Seamus Blake, Bellwether (Criss Cross). Since 1993, when Seamus Blake was 22, Gerry Teekens of Criss Cross Records has been traveling from Holland to New York to record the gifted Canadian tenor saxophonist. Teekens was one of the first recording executives to document Blake's work, and he has been … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2010
Other Matters: Geese
This evening before dinner, I headed out the door to clear the wooly mind that resulted from too many hours at the keyboard. Five minutes into the walk, a flock of Canada geese the size of this one flew directly over me at about 200 feet.There was nothing unusual about that. Flocks of geese fly over … [Read more...]
Compatible Quotes: Geese
If you feel the urge, don't be afraid to go on a wild goose chase. What do you think wild geese are for, anyway? - Will Rogers Tonight I heard the wild goose cry, Wingin' north in the lonely sky. Tried to sleep, it weren't no use, 'Cause I am a brother to the old wild goose. -- 1950 hit record for … [Read more...]
Winter Jazzfest
If you are puzzling over the course jazz is taking in the second decade of the new century, this would be a good weekend to be in New York at the Winter Jazzfest. The event is packed with young artists making waves that excite fans their ages and younger, and frustrate many older listeners who have … [Read more...]
Stacy Rowles Memorial
A memorial service for Stacy Rowles is set for Sunday, January 10, in the auditorium of the Musicians Union local in Hollywood, California. The growing list of more than fifty musicians who will perform in tribute includes Pete Christlieb, Joe LaBarbera, Charlie and Sandi Shoemake, Gary Foster and … [Read more...]
Line For Lyons, Twice
Rifftides reader Ty Newcomb sent a link to video of the Dutch singer Fay Claassen doing Gerry Mulligan's "Line for Lyons." After enjoying it, I noticed that YouTube has another version of the piece by The Dave Brubeck Quintet. What to do? Why, show you both, of course. First, we see and hear the … [Read more...]
Other Places: Hyman’s Bebop
On his JazzWax blog, Marc Myers begins a series about pianist Dick Hyman. What a good idea. The first installment of the interview adds a video clip of Hyman and Billy Taylor doing a two-piano duet on "Hot House." If you thought Hyman played only Scott Joplin and James P. Johnson, read Marc's … [Read more...]
Catching Up (2): Peacock, Copland, Hubbard, Nimmer, Green
Gary Peacock and Marc Copland, Insight. Marc Copland, Alone (Pirouet). Copland's previous explorations on the fine German label Pirouet were four trio CDs and one by a quartet. In these new ones, he pares down personnel but not his signature keyboard touch, melodic inventiveness or harmonic … [Read more...]
Compatible Quotes: Jelly Roll Morton
I have been robbed of three million dollars all told. Everyone today is playing my stuff and I don't even get credit. Kansas City style, Chicago style, New Orleans style, hell, they're all Jelly Roll style. --Jelly Roll Morton When Jelly Roll said that he wrote his first jazz tunes in 1902, or that … [Read more...]
Correspondence: A Vince Guaraldi Film
Film producer Andrew Thomas writes with news of what perhaps everyone but Jack Berry and I knew: Like many fans of Vince Guaraldi, I make sure that Google sends me an alert every time he's mentioned in posts and blogs, so I was directed to this Rifftides page. I was surprised by your suggestion that … [Read more...]
Happy New Year
On a New Years eve in the mid-1960s, my wife and I attended a dance with music by Duke Elllington. At midnight, Ellington nodded casually and the band concocted a head arrangement of "Auld Lang Syne" that sounded very much like this. As you listen, please accept the wishes of the Rifftides staff … [Read more...]