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Still singing the pandemic blues? Aren't we all?
Three months into the pandemic quarantines caused by COVID-19, we have seen our lives changed in so many ways, at least temporarily. And none of us know with any certainty what the “new normal" will be. What's the future for the intimacy of jazz clubs, or large-scale concerts in performance halls, or outdoor jazz festivals that ...
Kenny Dorham in 10 Tracks
Trumpeter Kenny Dorham never received the recognition he deserved. I'm not sure why. Part of the problem, I suppose, is that he was a gentler soul among hotter players such as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Fats Navarro, Clifford Brown and others. He certainly was on plenty of remarkable recording sessions, and his playing was pretty and ...
Video: Maynard Ferguson, 1957
In 1957, Maynard Ferguson and his band appeared in a film short for Universal. The faux show featured Ferguson on trumpet and included saxophonist Herb Geller and drummer Mel Lewis. Joining Ferguson were Peggy Ryan, Ray McDonald, the DeCastro Sisters, the Sabres, Russ Arno on vocal. It's hard to know what this was—a short film that ...
StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Seven views of "St. Louis Blues"
With the return of live jazz in St. Louis still uncertain, today's post continues this feature's recent emphasis on archival and historical material by taking a look at some different interpretations of “St. Louis Blues," undoubtedly the most famous song ever to feature the name of our city in the title, and one of the most ...
Doc: Toronto Jazz (1963)
In 1963, Toronto was a bustling jazz center akin to New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The city's jazz establishments flourished after Ontario's Liquor Licensing Board changed its dining lounge rules in 1946 to permit live venues to sell alcohol. Toronto became a destination for Canadian musicians and for touring American artists. Clubs ranged from the ...
Charlie Parker: Now's the Time
In 1957, two years after Charlie Parker's death at age 34, Norman Granz's Verve label began releasing a series of albums called The Genius of Charlie Parker. They were eight, 12-inch versions of 10-inch albums issued on his Clef label in the early 1950s. The larger vinyl versions included alternate takes. One of those albums was ...
Jimmy Gourley: American in Paris
Jazz guitarist Jimmy Gourley spent much of his career in France, creating the impression for many jazz fans that he was French. He wasn't. He was born in St. Louis and grew up a high school band mate of alto saxophonist Lee Konitz. After Gourley's father bought him a guitar, Gourley picked up the basics by ...
Helen Merrill and Bill Evans
In February 1958, singer Helen Merrill recorded five tracks backed by Bill Evans, who was part of a superb quintet. The tracks would be their only studio recordings together. Evans would move on to the Miles Davis Quintet and Sextet that May and then form his own trio at year's end. Helen would spend 1958 and ...
Christo (1935-2020)
Lost this week in the flurry of shocking events in Minneapolis and on the nation's streets was the death on May 31 of environmental artist Christo Javacheff, known professionally as Christo. He was 84. With his wife, Jeanne-Claude, who died in 2009, Christo specialized in massive sculptural pieces that shrouded iconic architecture and intruded on landscapes ...
10 tracks: Niehaus and Brass
With the recent passing of alto saxophonist and arranger-composer Lennie Niehaus, I spent yesterday listening to his Stan Kenton and sideman sessions and arrangements. During this period, Lennie used a wonderful device on up-tempo arrangements, opening with a heavy, dark riff and then cutting the cord and letting the song float into bright swing. On ballads, ...
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In Tribute To...
Points of View: Celebrating Dave Holland
In Tribute To...
John Coltrane At 100: A Global Perspective
Jazz Raconteurs
Julius Hemphill: Marty Ehrlich and Tim Berne Remember a...
Live Review
Detroit Jazz Festival 2026: A Gathering in a Great Jazz City
Profile
Sequoia Snyder: Growing in the Light of the Masters
Paul's Picks
New York City Jazz Performance Preview: Fall 2026
Interview
Jasur Khalilov: From Falak to Fusion
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