Videos Recommended by Scott Lichtman

Lady Bird

Dexter Gordon
Duration: 05:41
423 views

It’s rare for the New York Times to give space to a jazz icon, so when they printed "5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Dexter Gordon" in January 2026 (with song links), it felt time to revisit this tenor sax legend. Dexter Gordon’s sound beautifully bridged the swing feel of straight-ahead jazz with dexterity of bop. As can be heard on "Lady Bird," the sax player uniquely balanced the elements of his sound. Often, he would play a hair behind the beat, with a syncopation that was closer to straight 8ths than a swung triplet feel and using a full breath supporting each note’s tone but never over-blowing. One of the finest moments in jazz film is Round Midnight (1986, Warner Bros.), in which Gordon acted and played songs live, while portraying a poor, drug-addicted musician who gave his soul to play jazz.

Hit the Ground Running

Gordon Goodwin
Duration: 06:32
917 views

Listening to Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band is like opening a cool birthday gift – it’s wrapped shiny on the outside, with just enough rattle when you shake it, and you want to play with it for hours. In terms of "shiny," Goodwin’s 18-piece big band tends to explode from beat one. They combine traditional, up-tempo swing feels with funk, R&B and rock beats. The "rattling" inside comprises the technically demanding runs and sweet solos highlighted in his pieces. Finally, the band’s four Grammy awards and 20 nominations testify to the lasting power of the big phat sound. Goodwin was also known for collaboration with many giants in jazz, his efforts in jazz education, scores for film and daytime animation TV, and his funky sound on keyboards and sax. He passed away on December 8, 2025.

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

Harry Connick, Jr.
Duration: 04:23
1,411 views

The classic romantic comedy film When Harry Met Sally was arranged by singer, pianist, and composer {{m: Harry Connick, Jr. = 5876}} when he was just 22. Even for his young age, Connick already was combining recognizable styles to unique effect. His approach to piano combined Monk’s dissonant punctuations, Ellington’s playful interaction with the rest of the band, and Waller’s stride left hand. Connick’s vocals display an elastic sense of time, like Sinatra, but with even more confident delivery for this age. And, he refreshed big band’s sound with an array of runs and pops on many arrangements, such as the slow-build "Don’t Get Around Much Anymore."

Lennie Tristano - Solo Piano

Lennie Tristano
Duration: 40:53
1,966 views

Lennie Tristano was blind yet a piano visionary. His pioneering approach to improvisation, characterized by long, unbroken melodic lines and intricate polyphony, remains a cornerstone of the cool jazz movement. This 1965 solo performance from Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens captures the pianist at his most daring and introspective. Listen for the independence of his hands as he reconstructs familiar standards, often ballads, into dense, contrapuntal tapestries. On more swinging tunes, Tristano’s left hand provides a steady pulse while the right unfurls endless jagged improvisations. The nine-song set begins with "Darn that Dream."

Auld Lang Syne

WDR Big Band
Duration: 04:08
2,635 views

New Year’s gives us the chance to combine the best of the past year with hopes for the coming period. Similarly, the (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) {{m: WDR Big Band = 96675}} and WDR Symphony Orchestra here give us a remarkably blended jazz/classical arrangement of Auld Lang Syne. Bask in the closed voice swells, advanced chordal extensions, contrapuntal motion, string and horn timbres, and gentle lilt offered by arranger Jörg Achim Keller and conductor Cristian Mǎcelaru. In the year ahead, may your music be a canvas where the stars take hold.

A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live at The Jazz Estate

The Commercialists
Duration: 58:20
3,039 views

The Commercialists are a Milwaukee, Wisconsin trio formed to share Christmas holiday cheer -- especially by playing music from A Charlie Brown Christmas (Fantasy Records, 1965) album and TV special. The group consists of Anthony Deutsch on piano and voice, Clay Schaub on bass, and Patrick Morrow on drums. Song highlights in this complete set include the swinging "Oh Tannenbaum," the wistful "Christmas Time is Here" and the pulsating "Skating." It's a perfect collection of sensitive jazz to play when friends come over for your holiday eve party or you’re sipping hot cocoa the day after. Recorded live at {{e: The Jazz Estate = 52881}} in Milwaukee.

Linus and Lucy: with the Jerry Granelli Trio

Jerry Granelli
Duration: 06:05
2,927 views

One of the most-recognized Christmas jazz tunes is “Linus and Lucy” from the 1965 cartoon TV special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. With this scene/song, the kids of the Peanuts comic strip shimmy freely amongst themselves at the school dance. Meanwhile, three of the characters jam on piano (Linus), guitar (Snoopy) and bass (Pig Pen). Jazz pianist and composer {{m: Vince Guaraldi = 7278}} created a shuffle-like eight-note groove that seeps from the drummer’s brushes and a pentatonic melody that is impossible to forget once you’ve enjoyed it. As seen in this 2014 video of "Linus and Lucy," {{m: Jerry Granelli = 7166}} (drums) was the last living member of the Vince Guaraldi Trio that recorded the original. Granelli was joined by {{m: Chris Gestrin = 21699}} (piano) and {{m: Simon Fisk = 22951}} (bass).