Archives for May 2006

Later in the week, I'll be posting from Rochester, New York, and the ninth annual Swing 'n Jazz, an event supporting The Commission Project's music education of young people. In this context, "Swing" refers to both music and golf. A tournament on Sunday raises money for the education. Workshops … [Read more...]

Following the posting about Paul Desmond playing "Take Five" in a youtube.com video, Rifftides reader Jon Naylor wrote from Seattle: In regards to youtube.com, they have a great piece of history with Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie being presented a Down Beat music award by Leonard Feather and … [Read more...]

It is a truth so commonplace that it has become a cliché: You needn't be American to be a first-rate jazz musician. The United States of America brought together and mixed the elements that made jazz. But it is not, after all, something in the water, the genes or the sociology of The United States … [Read more...]

Here are more recommended CDs by jazz artists not from the United States. Gilad Atzmon, Musik: Rearranging the 20th Century (Enja). It is unlikely that Atzmon can separate himself from Israeli-Palestinian politics--or that he wishes to--but this CD is more about music and less about ideologies than, … [Read more...]

Just as the music is everywhere, so are Rifftides readers. A recent check of the site meter shows you in these places, among others: Australia Melbourne Canberra Austria Vienna Canada Guelph, Ontario Belleville, Ontario Toronto, Ontario China Shanghai Beijing Czech … [Read more...]

Twenty-nine years ago this weekend, Paul Desmond bid his girlfriend goodbye as she set off for London, urging her to have a good holiday. That was on Friday. He would be fine, he told her; he had friends coming the next day. But his only companion was the lung cancer that had ravaged him during the … [Read more...]

Like, dig! I'm in step. When it was hip to be hep, I was hep. I don't blow but I'm a fan. Look at me swing. Ring a ding ding. I even call my girlfriend "man," 'cuz I'm hip… —Dave Frishberg, “I’m Hip,”1965 It has been well said that ‘the arch-flatterer with whom all the petty flatterers … [Read more...]

Terry Teachout's ecstatic review of pianist Roger Kellaway's new drummerless trio makes me want to hop a plane to New York. Kellaway has lived in California for years. He is back in The Apple for an engagement at the Jazz Standard. The three men opened the set with a super-sly version of Benny … [Read more...]

The Before & After test I did with Miguel Zenon at the Portland Jazz Festival appears in the June issue of Jazz Times, now on news stands. Here's a sample of his acute hearing and assessments: 3. Gonzalo Rubalcaba “Los Buyes” (from Paseo, Blue Note). Rubalcaba, piano; Luis Felipe Lamoglia, … [Read more...]

The ambitious multiple blogger Jerry Bowles has put together blognoggle, a clearinghouse for several blogs. In a message to Rifftides, he writes: I started blognoggle pages on new music, business and politics because I realized that only a small fraction of internet users now bother with RSS readers … [Read more...]

The distinguished audio expert Jim Brown saw the Rifftides piece on the possible demise of the last jazz radio station in Los Angeles and sent this reminder that the music is threatened at stations across the nation. Although I've just completed a move to Santa Cruz, I did learn during a recent … [Read more...]

A Rifftides reader writes I just came across Rifftides, as I was searching for Coleman Hawkins' Centennial CD/DVD package. I was at a loss in identifying some of the players on the DVD, and your post from 2005 helped a great deal. Especially in introducing me to Harry Sheppard and Dickie Thompson, … [Read more...]

As he moves toward the middle of his eighty-sixth year, Dave Brubeck is not slowing down. He's picking up speed—and honors—and preparing a major work. Today he is at his alma mater, University of the Pacific, to collect another medal. For a story about Brubeck's whirlwind week and his new … [Read more...]

A story in today’s Los Angeles Times has this headline: Straight-ahead jazz may lose its KKJZ-FM gig And this quote: "KKJZ is a very famous jazz station and there aren't many more around like them," said Frank Sinatra Jr., son of the singing legend, and a professional musician who lives in West … [Read more...]

What can be hoped of an art which must necessarily depend on the favor of the public—of such a public, at least, as ours? Good work may, does sometimes, succeed. But never with the degree of success that befalls twaddle and vulgarity. Twaddle and vulgarity will always have the upper … [Read more...]

John Birchard writes from Washington, DC. Reading TT's disgusted remarks about the American Masters Nat King Cole show brought to mind the only time I saw Cole in person. It was 1956. I was in Uncle Sam's Air Force, stationed at Craig AFB outside Selma, Alabama. A jazz fan friend of mine and I … [Read more...]

artsjounal.com neighbor Terry Teachout suggests that I pass along an item from his About Last Night. As a followup to recent Rifftides discussions about the quality of television music programming, here it is—a public service: If you missed last night’s PBS American Masters documentary on Nat … [Read more...]

Very interesting (fascinating actually) subject, I think. Doug, I am thrilled that you are exploring the origins of the Jazz Messiahs and the emergence of Ornette Coleman. Pianist Don Friedman mentioned to me that this band played several gigs in the Pacific Northwest and Vancouver during this … [Read more...]

Matthew Lurie writes from Chicago: I just thought I'd drop a line and link to an article I wrote about Legends of Jazz for Time Out Chicago. Because Ramsey Lewis is from here (as are the rhythm section of Larry Gray, Willie Pickens, and Leon Joyce) and the show was shot here, we viewed it as our … [Read more...]