RIP, John Lewis (1920-2001)

Jazz pianist John Lewis died on March 29, 2001, in Manhattan, New York, following a long battle with prostate cancer.  He was 80 years old.

Lewis is best known as the musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet, which was formed to provide members of Dizzy Gillespie's band more improvisational freedom.  As critic Scott Yanow points out, Lewis had a vision of "making jazz seem respectable by occasionally interacting with classical ensembles and playing concerts at prestigious venues, but always leaving plenty of space for bluesy and swinging improvising."  Unfortunately, differences between vibraphonist Milt Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974 and the group's break-up.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

The Modern Jazz Quartet, with Lewis on piano, plays one of his compositions, "Django," here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 29 January 2015

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Armstrong's 1955 recording with the All Stars at Gene Norman's Crescendo Club in Hollywood. (Purchase the album, Louis Armstrong at the Crescendo 1955 from Amazon.com.)

Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong's 1930 recording of "Song of the Islands" at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong. (The song is available on the box set, Hot Fives and Sevens, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: At All About Jazz, Douglas Groothuis has a long piece on John Coltrane "and the meaning of life."

John Coltrane: JazzTimes announces that MVD Entertainment will release a four-CD John Coltrane box set, So Many Things: The European Tour 1961, in March. All About Jazz provides further information about the release. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: At All About Jazz, K. Shackelford has a two-part examination of John Coltrane's album, A Love Supreme, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock: CBS News announces that Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock are planning a 2015 world tour of duo piano concerts, kicking off March 14 in Seattle. The Jazz Line and JazzTimes provide further information.

Herbie Hancock: At The Talkhouse, Matthew Shipp discusses Herbie Hancock's memoir, Possibilities. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Modern Jazz Quartet: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht shares a video of the Modern Jazz Quartet playing with Kammerorchester Arcata at the Jazzgipfel Festival in Stuttgart in 1992.

Jaco Pastorius: GuitarPlayer shares a video of Jaco Pastorius talking at the Musicians Institute in 1985.

Robert
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RIP, Milt Jackson (1923-1999)

Jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson died on October 9, 1999, in Manhattan, New York.  He is buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York.

Jackson is best known as a member — and, according to Len Lyons, the "showpiece" — of the Modern Jazz Quartet.  As Lyons notes, Jackson was "a spontaneous player and personality" and was "'emotionally contrapuntal' to the austere, restrained [John] Lewis."  The differences between Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

Jackson is highlighted here at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival in 1986 on "Bags' Groove":

Robert
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Happy Birthday, John Lewis

Jazz pianist John Lewis was born on May 3, 1920, in La Grange, Illinois.

Lewis is best known as the musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet, which was formed to provide members of Dizzy Gillespie's band more improvisational freedom.  As critic Scott Yanow points out, Lewis had a vision of "making jazz seem respectable by occasionally interacting with classical ensembles and playing concerts at prestigious venues, but always leaving plenty of space for bluesy and swinging improvising."  Unfortunately, differences between vibraphonist Milt Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974 and the group's break-up.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

The Modern Jazz Quartet, with Lewis on piano, plays one of his compositions, "Django," here:

Robert
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RIP, John Lewis (1920-2001)

Jazz pianist John Lewis died on March 29, 2001, in Manhattan, New York, following a long battle with prostate cancer.  He was 80 years old.

Lewis is best known as the musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet, which was formed to provide members of Dizzy Gillespie's band more improvisational freedom.  As critic Scott Yanow points out, Lewis had a vision of "making jazz seem respectable by occasionally interacting with classical ensembles and playing concerts at prestigious venues, but always leaving plenty of space for bluesy and swinging improvising."  Unfortunately, differences between vibraphonist Milt Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974 and the group's break-up.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

The Modern Jazz Quartet, with Lewis on piano, plays one of his compositions, "Django," here:

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Milt Jackson

Jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson was born on January 1, 1923, in Detroit, Michigan.  Jackson is best known as a member — and, according to Len Lyons, the "showpiece" — of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

As Lyons notes, Jackson was "a spontaneous player and personality" and was "'emotionally contrapuntal' to the austere, restrained [John] Lewis."  In fact, the differences between Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

Jackson is highlighted here at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival in 1986 on his composition, "Bags' Groove":

Robert
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Christmas Jazz :: Modern Jazz Quartet, "England's Carol (Part 1)"

From the album "Jingle Bell Jam," available on CD from Amazon.com.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 21 October 2013

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses the Louis Armstrong album Satchmo: A Musical Autobiography, which was reissued earlier in 2013 by British label Avid. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: Marc Myers interviews Tony Teachout on the latter's book, Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington, at JazzWax: Part 1 and Part 2.

Modern Jazz Quartet: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses the Modern Jazz Quartet album, The Modern Jazz Quartet: Germany 1956-1958. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Thelonious Monk: According to All About Jazz, Blue Note will release the Thelonious Monk concert film, "Paris 1969", in November.

Thelonious Monk: Open Culture shared a video of Thelonious Monk playing at the Berlin JazzFest in November 1969.

Charlie Parker: NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday featured an interview with Stanley Crouch, the author of Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 13 October 2013

• Art Blakey: On October 11, his birthday, Art Blakey was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Art Blakey: At The Jazz Session, Jason Crane provides links to interviews that he has conducted with members of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.
• Ornette Coleman, Modern Jazz Quartet: At Nextbop.com, Ben Gray provides a look at Ornette Coleman's song, "Lonely Woman," and several covers, including one by the Modern Jazz Quartet.
• Thelonious Monk: On October 10, his birthday, Thelonious Monk was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Oscar Peterson: C. Michael Bailey reviews Skol, an album by Oscar Peterson and Stephane Grappelli, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sun Ra: At The New York Review of Books, Seth Colter Walls discusses the music of Sun Ra.

Robert
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RIP, Milt Jackson (1923-1999)

Jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson died on October 9, 1999, in Manhattan, New York.  He is buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York.

Jackson is best known as a member — and, according to Len Lyons, the "showpiece" — of the Modern Jazz Quartet.  As Lyons notes, Jackson was "a spontaneous player and personality" and was "'emotionally contrapuntal' to the austere, restrained [John] Lewis."  The differences between Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

Jackson is highlighted here at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival in 1986 on "Bags' Groove":

Robert
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Happy Birthday, John Lewis

Jazz pianist John Lewis was born on May 3, 1920, in La Grange, Illinois.

Lewis is best known as the musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet, which was formed to provide members of Dizzy Gillespie's band more improvisational freedom.  As critic Scott Yanow points out, Lewis had a vision of "making jazz seem respectable by occasionally interacting with classical ensembles and playing concerts at prestigious venues, but always leaving plenty of space for bluesy and swinging improvising."  Unfortunately, differences between vibraphonist Milt Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974 and the group's break-up.

The Modern Jazz Quartet, with Lewis on piano, plays one of his compositions, "Django," here:

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

Robert
Facebook page

RIP, John Lewis (1920-2001)

Jazz pianist John Lewis died on March 29, 2001, in Manhattan, New York, following a long battle with prostate cancer.  He was 80 years old.

Lewis is best known as the musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet, which was formed to provide members of Dizzy Gillespie's band more improvisational freedom.  As critic Scott Yanow points out, Lewis had a vision of "making jazz seem respectable by occasionally interacting with classical ensembles and playing concerts at prestigious venues, but always leaving plenty of space for bluesy and swinging improvising."  Unfortunately, differences between vibraphonist Milt Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974 and the group's break-up.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

The Modern Jazz Quartet, with Lewis on piano, plays one of his compositions, "Django," here:

Robert
Facebook page

Happy Birthday, Milt Jackson

Jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson was born on January 1, 1923, in Detroit, Michigan.  Jackson is best known as a member — and, according to Len Lyons, the "showpiece" — of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

As Lyons notes, Jackson was "a spontaneous player and personality" and was "'emotionally contrapuntal' to the austere, restrained [John] Lewis."  In fact, the differences between Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

Jackson is highlighted here at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival in 1986 on his composition, "Bags' Groove":

Robert
Facebook page

RIP, Milt Jackson (1923-1999)

Jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson died on October 9, 1999, in Manhattan, New York.  He is buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York.

Jackson is best known as a member — and, according to Len Lyons, the "showpiece" — of the Modern Jazz Quartet.  As Lyons notes, Jackson was "a spontaneous player and personality" and was "'emotionally contrapuntal' to the austere, restrained [John] Lewis."  The differences between Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic).  The album is available from Amazon.com.

Jackson is highlighted here at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival in 1986 on "Bags' Groove":

Robert
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Recent Links :: 24 August 2012

• Count Basie: On August 21, his birthday, Count Basie was Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
• Count Basie: The Spanish site, Vintage Music, discusses the life of Count Basie.
• Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter: According to JazzTimes, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter will be among the jazz musicians playing at the Hollywood Bowl on August 29, 2012.

• Bud Powell: Howard Mandel reviews the new biography of Bud Powell, Wail: The Life of Bud Powell, at JJA News.
• Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Chuck Mangione, Modern Jazz Quartet, Sonny Rollins: At JazzWax, Marc Myers explores the use of jazz artists in advertisements in two posts: Part 1 and Part 2. The artists include Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Chuck Mangione, the Modern Jazz Quartet, and Sonny Rollins.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 14 April 2012

• Miles Davis: Miles Davis Online discusses the musical parallels between Miles Davis and Frank Sinatra and talks about his attempt to locate a photo of the two musical greats.
  

• Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell: All About Jazz announces the release of three new titles in the Concord Music Group's Original Jazz Classics series: The Bill Evans Trio: Moonbeams; Thelonious Monk: Misterioso; and Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Max Roach, Charles Mingus: The Quintet: Jazz at Massey Hall.
  
• Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Modern Jazz Quartet, Oscar Peterson: The Seattle Times reports that a recording of a 1956 Seattle concert that featured Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, and the Modern Jazz Quartet was found in a storage container next to the San Rafael (CA) dump.
  
• Herbie Hancock: News of Herbie Hancock's deal to write his memoir is reported by Peter Hum at the Ottawa Citizen, by Miles Davis Online, and by the Wall Street Journal.
  
• Herbie Hancock: Peter Hum writes about Herbie Hancock on his birthday, April 12, at the Ottawa Citizen.
  
• Sun Ra: Skip Heller has a long review of Sun Ra's album, The Eternal Myth Revealed, Vol. 1, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the CD, The Eternal Myth Revealed, Vol. 1, at Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 24 February 2012

• Count Basie: Marc Myers shares a video of the Count Basie Orchestra played in Sweden in 1962 at JazzWax.
  
• Ornette Coleman: Eric Miller reviews several albums from what he calls Coleman's "missing years" at All About Jazz. For albums are featured, all available from Amazon.com: Ornette at 12 (vinyl only), Crisis (vinyl only), Friends and Neighbors (CD), and Live in Paris 1971 (CD).
  
• Bill Evans, Modern Jazz Quartet, Thelonious Monk, Oscar Peterson: Open Culture features four clips from a 1960s BBC program, "Jazz 625." The clips feature a Bill Evans Trio, the Modern Jazz Quartet, a Thelonious Monk quartet, and an Oscar Peterson trio.
  
• Wes Montgomery: Raul D'Gama Rose reviews the new Wes Montgomery album, Echoes of Indiana Avenue, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the CD, Echoes of Indiana Avenue, at Amazon.com.)
  
• Lester Young: On President's Day, Marc Myers celebrates Lester "Prez" Young at JazzWax.
  

Robert
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Recent Links :: 5 January 2012

• Miles Davis: The Miles Davis Quintet's album, Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1, is listed as one of the top 10 historical releases of 2011 at JazzTimes. (Purchase the CD, Live in Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1, at Barnes & Noble.)
  

• Miles Davis: The Miles Davis album, Bitches Brew Live, is listed as one of the top 10 historical releases of 2011 at JazzTimes. (Purchase the CD, Bitches Brew Live, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Duke Ellington: The Complete 1930-1942 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra is listed as one of the top 10 historical releases of 2011 at JazzTimes. (Purchase the CD, The Complete 1930-1942 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra, at Amazon.com.)
  
• Herbie Hancock: Tim Niland reviews The Best of Herbie Hancock: The Blue Note Years at Music and More. (Purchase the CD, The Best of Herbie Hancock: The Blue Note Years, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Freddie Hubbard: The Freddie Hubbard album, Pinnacle: Live and Unreleased From Keystone Korner, is listed as one of the top 10 historical releases of 2011 at JazzTimes. (Purchase the CD, Pinnacle: Live and Unreleased From Keystone Korner, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Keith Jarrett: The Keith Jarrett album, Rio, is listed as one of the top 40 new releases of 2011 at JazzTimes. (Purchase the CD, Rio, at Barnes & Noble.
  
• Modern Jazz Quartet: The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings of the Modern Jazz Quartet 1956-64 is listed as one of the top 10 historical releases of 2011 at JazzTimes.
  
• Sonny Rollins: The Sonny Rollins album, Road Shows Vol. 2, is listed as one of the top 40 new releases of 2011 at JazzTimes. (Purchase the CD, Road Shows Vol. 2, at Barnes & Noble.)
  

Robert
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Recent Links :: August 14

• Dave Brubeck: Brandon Belanger talks about the Brubeck album, Time Out, on his blog, Now on the Internet. (Purchase the CD, Time Out, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Orentte Coleman: C. Michael Bailey reviews Ornette Coleman's album, Change Of The Century, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the CD, Change Of The Century, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Modern Jazz Quartet: Eugene Holley, Jr., has a lengthy, comprehensive review of the Modern Jazz Quartet album, The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings 1956-64, at All About Jazz.
  
• Sonny Rollins: Tim Niland reviews the Sonny Rollins double album, On Impulse/There Will Never Be Another You at Music and More. (Purchase the CD, On Impulse/There Will Never Be Another You, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Sonny Rollins: Greg Simmons also reviews the Sonny Rollins double album, On Impulse/There Will Never Be Another You at All About Jazz.
  
• Weather Report: John Fordham reviews the Weather Report album, Live in Offenbach, in The Guardian. (Purchase the CD, Live in Offenbach, at Barnes & Noble.)
  

Robert

Recent Links :: August 3

• Louis Armstrong: myNewOrleans.com discusses Louis Armstrong and lists four places to hear jazz in New Orleans.
  
• John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins: Impulse has just re-issued Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins and Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, and J.D. Swerzenski has a short review in the San Antonio Current. (Purchase the CD, Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins and Duke Ellington and John Coltrane, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Miles Davis: St. Louis Jazz Notes discusses Miles Davis's so-called "lost quintet" and provides a free copy of two recordings by this group.
  
• Miles Davis: Elements of Jazz explains the Miles Davis Fan Project, which will create an album of Davis's music based on fan choices.
  
• Duke Ellington: Dr. Funkenstein announces the new Duke Ellington double CD from Hep Records, Duke Ellington at the Crystal Gardens, on the organissimo jazz forum. (Purchase the CD, Duke Ellington at the Crystal Gardens, at Hep Records.)
  
• Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass: Michael Doherty's Music Log Blog reviews the 1986 album by Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass, Easy Living, which has just been re-issued. (Purchase the CD, Easy Living, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Freddie Hubbard: Andrew J. Sammut reviews the new Freddie Hubbard album, Pinnacle: Live and Unreleased from Keystone Korner, at All About Jazz. (Purchase the CD, Pinnacle: Live and Unreleased from Keystone Korner, at Barnes & Noble.)
  
• Keith Jarrett: Andy Gill reviews that Jarrett/DeJohnette/Peacock concert at London's Royal Festival Hall in The Independent.
  
• Charles Mingus: The Inconstant Sol blog announces its support for a documentary film project by Charles Mingus's grandson and asks Mingus fans to join in their support.
  
• Charles Mingus: Aynekat discusses bassist and composer Charles Mingus and shares a copy of "Triumph of the Underdog," a 1998 documentary about the great man, at her blog.
  
• Modern Jazz Quartet: Scott Yanow reviews the Modern Jazz Quartet's 1966 album, Blues at Carnegie Hall, at minalegendomusica. (Purchase the CD, Blues at Carnegie Hall, at Amazon.com.)
  
• Modern Jazz Quartet: John Kelman reviews the Modern Jazz Quartet album, The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings 1956-64 at All About Jazz.
  

Robert