This really isn’t about an album, but a lifetime of recordings. Really amazing recordings by an amazing musician . . . Dave Brubeck. I say this as a musician who has listened to music for more than 50 years. Yes, Dave Brubeck has made mediocre recordings. Yes, not everything he has written or played has […]
Jam sessions are part of the history of jazz. Part of its allure and miracle. Musicians sitting down, joining in as they feel inspired. Some great music has been created through the medium of the jam session. But the danger is that these sessions can be the occasion of endless noodling. Lots of notes without […]
Every time I pick up my copy of The Jazz CD Listener’s Guide, I find myself shocked and somewhat amused at the Dave Brubeck entry. Here is a man who has literally stood the test of time. Arguably one of the most popular and important figures in jazz history. Relegated to 1 page. The same […]
Roger Norrington has been a distinguished exponents of the “original instrument” movement, motivated to play music “the way it was written.” To strip away traditions and conventions. To dare to believe that the great composers of the past knew what they were writing, and that we should allow their music to be heard . . […]
It is a truism that the 1960s was a time of great experimentation in music. Certainly in jazz. One of its tributaries swept through the worlds of pop and rock, and brought with it electronics, a throbbing beat, and new combinations and sounds. The headlines of this movement might have been captured by giants like […]
At times, I have been very critical of Wynton Marsalis. One of the most talented musicians, and most brilliant trumpeters today. So much of his recent work seems to be so ego-centric. He seems so self-conscious about trying to be an “artist.” A “composer.” It can be so refreshing to listen to recordings made earlier […]
“The Hurt Locker” captures the essence of the life of military life in Iraq. Shooting with a largely documentary style, director/producer Kathryn Bigelow makes us feel the intensity and danger soldiers face, day or night, during their tour of duty. We feel their struggles and the quandary of making critical decisions with inadequate information, under […]