Booker T’s Tale

Booker T. Jones is a remarkable musician, songwriter and producer who has made history in a number of genres, although his work leading the Stax-Volt rhythm section will always be how he is best remembered. Richard Williams reviews his autobiography Time Is Tight: My Life In Music with insight and affection.

-Michael Cuscuna

Now’s the Time!: John Scofield on Sonny Rollins

John Scofield expounds on Sonny Rollins’ Now’s The Time! album, not only with the insight of a great musician, but from the perspective of someone just learning the music on his first exposure to the record.

-Michael Cuscuna

Russell Procope on the John Kirby Band

Here’s a wonderful article written in 1967 for Jazz Journal by Russell Procope, who at the time was celebrating over 20 years with Duke’s band. This piece, however, (coming to us from paulgonsalves.com) sheds light on his association with the great John Kirby Band (one of the bands featured in Mosaic’s box set on the Savory Collection).

-Scott Wenzel

Likes of Rolling Stone: Best Jazz of 2019

With only an occasional look backwards (Art Ensemble of Chicago, Marc Ribot, Joe Lovano, among others) Hank Shteamer’s Best of Jazz 2019 in Rolling Stone, unapologetically looks forward. A stew of the avant-garde, rock, protest and hip-hop have started to coalesce the jazz of the 21st Century, and finally “best of” lists aren’t weighted down with the songbook or reissues.

The Gazette has tried to keep its eye out on the new shape of jazz that’s been percolating, and while the some of the music here might fly past some Mosaic fans (at least, this one), the excitement that’s evident is worth a serious listen for everyone.

-Fred Seibert

Read, listen and watch from Rolling Stone…

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Trumpeter Jack Sheldon, RIP

Jack Sheldon was a superb trumpeter with a personal style who emerged in the ‘50s leading his own small groups and working with Curtis Counce among others. Over the years, he also emerged as an idiosyncratic singer and as one of the funniest men in the jazz world with the perfect dry wit. Doug Ramsey’s Rifftide has posted comments, a nice video and a link to Don Heckman’s LA Times obit.

-Michael Cuscuna

Charles Tolliver’s Big Bands

Marc Myers traces the origins of Charles Tolliver’s remarkable big band albums in the early ‘70s. We had the honor to reissue these on Mosaic Select, about 12 years ago.

-Michael Cuscuna

Earl “Snakehips” Tucker: RIP

I recently saw A.C. Lincoln, an outstanding tap dancer who is part of the band “The Hot Sardines;” as if on cue, The New York Times put its best foot forward in presenting this article on Earl “Snakehips” Tucker, a true tap legend.

-Scott Wenzel

Miles Davis & David Amram: Concerto of Conversation

Paul Maher, Jr. interviewed the loquacious and wide-ranging musician and New Yorker David Amram on his relationship with Miles Davis over the decades. His memory and that stories that fill it make for great reading. One true character remembering another.

-Michael Cuscuna

Artie Shaw: Yesterdays

Another fine post by Mike Zirpolo on his Swing and Beyond site with emphasis on a classic Artie Shaw recording for Bluebird of Yesterdays, arranged by Jerry Gray. A great band that was only around for a very short time, but thankfully is captured on many recordings and broadcasts.

-Scott Wenzel

The Jazz Wars of the 1970s

It seems that in recent decades, like the one now nearing its end, the jazz world has looked to a knowledgeble observer to debunk the notion that jazz is dead. For at least one of those epochs, it’s hard to imagine a writer better suited to that task than Gary Giddins, who issued this comprehensive chronicle of the 1970s jazz scene, tracing its volleys of cultural crossfire from his perch at the Village Voice, just as that decade was drawing to its close.

-Nick Moy

Spotlight on Jazz Women

“It’s ‘normal’ to find outstanding female flutists, pianists, harpists, pianists or cellists in a symphony orchestra…or to be a female jazz pianist, flutist, or guitar player. But a woman picking up a tenor sax, trumpet, or upright bass is another matter.”

It would be ridiculous to say that it’s a “year of the woman” in jazz, but there’s no denying that we’re definitely entering a new era when women can lead their way in the jazz world. Santa Monica California’s public radio KCRW has been leading the way that America listens to new music for at least 20 years. So, it’s no surprise that long time host Tom Schnabel would point us towards saxophonists Roxy Coss and Melissa Aldana, bassists Katie Thiroux and Linda May Han Oh, and trumpeter Ingrid Jensen.

–Fred Seibert

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Art Blakey: Africaine

Marc Myers contributes another tribute essay to Art Blakey during this time of Buhaina’s centennial. His contributions as a band leader and cheerleader for young musicians is almost as important as his explosive drumming.

-Michael Cuscuna