemble, it is ultimately substantive, representing a marvelous sound that is as appealing as any in the modern post-bop idiom, and ranks favorably with any chamber jazz attempts of any era.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/complete-studio-sessions-1956-57-mw0001685367
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Reseña de Michael G. Nastos
Este es el cuarto CD de Fresh Sound que reedita los primeros conjuntos del baterista Chico Hamilton, y es quizás su agrupación más importante. El quinteto tocó versiones originales y estándar que combinaban elementos de las cepas orientales y occidentales del jazz convencional y de cámara con instrumentos como flauta, violonchelo y guitarra. Hamilton creó nueva música que algunos se rascaron la cabeza, pero la mayoría entendió y disfrutó de sus tonos más suaves y bordes redondeados. Estos trabajos de estudio de cuatro sesiones con sede en Los Ángeles lanzados en los sellos Pacific Jazz, World Pacific y Decca provienen de la segunda versión del quinteto de Hamilton, que originalmente incluía a Jim Hall y Buddy Collette. Cuando Hall se unió al Jimmy Giuffre trio, se reclutó al guitarrista de buen gusto John Pisano, luego el músico de viento de madera original Buddy Collette se fue a pastos más verdes, y se le pidió al multiinstrumentista Paul Horn que se uniera. El violonchelista Fred Katz y el bajista Carson Smith permanecieron, conservando el espíritu clásico del grupo, pero la adición de Pisano y Horn no hizo nada para disminuir lo que el sonido del conjunto había logrado, y embellecería. Y son sus composiciones las que distinguen a esta música de cualquier otro grupo de la época, salvo la de Dave Brubeck. "Chanel #5" de Smith es un vals fluido y vivaz para flauta/violonchelo con saxo alto estilo Paul Desmond de Horn agregado. "Beanstalk" es un intercambio de parejas fácil que fusiona melodías de "Love Me or Leave Me" y "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise", mientras que " Mr. Smith Goes to Town " despega con el ingenioso bajo de Smith liderando la carga. De las composiciones de orientación clásica de Katz, la hermosa balada "Lillian" es tan romántica como puede serlo con el alto de Horn cantando con todo su corazón, mientras que "Reflections" tiene la flauta evocadora y prístina de Horn contrarrestando un violonchelo prístino del autor. Las melodías de Hall permanecieron en el repertorio, especialmente el extraordinario "Siete-Cuatro" en 7/8 con bajo ostinato, maravillosas texturas de Cuerno en alto, líneas de guitarra repetidas, violonchelo legato y acentos de pandereta. Hay tres versiones abreviadas del tema de la banda de Hall, "I Know", una lectura clásica de "Satin Doll", un intrigante calipso infundido con "Soft Winds", una toma sobresaliente de" September Song "donde el clarinete de Horn y el violonchelo de Katz lloran tristemente por el cambio de estación y el amor perdido, y una flauta fina cargada de estilo encantador de serpientes latinas que identifica el clásico "Caravan". Collette también dejó atrás "Blue Sands" y "The Ghost", interpretadas en el programa de televisión Stars of Jazz ABC en la víspera de Navidad de 1956 . El primero es un discurso exótico en nociones misteriosas, el segundo utiliza una interacción muy inteligente entre los cinco instrumentistas. Hamilton toca pinceles y pequeños instrumentos en su mayor parte, compuso dos temas en los que es el solista destacado, y co-compuso otros cuatro con Katz que aparecieron en la película de Sweet Smell of Success. Hay un CD completo de la banda sonora de esa película disponible en un CD separado que es el quinto CD de Sonido fresco reeditado con este conjunto. Si bien estas no son absolutamente las grabaciones de estudio completas de este legendario conjunto, en última instancia son sustantivas, representan un sonido maravilloso que es tan atractivo como cualquier otro en el lenguaje moderno post-bop, y se clasifica favorablemente con cualquier intento de jazz de cámara de cualquier época.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/complete-studio-sessions-1956-57-mw0001685367
Saturday, March 7, 2026
Never a Dull Moment 1971, The Year That Rock Exploded
A rollicking look at 1971, rock’s golden year, the year that saw
the release of the indelible recordings of Led Zeppelin, David Bowie,
the Who, Rod Stewart, Carole King, the Rolling Stones, and others and
produced more classics than any other year in rock history
The
Sixties ended a year late. On New Year’s Eve 1970 Paul McCartney
instructed his lawyers to issue the writ at the High Court in London
that effectively ended the Beatles. You might say this was the last day
of the pop era.
1971 started the following day and with it the
rock era. The new releases of that hectic year―Don McLean’s “American
Pie,” Sly Stone’s “Family Affair,” Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” Joni
Mitchell’s “Blue,” Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven,” the Who’s “Baba
O’Riley,” and many others―are the standards of today.
David
Hepworth was twenty-one in 1971, and has been writing and broadcasting
about music ever since. In this entertaining and provocative book, he
argues that 1971 saw an unrepeatable surge of musical creativity,
technological innovation, naked ambition and outrageous good fortune
that combined to produce music that still crackles with relevance today.
There’s a story behind every note of that music. From the electric blue
fur coat David Bowie wore when he first arrived in America in February
to Bianca’s neckline when she married Mick Jagger in Saint-Tropez in
May, from the death of Jim Morrison in Paris in July to the reemergence
of Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden in August, from the soft launch of
Carole King’s Tapestry in
California in February to the sensational arrival of Led Zeppelin’s
“Stairway To Heaven” in London in November, Hepworth’s forensic sweep
takes in all the people, places and events that helped make 1971 rock’s
unrepeatable year.
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Thursday, March 5, 2026
Ike Quebec • With A Song In My Heart
A jazz album by tenor saxophonist Ike Quebec compiled around material from his later Blue Note sessions.
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Un álbum de jazz del saxofonista tenor Ike Quebec compilado en torno a material de sus últimas sesiones de Blue Note.
Herbie Mann • London Underground
During the 1960s and '70s, Herbie Mann continually searched for new playing contexts in which to place his flute. In December 1973, he traveled to London for five days of recording with a group of British rock musicians. The result was London Underground, an album tilted much more in a rock direction than the soul and R&B-drenched recordings he had been making for the previous five years. Highlights on this album include the Rolling Stones' "Bitch" ( then-Stone Mick Taylor played guitar on this album ), Thunderclap Newman's "Something in the Air," and "Paper Sun," from the Traffic canon. The real highlight, however, came about with the addition of Stephane Grappelli on the Donovan pop hit "Mellow Yellow." With guitarist Albert Lee adopting a Django Reinhardt stance, the cut is reminiscent of the old Hot Club of France recordings in the '30s. There are a couple of clunkers here ( "Layla" doesn't work ), but for fans of late-'60s/early-'70s rock, not a bad ride. - AMG
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Durante las décadas de 1960 y 1970, Herbie Mann buscó continuamente nuevos contextos de interpretación en los que colocar su flauta. En diciembre de 1973, viajó a Londres para grabar durante cinco días con un grupo de músicos de rock británicos. El resultado fue London Underground, un álbum que se inclinaba mucho más en una dirección de rock que las grabaciones de soul y R&B que había estado haciendo durante los cinco años anteriores. Entre los aspectos más destacados de este álbum se encuentran "Bitch" de los Rolling Stones (en este álbum el entonces cantante Mick Taylor tocó la guitarra), "Something in the Air" de Thunderclap Newman y "Paper Sun", del canon Traffic. El verdadero punto culminante, sin embargo, se produjo con la adición de Stéphane Grappelli en el éxito pop de Donovan "Mellow Yellow". Con el guitarrista Albert Lee adoptando una postura de Django Reinhardt, el corte recuerda a las viejas grabaciones de Hot Club of France en los años 30. Hay un par de clunkers aquí ("Layla" no funciona), pero para los fans del rock de finales de los 60 y principios de los 70, no es un mal paseo. - AMG
Sounds of War, Music in the United States during World War II
This book is the first comprehensive study of classical music in the United States during World War II. Whether as an instrument of propaganda or as a form of entertainment, classical music had a cultural relevance and a ubiquity in the war effort that are hard to imagine today. Exploring an abundance of sources ranging from government archives to the correspondence of musicians, this book traces how musicians in the United States responded and contributed to the war, following individual performers and composers as they faced military duty or sought alternative ways in which they could serve. Declassified materials from the Office of War Information, the State Department, and the Armed Forces speak to the manner in which U.S. government agencies instrumentalized and weaponized classical music and music making. In the interplay of individuals and institutions, as well as military and civilian organizations, musicians created works that left its indelible stamp on American music and musical life. Wartime compositions such as Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, Rodeo, and Appalachian Spring speak as articulately to U.S. wartime culture as does Morton Gould’s American Salute. These meshed with the contributions to American concert life of exiled composers such as Darius Milhaud, Béla Bartók, and Arnold Schoenberg, who, having fled the Nazis, went on to write new music for their new American audiences.
Tanto que Contar: Historia Oral de Bob Marley
Una historia reveladora y devastadora de uno de los músicos más influyentes de todos los tiempos, contada en las palabras de quienes mejor lo conocieron. Roger Steffens es uno de los principales expertos de Bob Marley en el mundo. Durante varias décadas, ha entrevistado a más de setenta y cinco amigos, gerentes de negocios, familiares y confidentes, muchos de los cuales hablan en público por primera vez. Tanto que contar teje este rico testimonio para formar un relato definitivo de la vida del rey del reggae: de cómo un niño de los barrios pobres de Kingston, Jamaica, se convirtió en un icono cultural y en inspiración para millones de personas.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Modern Jazz Quartet ft. Jimmy Giuffre • At Music Inn
Live performance recorded at The Music Inn, Lenox, Massachusetts, August 28, 1956. The Modern Jazz Quartet’s classic lineup is joined by clarinetist Jimmy Giuffre on a few tracks, blending cool jazz, hard bop, and chamber jazz styles. This edition reflects the 1956 live set often issued in modern reissues around 2022.
Lucky Thompson • Accent on Tenor Sax
A legendary tenor and soprano saxophonist who took his place among the elite improvisers of jazz from the 1940's to the 1960's and then quit music. Lucky Thompson connected the swing era to the more cerebral and complex bebop style. His sophisticated, harmonically abstract approach to the tenor saxophone endeared him to the beboppers, but he was also a beautiful balladeer.
Thompson was born in Columbia, South Carolina, but grew up on Detroit's East Side. He saved to buy a saxophone study book, practicing on a simulated instrument carved from a broomstick. He finally acquired a saxophone when he was 15, practiced eight hours a day and, within a month, was playing around town, most notably with the King's Aces big band, among who was vibraphonist Milt Jackson, later a frequent associate. Thompson left Cass high school early to join ex-Lunceford altoist Ted Buckner at Club 666, a top spot in the black section of Detroit.
He left the city in August 1943 with Lionel Hampton's orchestra, touring for four months before settling in New York. He was soon playing for exacting bandleaders such as Don Redman and Lucky Millinder, performing on 52nd street with drummer Big Sid Catlett, and making his recording debut in March 1944 with trumpeter Hot Lips Page.
After a run with Billy Eckstine's big band, then a hotbed of modernism, Thompson spent a fruitful year with the Count Basie orchestra. By October 1945, he was in Los Angeles, and stayed for two years, taking on the mantle of local hero and participating in more than 100 recording sessions, with everyone from Dinah Washington to Boyd Raeburn. When Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker made their legendary visit to Billy Berg's club in Los Angeles, Thompson was retained to cover for the errant Parker. Lucky played on one of Parker's most celebrated recording sessions, for Dial Records on March 28, 1946.
Back in New York by 1948, Thompson began a period of varied activity, fronting groups at the Savoy Ballroom, appearing at the Nice festival, recording with Thelonious Monk and playing on the heralded Miles Davis album, “Walkin'.” In 1956, he toured Europe with Stan Kenton, then chose to live abroad for extended periods, from 1957 to 1962, making a number of recordings with groups while overseas.
His skepticism about the jazz business may have kept him from a broader career recording as a bandleader; but there was “Tricotism,” from 1953, with the Lucky Seven. Then in 1962 Thompson came back to New York, where he signed with Prestige and recorded the sessions for albums “Happy Days Are Here Again,” “Plays Jerome Kern and No More,” and “Lucky Strikes,” from 1964, thought to be his highlight album. He did other sides for various labels as in the ’65 joining with Tommy Flanagan “Lucky Meets Tommy.” His last recordings were “Goodbye Yesterday,” (1972) and “I Offer You,” (1973), made for the Groove Merchant label.
After returning to New York for a few years, he lived in Lausanne, Switzerland, from late 1968 to 1970. He came back to New York again, taught at Dartmouth in 1973 and 1974, then disappeared from the Northeast, and soon from music entirely.
By the early 90's he was in Seattle, mostly living in the woods or in shelter offered by friends. He did not own a saxophone. He was hospitalized a number of times in 1994, and finally entered an Assisted Living Center, where he lived from 1994 until his death in July 2005.
Source: James Nadal
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Un legendario saxofonista tenor y soprano que ocupó su lugar entre la élite de los improvisadores de jazz de los años 40 a los 60 y luego dejó la música. Lucky Thompson conectó la era del swing con el más cerebral y complejo estilo del bebop. Su sofisticado y armónicamente abstracto enfoque del saxofón tenor le hizo ganar la simpatía de los beboppers, pero también era un hermoso baladista.
Thompson nació en Columbia, Carolina del Sur, pero creció en el East Side de Detroit. Ahorró para comprar un libro de estudio de saxofón, practicando con un instrumento simulado tallado en un palo de escoba. Finalmente adquirió un saxofón cuando tenía 15 años, practicó ocho horas al día y, en el plazo de un mes, tocó por toda la ciudad, sobre todo con la gran banda de King's Aces, entre la que se encontraba el vibrafonista Milt Jackson, más tarde un colaborador habitual. Thompson dejó el instituto de Cass temprano para unirse al ex-altoísta de Lunceford Ted Buckner en el Club 666, un lugar importante en la sección negra de Detroit.
Dejó la ciudad en agosto de 1943 con la orquesta de Lionel Hampton, de gira durante cuatro meses antes de establecerse en Nueva York. Pronto tocó para directores de orquesta exigentes como Don Redman y Lucky Millinder, actuando en la calle 52 con el baterista Big Sid Catlett, y haciendo su debut discográfico en marzo de 1944 con el trompetista Hot Lips Page.
Después de una carrera con la gran banda de Billy Eckstine, entonces un semillero de modernismo, Thompson pasó un año fructífero con la orquesta de Count Basie. En octubre de 1945, estaba en Los Ángeles, y permaneció durante dos años, asumiendo el papel de héroe local y participando en más de 100 sesiones de grabación, con todos, desde Dinah Washington hasta Boyd Raeburn. Cuando Dizzy Gillespie y Charlie Parker hicieron su legendaria visita al club de Billy Berg en Los Ángeles, Thompson fue contratado para cubrir al errante Parker. Lucky tocó en una de las sesiones de grabación más célebres de Parker, para Dial Records el 28 de marzo de 1946.
De vuelta en Nueva York en 1948, Thompson comenzó un período de actividad variada, encabezando grupos en el Savoy Ballroom, apareciendo en el festival de Niza, grabando con Thelonious Monk y tocando en el anunciado álbum de Miles Davis, "Walkin'". En 1956, realizó una gira por Europa con Stan Kenton, y luego optó por vivir en el extranjero durante períodos prolongados, de 1957 a 1962, haciendo varias grabaciones con grupos mientras estaba en el extranjero.
Su escepticismo sobre el negocio del jazz puede haberle impedido tener una carrera más amplia grabando como director de orquesta; pero hubo "Tricotismo", a partir de 1953, con los Lucky Seven. Luego, en 1962, Thompson regresó a Nueva York, donde firmó con Prestige y grabó las sesiones de los álbumes "Happy Days Are Here Again", "Plays Jerome Kern and No More" y "Lucky Strikes", de 1964, que se considera su álbum más destacado. Hizo otros lados para varios sellos como en el '65 uniéndose a Tommy Flanagan "Lucky Meets Tommy". Sus últimas grabaciones fueron "Goodbye Yesterday" (1972) y "I Offer You" (1973), hechas para el sello Groove Merchant.
Después de regresar a Nueva York por unos años, vivió en Lausana, Suiza, desde finales de 1968 hasta 1970. Volvió a Nueva York de nuevo, enseñó en Dartmouth en 1973 y 1974, luego desapareció del noreste, y pronto de la música por completo.
A principios de los 90 estaba en Seattle, viviendo principalmente en el bosque o en un refugio ofrecido por amigos. No tenía un saxofón. Fue hospitalizado varias veces en 1994, y finalmente entró en un Centro de Vida Asistida, donde vivió desde 1994 hasta su muerte en julio de 2005.
Fuente: James Nadal
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