Articles by Steve Cook

The Big Question

What Jazz Is Best For Running?

by Steve Cook
October 20, 2022

New York City isn't just an epicenter for the music that All About Jazz readers love. It is also home to the largest marathon in the world. With tens of thousands training for the upcoming race, this edition of The Big Question considers: What jazz is best for running? The following reflects on the question through four different lenses: at the gym, long runs, night running and with audiobook fans in mind. What jazz gets you pumped, fuels you for ...

Building a Jazz Library

Henry Threadgill: 9 Plus Essential Albums

by Steve Cook
July 25, 2022

More people should listen to the music of Henry Threadgill. Without any actual statistics at hand, it's safe to say that one could consider his market to be niche. Yes, many jazz fans know him as a long-established creative force. He even won a Pulitzer. But he probably does not ring a bell among the many more who know jazz through legacy artists with curated, major label back catalogs or newer performers with huge-selling breakthrough albums--often, but not always, vocalists. ...

Building a Jazz Library

John Coltrane: A Liturgical Discography

by Steve Cook
June 16, 2022

So much to hear and so little time. The immensity of the recording legacy of John Coltrane as leader, co-leader and side player can be daunting for newcomers and long-time fans alike. Without needing to argue for the place of Coltrane's oeuvre in history, the following proposes a year-long calendar by which to experience and enjoy the tremendous volume of music he gifted us. To take the approach here, based on the liturgical calendar used by many Christian ...

Building a Jazz Library

What Next After Kind of Blue?

by Steve Cook
June 2, 2022

For those dipping a first toe into jazz, the Miles Davis classic Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959) is a common initial purchase or listen for many plausible reasons. Web searches for “best jazz albums of all time," or the like, bring up numerous lists that put it at the top and on newcomers' radars. Prominent placement on the Amazon (US) page for jazz CDs and vinyl--with high sales continuously propping it up--almost begs people to try it. The frequency with ...