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Jazz Articles about Herbie Nichols
Nichols for Your Thoughts
by Patrick Burnette
Normal service resumes with a podcast devoted to tributes celebrating the still-obscure pianist and composer Herbie Nichols. Nichols spent his truncated career in the shadow of Thelonious Monk (a big guy who cast a big shadow). He released roughly four albums in his lifetime and spent much of his career scuffling in Dixieland bands, but those initiated into his cult realize he was a truly gifted and unique composer. These tributes encompass a fairly straight ahead quintet date, a more ...
Continue ReadingRay Charles, Stevie Wonder, Fay Victor, Marta Sanchez
by David Brown
This week, we kick off the show with some Philly folks featuring the iconic saxophonist Sam Reed and B-3 Funkster Charles Earland. The music of Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder will follow set in a jazz context from artists such as Milt Jackson, Joe Henderson, Charles Kynard, Jackie Byard and Vijay Iyer. Celebrating the release of Fay Victor's Herbie Nichols Sung album, we will compare original Nichols recordings to vocal interpretations. The show will wind down with a vocal tangent ...
Continue ReadingA Herbie Nichols' Centennial - Part II
by Ludovico Granvassu
The second part of this week's tribute to Herbie Nichols focuses on the work of champions of his music like Roswell Rudd, Misha Mengelberg, Steve Lacy and, again, the Herbie Nichols Project with some never-heard-before live recordings from the vaults of the Jazz Composers Collective. For the first part of this Herbie Nichols special click here. Happy listening! Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Pietro Tonolo, Flavio Boltro, ...
Continue ReadingA Herbie Nichols' Centennial - Part I
by Ludovico Granvassu
Herbie Nichols was a master of the piano which has inspired generations of musicians after his passing, despite the little commercial success that his albums obtained when first released. 2019 marks the centennial of his birth and to remedy the lack of retrospectives that his work should have, but hasn't received, this year, this week's edition of Mondo Jazz will be looking into the impact that his memorable compositions have had on a number of contemporary artists.
Continue ReadingMonk and Friends: Thelonious Monk, Herbie Nichols, & Elmo Hope in the 1950s (1953 - 1957)
by Russell Perry
The 1950s were a very productive decade for Thelonious Monk, perhaps his most productive as a composer. During the fifties his reputation and impact grew tremendously. His influence on other pianists can be seen in the work of Elmo Hope and Herbie Nichols, among others. Although neither had the longevity or enjoyed the popularity that Monk did, as the years go by their reputations have grown. In this hour, we will focus on idiosyncratic pianist/composers Thelonious Monk, Herbie ...
Continue ReadingNichols, Newk with Kenny/Elmo, Prez & More
by Marc Cohn
We're rotating through our 2019 centenarians--this week Herbie Nichols with tracks from his first Blue Note LP. Our artist log tells me it's time for another deep dive into the vault, including another piano faceoff (because you loved the last one): this time Fats Waller versus Teddy Wilson & Art Tatum. There's more Newk too, recordings with Kenny Dorham & Elmo Hope from 1954. And Prez blows the clarinet with Basie live on 52nd Street. Of course, we've got 21st ...
Continue ReadingJanuary Birthday Salutes
by Marc Cohn
Our January Birthdays show is always dedicated to our mentor, WRVR broadcasting hero Ed Beach, born on January 16, 1923; we play his two show themes by Wes Montgomery. We celebrate the Herbie Nichols centennial with his very first recordings for Savoy. Our very special birthday greetings go out to living legends, Benny Golson and Jimmy Cobb, both celebrating their 90th year on the planet. Much more of course; check out the menu below. Don't be shy; hit the play ...
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