Goading my mind-of-its-own computer as I attempted to force it to solve a problem, I unexpectedly found myself watching a performance that I had no idea existed on video. “Good heavens,” I said to the computer and the empty room, “that’s Kenny Wheeler.” My attempt at digital correction had … [Read more...]

Those who follow developments in the jazz community are accustomed to seeing occasional announcements about educational grants to musicians. Sonny Rollins this week reversed the order. He is becoming a donor. Oberlin College announced that the tenor saxophonist is giving the Oberlin Conservatory … [Read more...]

The necessity of reviving the disabled Rifftides computer temporarily derailed the plan to immediately continue posting short alerts about worthwhile recent releases. (See the first installment here.) Treatment at the digital hospital succeeded, however, and we're back in … [Read more...]

Jazz Northwest host, producer and recording engineer Jim Wilke sends news that this week’s program will feature Wycliffe Gordon as trombonist, trumpeter, conductor, singer and composer. The concert, recorded last weekend, was sold out and people were turned away, so this is an opportunity to hear … [Read more...]

The promised new installment of Recent Listening In Brief (Really Brief) is delayed. As work began on the post, the Rifftides computer found it necessary to check into the digital hospital. After a few hours of examination and treatment, the restored machine is expected to live and is cleared to … [Read more...]

In case there are US Marines among the <em>Rifftides</em> readers, Happy 242nd Birthday   … [Read more...]

Over the next day or two, maybe more, Rifftides will attempt the impossible—we will “review” a significant number of the albums that fill the music room’s overloaded shelves of incoming albums. “Review” in the previous sentence is in quotation marks because the only practical (practical, … [Read more...]

The Chicago avant garde jazz patriarch Muhal Richard Abrams died today at 87. Named a National Endowment of The Arts Jazz Master in 2010, the pianist, composer and bandleader was at the center of Chicago’s free jazz movement, which was formalized in 1965 when he co-founded the Association for the … [Read more...]

Reflecting on the recent Rifftides review of the Masters of The Vibes book, and on his teaching of jazz improvisation, Charlie Shoemake wrote, A couple of things: In all my teaching (including currently), I have never used the now-prevalent modal titles for scales (Dorian, Lydian, etc.). There … [Read more...]

The American pianist Rob Bargad lives with his family in a country village in southern Austria and has become a vital part of his adopted country’s culture. The former Nat Adderley, Lionel Hampton and Jimmy Cobb sideman started a record company to help bring recognition to musicians who live and … [Read more...]

Immediately to the west of the Rifftides World Headquarters deck is a large Red Maple in full glory. Sometimes these trees are called Sunset Maples. Naturally, since this blog is devoted to jazz and other matters, the Rifftides staff insisted on accompanying shots of the trees with a song featured … [Read more...]

A name pops up and triggers memories. Among the October 22 birthdays listed in today’s JazzWestCoast listserve was that of John Neves. Not widely known elsewhere, Neves was treasured in Boston as a standout bassist with a big sound and an untutored harmonic gift. He played for 13 years in Herb … [Read more...]

Dizzy Gillespie was born in Cheraw, South Carolina, 100 years ago today. Aren’t you glad? On an anniversary so auspicious, the Rifftides staff debated whether to attempt some sort of omnibus review of the career of a man so vital to the development and creative expansion of jazz. No, we decided, … [Read more...]

Anthony Smith, Masters of The Vibes (Marimba Productions, Inc.) Smith’s book includes a timeline that traces the history of the vibraphone, which early in its life began to be popularly known to its players and to listeners simply as vibes or the vibes. The greater part of the book consists of … [Read more...]

Danny Janklow, Elevation (OutsideIn Music) Having made a splash in Los Angeles, the alto saxophonist Danny Janklow debuts on record as a leader showing confidence and depth of musicianship uncommon for a 28-year-old. Joined by the veteran pianists John Beasley and Eric Reed and a handful of … [Read more...]

The poet Richard Wilbur died over the weekend. He was 96. A former poet laureate of The United States and the winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, Wilbur was praised and criticized for the consistency of form in his poems, which were beloved, and sometimes condemned, in the poetry world for being orderly … [Read more...]

Of course, you are not superstitious about Friday the 13th; it’s all of those silly other people. Thelonious Monk must not have been worried by it, or he wouldn’t have named a composition after this notoriously risky day. Its performance was one of the highlights of his celebrated recording made … [Read more...]

Grady Tate died on Sunday at his home in New York City. He was 85. His wife Vivian said that he had dementia. In demand for years as a drummer, he was encouraged by Peggy Lee to begin singing publicly and launched a new career as a vocalist. Tate’s professional debut was with the organist Wild … [Read more...]

Rifftides readers may recall that three years ago I was asked to spend a few days in Los Angeles interviewing Bill Holman for a documentary about his life and music. The dean of living jazz arrangers is 90 years old, still at the helm of his big band and the idol of arrangers around the world who … [Read more...]