October Birthday Salutes

Towards the end of every month, we celebrate the birthdays of famous and not so famous jazz musicians, physically or spiritually living. This month we feature Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk. Art's centennial is in 2019; so consider this as a warm-up. In addition, we are able to celebrate Horace Tapscott in style because we have a rare vinyl pressing of his Songs of the Unsung on (Interplay)—we hear that an available CD of this has been edited and incomplete.

But wait, there's more! You've heard of the "High Society" lick, as incorporated into the solos of many modern jazz players. But have you ever heard the man who originated that lick—Alphonse Picou? Well, we've got that one too! Check the playlist for more of our worthy constituents, settle into an easy chair with your system cranked up or headphones, and enjoy the show.

Playlist

• Art Blakey "The Opener" from Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World, Volume 1 (Blue Note) 00:00
• Thelonious Monk "Hackensack—Take 1" from Complete Black Lion & Vogue Recordings Of Thelonious Monk (Mosaic) 8:26
• Thelonious Monk "Criss-Cross" from Complete Black Lion & Vogue Recordings of Thelonious Monk (Mosaic) 18:22
• Art Blakey "Blue Lace" from The Freedom Rider (Blue Note) 22:09
• Jelly Roll Morton "Mr Jelly Lord" from The Piano Rolls (Nonesuch) 28:44
• Oscar 'Papa' Celestin/Alphonse Picou "High Society" from Papa Celestin and His New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra (Southland) 32:59
• Wynton Marsalis "Uptown Ruler" from Uptown Ruler (Columbia) 37:03
• Andy Bey "The Joint Is Jumpin'" from The World According To Andy Bey (HighNote) 47:26
• Mark Whitfield "Brother Jack" from Patrice (Warner Bros) 50:08
• Ed Cherry "Let the Music Take Your Mind" from Soul Tree (Posi-Tone) 57:37
• Roy Hargrove "Greens at the Chicken Shack" from Tenors Of Our Time (Verve) 1:02:19
• Clifford Brown "The Song Is You" from The Clifford Brown Quartet In Paris (Prestige) 1:08:00
• Dizzy Gillespie "Caravan" from Afro (Verve) 1:11:31
• Django Bates Beloved "Donna Lee" from Confirmation (Lost Marble) 1:19:01
• Barre Phillips "Quest, Part 4" from End To End (ECM) 1:26:31
• Horace Tapscott "Bakai" from Songs of the Unsung (Interplay) 1:31:07
• Horace Tapscott "Blue Essence" from Songs of the Unsung (Interplay) 1:37:47
• Horace Tapscott "In Times Like These" from Songs of the Unsung (Interplay) 1:41:30
• Leon Thomas "What Are We Gonna Do?" from Full Circle (Flying Dutchman) 1:48:27