Dan Brubeck, the drummer among Dave Brubeck’s five musician sons, took his own quartet into The Seasons Performance Hall in Yakima, Washington, last night. As did his band’s recent album, the concert paid tribute to his father and to his mother, Iola, who wrote memorable lyrics to a number of … [Read more...]

That's all I did - that's all I ever did - try to do what Billy Strayhorn did.—Gil Evans Billy Strayhorn was my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head; my brainwaves in his head, and his in mine.—Duke Ellington 'A' Train was born without any effort - if was … [Read more...]

Billy Strayhorn got his due recently from a major US repertory orchestra. Listeners may hear part of the tribute on Sunday. Here's the announcement from Jim Wilke of Jazz Northwest. Composer Billy Strayhorn was born 100 years ago, November 29, 1915, and his music was played in three concerts … [Read more...]

This is an important national holiday in the United States. To Americans observing it, the Rifftides staff sends wishes for a happy Thanksgiving. To readers around the world: we are thankful for your interest, attendance and comments. … [Read more...]

Paul Desmond would have been 91 today. I wish that he were. His friend the guitarist Jim Hall put it nicely—“He would have been a great old man.” Readers have sent messages saying that they looked forward to this year’s Rifftides observance of Paul’s birthday. It might be impossible … [Read more...]

Today is the birthday of Al Cohn (1925-1988), a major tenor saxophonist and one of the most admired composers and arrangers in modern jazz. Cohn’s career began with Joe Marsala’s big band when he was 18. He played and wrote for several of the most important bandleaders of the forties and … [Read more...]

In front of Rifftides world headquarters is a magnificent gingko tree. The previous owner of the house was a medical missionary in China. When he returned to the United States, he and his family brought the gingko as a sapling. They planted it at the top of the lawn. Over eight decades, it grew … [Read more...]

Jazz is not dying. I know that because the postman, the Fed Ex driver and the UPS man keep dropping off proof that it’s alive. I can’t keep up with all of the albums they bring—no one could—but here, in brief, are reviews of a few that have accumulated. Some are recent. Others have been out … [Read more...]

Since I first heard soprano saxophonist David Liebman and the Italian pianist, composer and conductor Enrico Intra play a duet on “Over The Rainbow,” it has been in the back of mind to share it with you on Rifftides. Today, the back of my mind freed the thought. This was at the Music Club Le … [Read more...]

Over the years, Grace Cathedral on San Francisco’s Nob Hill has hosted countless concerts of importance. Among them, both in 1965, were Duke Ellington’s magnificent Grace Cathedral Concert with his trio and an 86-voice choir. Rifftides reader and veteran audio expert Jim Brown attended last … [Read more...]

Here it is the middle of November and the yellow roses are in full splendor. Maybe a horticulturist could explain the phenomenon of such an extended period of bloom, but let’s simply enjoy it and use it as a far-fetched excuse to summon a couple of Rose pieces from the archives. First, … [Read more...]

For a couple more hours, it is still Veterans Day here in the western United States. I’ve been thinking that I should post something about this American holiday dedicated to the men and women who have sacrificed years of their lives—and in too many cases life itself—to keep us free. … [Read more...]

The recent Rifftides review of pianist Sullivan Fortner’s new album mentions Johnny Costa (pictured) as an influence. The influence came early. Like millions of other American children, Fortner grew up watching Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. He was captivated by the music Costa played with his trio … [Read more...]

Sullivan Fortner, Aria (Impulse!) In Sullivan Fortner’s debut album as a leader, the shaded subtlety of his keyboard touch is only one of the young pianist’s notable attributes. His harmonic inventiveness, grasp of the jazz piano vocabulary and rich employment of his quartet’s resources are … [Read more...]

In Seattle, the Earshot Festival is easing into the penultimate weekend of its six-week run. On Sunday, Jim Wilke, the veteran broadcast chronicler of jazz in the region, will present some of the musicians still to come at the festival. Here is his announcement: This Sunday, November 8 at 2 PM on … [Read more...]

Lennie Tristano, including The New Tristano (Atlantic/Rhino) Researching notes for the forthcoming Don Friedman album discussed in this post a couple of weeks ago led me to revisit the original Lennie Tristano recording of “Requiem.” Friedman includes the piece on his CD. Tristano recorded it … [Read more...]

Bassist and author Bill Crow (pictured) sent a note: Following some of your links, I ran across Dave Frishberg’s article on the Half Note, and saw a comment after it by someone looking for the name of the book in which he had read a chapter on the Half Note. It may have been my book, From … [Read more...]

“What has to happen is that you develop a comprehensive technique and then say, forget that. I’m just going to be expressive through the piano.” —Bill Evans “Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges … [Read more...]