Iola Brubeck, whom Paul Desmond described as "the incomparable, regal Iola," sent a comment about the Rifftides 2012 Crop Forecast. She included the words of a choral piece by her husband, whose name is Dave. To see her comment, Mr. Brubeck's lyric, photographs of ripening fruit, and to listen to … [Read more...]

The massive Detroit Jazz Festival happens over Labor Day weekend. Because it collects an astonishing array of major musicians and presents them in outdoor performances at no charge, it is a festival I have long meant to attend some day. Rifftides reader Larry Peterson has gone several times. He sent … [Read more...]

Thomas Cunniffe's Jazz History Online essay, the basis for “Desmond And The Canadians” two items below, contains this paragraph: Pure Desmond isn’t a “pure” example of the Canadian group, but the recording clearly echoes the style that Desmond and the Toronto musicians had worked … [Read more...]

In the United States this is Labor Day, since 1894 a national holiday that celebrates working peoples’ contributions to the nation. Although the calendar says that summer doesn’t end until September 21 this year, many Americans consider that Labor Day marks the close of the season. This … [Read more...]

No sooner had I added Thomas Cunniffe’s website Jazz History Online to the Rifftides blogroll (bottom of the right column) than Tom posted an essay about the last period of Paul Desmond’s musical life. That was the era, all too brief, of Desmond’s Canadian quartet. The piece did not come as a … [Read more...]

Most jazz listeners know Hall Overton (1920-1972) for his orchestrations of Thelonious Monk piano solos. Those arrangements are a major factor in the success of Monk’s concert with a 10-piece band at New York’s Town Hall in 1959, preserved in this essential album. Musicians familiar with … [Read more...]

The tip comes from Jim Wilke in Seattle, a suburb of Port Townsend. Sunday, September 2nd on Jazz Northwest from 88.5 KPLU, the Benny Green Trio with special guest Gary Smulyan on baritone saxophone is heard in concert at Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend. The concert was recorded in McCurdy … [Read more...]

This is Charlie Parker’s birthday. If he had lived, he would be 92. I wish that he had taken better care of himself. Here’s a segment from Ken Burns’ film Jazz. … [Read more...]

With less than a month of summer to go (in the northern hemisphere), this is timely. If it has been a while since you have heard “Summer Sequence,” the brilliant suite composed by Ralph Burns for Woody Herman—or if you have never heard it—this is your lucky day. Rifftides reader … [Read more...]

East of the mountains, we live in apple country ——and pear, peach, cherry and hop country. Those dark green areas in the picture above are orchards typical of those that cover the hills and valleys. The orchards were quiet on Sunday during our photo expedition, but before long they will be … [Read more...]

Regarding the Singers Unlimited item in the following exhibit, Rifftides reader David Perrine writes: The Singers Unlimited was an updated and expanded (via technology) version of Puerling's previous group the Hi-Lo's (which in a later edition also included Don Shelton as one of the four … [Read more...]

Bill Kirchner sent a description of his next program in the Institute of Jazz Studies “Jazz From The Archives.” He will feature a vocal group with close ties to jazz, that for more than a decade reached a wide audience with its rich series of recordings and continues to amass new fans. Here’s … [Read more...]

Every once in a while, a reader asks how to find items in the Rifftides archive. Rummaging through the blog's seven-year history, you may discover interesting things you missed. Here's a way to get started. Scroll down to the "Older Posts" function at the bottom of the main page. Click on that … [Read more...]

The subject line of Scott Weiss’s e-mail was “trumpet stuff.” His message included a link to video Weiss took of Bobby Shew and Carl Saunders. For decades, the trumpeters played together in big bands including those of Buddy Rich, Bill Holman and Bob Florence. On his website, Weiss quotes Shew … [Read more...]

The death a week ago of Annie Kuebler prompted a flood of tributes from writers, academics and researchers who benefited from her expertise, kindness, unfailing good humor and friendship. Ms. Kuebler was the archivist at the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. Her … [Read more...]

In response to readers' requests, Rifftides has added a way to subscribe by e-mail. Scroll down to the third item in the right column and follow the easy instruction. … [Read more...]

Before the 83rd anniversary of Bill Evans’ birth fades away, at least in this time zone, let’s listen together to “Gloria’s Step,” a masterpiece from his 1961 Sunday At The Village Vanguard album. The trio, of course, was Evans, bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. Evans … [Read more...]

Rifftides reader Red Sullivan (pictured), who is Irish, plays the flute and lives in Rio de Janeiro, wrote a comment and question about the Swedish folk song cum jazz standard mentioned in the review of the recent Quincy Jones celebration at the Ystad festival. Others may be interested in the music … [Read more...]