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Prez, Continued
If I had known of Ethan Iverson's conversation with Lee Konitz about Lester Young, I would have included a link to it in the previous exhibit. On his blog, Do The Math, Iverson, the pianist and polymath of The Bad Plus, posts what amounts to a Prez master class with Konitz. The alto saxophonist has been ...
The Prez Centennial
Lester Young was born 100 years ago today and died in his 49th year in March, 1959. Billie Holiday called him the president of the tenor saxophonists. His nickname became Prez, and he called nearly everyone else Prez. There is an endless list of musicians who played as they did mostly because of Young. It includes ...
On This Date in Music History: Lester Young Born
On August 27, 1909, 100 years ago, Lester Young one of the true jazz giants, a tenor saxophonist, was born. Lester Young was the major influence on a generation of tenor saxophonists who preferred his relatively light, pure tone and agile swing to the husky heaviness of the once-dominant Coleman Hawkins. “Although he spent his earliest ...
Jazz Musician of the Day: Lester Young
All About Jazz is celebrating Lester Young's birthday today! JAZZ MUSICIAN OF THE DAY Lester YoungLester “Prez" Young was one of the giants of the tenor saxophone. He was the greatest improviser between Coleman Hawkins and Louis Armstrong of the 1920s and Charlie Parker in the 1940s. From the ...
Amiri Baraka: Perspectives on Music and Race
by Lloyd N. Peterson Jr.
Amiri Baraka is the author of the insightful and comprehensive book, Blues People. It is a book that has opened many minds and readers to the African American Diaspora along with the history and roots of African American music. Baraka has now published a new book of essays titled, Digging (The Afro-American Soul of American Classical ...
Litchfield Jazz Festival 2009
by Marcia Hillman
Litchfield Jazz FestivalKent, ConnecticutJuly 31-August 2, 2009 For two and a half days this past weekend, jazz invaded Connecticut with the arrival of the 14th Annual Litchfield Jazz Festival. This year, in a new home on the Kent School grounds in Kent, Connecticut, this major musical event, hosted by WBGO broadcaster and jazz ...
Why George Russell Will Always Live in Time
by Raul d'Gama Rose
A measure of just how underrated a musician he was in his lifetime is reflected in the fact that even three days after he passed on most of the major publications had not even reported his death, much less celebrated his life in the glowing terms that he so richly deserved. Perhaps this was because oddly ...
Charles Davis: In the Air
by Terrell Kent Holmes
Saxophonist Charles Davis has spent the past few decades making history with such luminaries as Billie Holiday, Kenny Dorham, Abdullah Ibrahim, Clifford Jordan, Dinah Washington and Freddie Hubbard. Although Davis might be best known as one of the baritone players in the Sun Ra Arkestra, his many recordings and excellent performances outside of the Arkestral context ...
Sam Newsome: To Play or Not to Play the Soprano
by Sam Newsome
When I think about the radical move I made 14 years ago, switching from the tenor to the soprano saxophone, I sometimes ask myself: “What in the hell were you thinking?" Even though in hindsight I look back on my decision with amazement and disbelief, I'm happy to say that it's one I've never regretted. Becoming ...
Frank Wess Nonet: Once Is Not Enough
by Edward Blanco
Known affectionately as “Magic" to his professional colleagues, saxophonist/flautist Frank Wess is a living legend in the jazz world. His résumé includes stints with Billy Eckstine, the Clark Terry Big Band and a decade performing with the Count Basie Orchestra, and he is recognized as one of the first major flautists to have an impact on ...
