Journey into Jazz

Love Supreme Festival 2026: A Personal Perspective

by Andy Crowther
July 14, 2026

The South Downs in East Sussex is a beautiful part of the UK. Glynde Place, the location for the Love Supreme Jazz Festival, is in the sweet spot between the bustling seaside city of Brighton and Hove, and the dramatic ridges of the Downs. Rolling countryside, flint-stone buildings, and Glyndebourne House--famous around the world for its own opera festival--are just minutes away. Love Supreme has been running since 2013, with a line-up focused on major soul music acts and the ...

Keith Jarrett – My Mother’s Favorite Jazz Pianist

by Lee Whiteman
May 24, 2026

My mother passed away on July 9, 2003. She was a classically trained pianist with not much interest in jazz. She taught music at PS 136 in Queens, New York, and she put up with my musical taste. She tolerated jazz pianists like Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, and Les McCann. My father, sister, and I did give her a copy of Scott Joplin's Treemonisha. She did hear Eubie Blake, but I do not think she ever heard Oscar ...

Lee Whiteman: My Jazz Odyssey

by Lee Whiteman
April 20, 2026

Everybody has their own jazz journey, which details what attracted them to this art form. Something clicked when they were introduced to jazz. Each one of us has a unique story to tell about how they became entranced with jazz. So, without any reservations, here is my story. Being from New York City, you would think that I would be introduced to jazz early in my childhood. That was not the case. My mother was an elementary music ...

Big Ears Gets Bigger: A Personal Perspective

by Todd Steed
April 4, 2026

Big Ears Festival Knoxville, TN March 26-29, 2026 Big Ears is growing like a well-fed wild beast. At this rate, the festival might need a “Colossal Ears" rebrand in the next few years. The expansion of venues and options can be overwhelming until you learn the festival's most profound lesson: if you try to control your own festival experience, you will fail gloriously. Big Ears, it seems, has other plans for you. Forget FOMO. There is ...

Record Store Day 2026 Jazz Releases

by Kyle Simpler
April 3, 2026

Many vinyl enthusiasts get excited when the Record Store Day lists appear, and understandably so: most of the titles are limited-run pressings that can disappear quickly once the doors open. The only drawback, however, is that the lists can be overwhelming to sort through, often spanning multiple pages and covering releases across a wide range of genres. Record Store Day always features jazz to some degree. Sometimes there are more available titles than at other times, and Record ...

Record Store Day 2026 Additional Releases

by Kyle Simpler
April 3, 2026

While jazz releases are always a highlight of Record Store Day, the event's massive lists inevitably spill far beyond any single genre. With hundreds of titles announced each year, it quickly becomes clear that no guide can cover everything. The following selections step slightly outside the jazz category, but they still feel at home in a crate-digger's orbit--whether because of their improvisational spirit, historical connections, or the kind of left-field musical curiosity that many jazz listeners share. As ...

Record Store Day Black Friday 2025 Jazz Releases

by Kyle Simpler
November 4, 2025

Although the main Record Store Day event occurs every year in April, the Black Friday drop gives record collectors a chance to find some one-of-a-kind releases to wrap up the year. The list always features music from a wide range of genres, and, of course, there are plenty of jazz releases available. However, these are limited-edition releases offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Checking the list of available titles beforehand is always helpful, but given the number of titles, it's ...

Teach A Man To Phish

by Leo Sidran
July 31, 2025

I won't bury the lede. Last week I saw Phish in concert at Forest Hills Stadium on two consecutive nights. It was a long time coming for me. Loyal listeners of my The Third Story podcast have noticed a quiet apprehension about the Phish phenomenon--or more broadly, the jam band scene--threaded through past conversations. Some friends of the podcast have even sent me playlists and videos to gently nudge me toward listening to Phish. Conversations with Billy Martin ...

Big Ears 2025: A Personal Perspective

by Mark Adams
April 10, 2025

More than simply size, the “big" in Big Ears (March 27-30, 2025, Knoxville, TN) most certainly points to breadth, diversity, a widening or expanse. This is not the Fast Feet festival, though a pair are necessary to accommodate the ever-expanding footprint of venues in Knoxville. This isn't the Huge Heart gathering, though it certainly feels like a reunion when musicians and listeners cross-pollinate as spring tempts town and hope fills the air. Nor is it a solely brain-centric experience, though ...

Jazz Highlights for Record Store Day 2025

by Kyle Simpler
April 3, 2025

For most Americans, April brings to mind tax deadlines and spring cleaning. But for vinyl collectors, April means something far more exciting: Record Store Day. Each year, music lovers line up early for a chance to snag limited-edition releases--many of them archival treasures, rarities, or long-lost recordings brought back to life. While the overall selection spans multiple genres, 2025's offerings deliver an especially rich batch for jazz fans. Here are some of the most notable jazz releases for Record Store ...