[contextly_auto_sidebar id="dmsAL8mp2nzKfEwXv6wDHXYPTH4QsyK1"] In the fall of 1965 pianist Bill Evans, alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, bassist Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen and drummer Alan Dawson toured parts of Western Europe. It was both a time of Cold War tension and a time when jazz enjoyed … [Read more...]

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="RAkMOKggCsqJaveaQ0tpCZBCIwqtagjw"] Ornette Coleman, whose forthrightness and conviction helped change the course of jazz, died today in New York. He was 85. To many, the alto saxophonist, composer and bandleader seemed to have come from nowhere, or outer space, when … [Read more...]

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="iZwj6xH22IHyU3vTEnJynWxsnvYoadRg"] Sometimes I’m happy, but not when malicious adware captures the computer’s operating system and paralyzes it. As ArtsJournal commander in chief Doug McLennan informed you, the attack came a couple of days ago and we were unable to … [Read more...]

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="GpAkUWuCoXaLD4iP31uKt3vy3rpi19he"] Marc Myers, as all explorers of the jazz blogosphere know, is the proprietor of JazzWax, a winner of the Jazz Journalists Association's Blog Of The Year award. He is the author of the valuable book Why Jazz Happened. He writes … [Read more...]

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="BPxyLyGkHPCXeuzVolRW6t0MbuOB82Og"] From the mid-1960s through the early years of this century, the Art Ensemble of Chicago crafted elements of free jazz into an ensemble personality that brought it extensive exposure. Often, as much attention went to the band’s … [Read more...]

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="IUyh26ndsHhFFCYCXimN3CHfOZw0hfNX"] Thanks to the readers—far too many to send individual thank-you's—who responded to the weekend post about Paul Desmond. Your stories made great additions to the piece. The Rifftides staff is lucky to have you all along for … [Read more...]

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="qKZSqCVCrDFDG1qrgHpBUDxAcgtK92E0"] Several prominent trumpet players and other well-known jazz artists are expected to perform next Monday in New York City at a memorial service for the late trumpeter Lew Soloff. Here is the announcement from the Manhattan School of … [Read more...]

Carmell Jones Quartet (Fresh Sound) Having proved himself in the jazz milieu of Kansas City, in 1960 the 24-year-old trumpeter Carmell Jones (1936-1996) quit his job as a railroad porter and moved to Los Angeles in search of full-time work in music. He was quick to impress bassist Red Mitchell, … [Read more...]

Since Rifftides began, every year on May 30 I have posted something about Paul Desmond. He died thirty-eight years ago today. For reasons that I cannot clearly identify, this year I struggled with the idea. Until the last moment I put off the remembrance and finally concluded that the best option … [Read more...]

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="EBevE4XbOj4xXslblynsqxdknye4NgvQ"] The modern jazz sub-genre called jazz fusion emerged in the 1960s, attracted a wide audience and received extensive radio air play through the second half of the twentieth century. The music combined elements of rhythm and blues, … [Read more...]

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="Esa5Li0CUDw01UgIBG66dwwzlAwBhhH0"] …in 90-degree weather was illuminated by sun reflecting on clouds a few hours away from becoming thunderheads... (I managed to stay under 35 MPH). There were plenty of roadside attractions, including wildflowers blooming … [Read more...]

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="ewnHiKyMrJjDinBPTTFi1SiheoxOr78V"] In an op-ed column in the weekend Wall Street Journal, Jerry Cianciolo urges readers to visit their local World War II memorials—nearly every town has one—look at the names, touch them and think about the sacrifices they … [Read more...]

[contextly_auto_sidebar id="ntNtxJ0KVOSNGluQ490qYG4RGcdjT2vy"] Following yesterday’s post about recently deceased musicians, a Rifftides reader who identifies himself only as Derrick sent a message: I just heard that Ron Crotty, the original bassist of The Dave Brubeck Quartet, died just … [Read more...]