Music Videos
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Ahmad Jamal: ‘Poinciana’
In my top ten list of jazz greats, Ahmad Jamal’s Poinciana was one the first albums I ever bought. Recorded in Marciac, France. Written by Nat Simon in 1936, “Poinciana” has since become a jazz standard. The Cuban folk melody “La canción del árbol”, “The Song of the Tree” – provided the inspiration for Simon’s… Continue reading
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Watch/Listen! Dave Lambert Day
Lambert enjoyed writing lyrics to the recorded solos of jazz soloists (known as vocalese) and he and Hendricks came up with the idea of recording a full vocalese album of Count Basie recordings, joining with Annie Ross for the very successful Sing A Song Of Basie in 1957. Continue reading
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Listen: Gil Evans Day – ‘Boplicity’
13 May 2021 — Jazz on the Tube Gil Evans – May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988 Arranger, composer, leader, and pianist Ian Ernest Gilmore Green (who became known as Gil Evans) was born May 13, 1912 in Toronto Canada. Gil Evans began his career as a bandleader quite early, leading his own orchestra Continue reading
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Watch: Stan Levey – The Beginnings of Bebop
Legendary jazz drummer Stan Levey was not only on the scene for the birth of bebop music, he also played a significant role in its delivery. This documentary is a fascinating inside look at a musician who was both a participant and an observer, whose briskly swinging skills as a drummer were matched by an… Continue reading
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Belmondo & Milton Nascimento Jazz à Vienne 2008
Youtube Remember what normal life used to be like? Well here’s a beautiful reminder in one, beautiful concert. Continue reading
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Behind the cover: The entwined geniuses of Fela Kuti and Lemi Ghariokwu
30 October 2020 — Daily Maverick By Lusanda Luthuli They worked together, weaving powerful art and music on 26 album covers, all of which explode with colours and striking imagery. Continue reading
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Watch: Return Sessions – Charlie Parker Centenary with Gilad Atzmon & the Sigamos Quartet – 27/08/20
The reaction to the performance was astonishing. Many people were watching us live and shared their thoughts. For the musicians this was a very unique experience. We played in an empty club, yet communicated in real time with so many people around the world. Continue reading
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Watch: A Tribute to Kenny Dorham by poet Dave Oliphant
The jazz historian and poet Dave Oliphant reads selections from his epic poem “KD: A Jazz Biography”, his tribute to trumpet great and master musician Kenny Dorham, born August 30, 1924 in Post Oak, Texas. Continue reading
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Watch: SHAYA! Amapiano Documentary (FULL)
SHAYA! is Documentary about Amapiano music, lifestyle and culture in South Africa. The inside story about the culture and how certain things became the way they are. This 26 minute documentary features: Kabza De Small, MFR Souls,Tall Arse Tee, DJ Jaivane, JazziDisciples, Papers 707, Dimpie Dimpopo, Mbali Sibeko, Dinho Cafe, Kwiish SA, Pencil, Stokie and… Continue reading
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Gil Scott-Heron spells out why “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”
Consider the influence of television, even in the digital age. Consider the power that networks like Fox and CNN continue to wield over that nebulous thing called public opinion; the continued dominance of NBC and CBS. These giants don’t really inform so much as sell packaged ideological content paid for and approved by corporate sponsors.… Continue reading
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An Animated John Coltrane Explains His True Reason for Being: “I Want to Be a Force for Real Good”
Coltrane is, of course, one of the true giants of 20th century music. He first got attention playing with the Miles Davis Quintet in the mid-1950s on albums like Relaxin’, Cookin’ and Steamin’ before he released his seminal solo album Blue Train. But his career quickly faltered. He was hooked on heroin and Davis, a… Continue reading
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An Improvisation 2004 – The Andrew Hill Trio
Andrew Hill (1931-2007) was a masterful pianist and a very original composer whose music fell into the avant-garde but was really in its own category. Continue reading
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If I Should Lose You, Talinka Quartet
An early bird from their 2nd coming album, here is Talinka’s take on the American song book “If I Should Lose You” Continue reading
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Nina Simone Live in Amsterdam
September 2009 — Youtube This is one song from a fantastic concert by an unjustly ignored artist that I first saw on TV back in 1965, when this was recorded. Continue reading
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Documentary – “Raíces (Bomba y Plena)”
5 July 2019 — Jazz on the Tube Produced by Paradiso Films; written, edited and directed by Paloma Suau; and funded by Banco Popular in 2001. Filmed in Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico North (aka El Bronx) A beautiful mix of historic and contemporary footage paying homage to the Bomba and Plena. Starring: Marc Anthony, Continue reading
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Dave Lambert Day June 19, 1917 – October 3, 1966
Lambert enjoyed writing lyrics to the recorded solos of jazz soloists (known as vocalese) and he and Hendricks came up with the idea of recording a full vocalese album of Count Basie recordings, joining with Annie Ross for the very successful Sing A Song Of Basie in 1957. Continue reading
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COUNT BASIE Swingin’ the Blues, 1941 HOT big band swing jazz
3 December 2018 — YouTube COUNT BASIE Excerpts from the oddly titled “Dance of the Gremlins” (thanks to mfb25890 & mbdavis10025 for the song I.D.), and “Swingin’ the Blues”, c. 1941. This is some of the HOTTEST big band swing of the 40s! Don Byas on tenor, Harry “Sweets” Edison & then later Buck Clayton, Continue reading
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Remembering Jerry Gonzalez 1949-2018
21 July 2012 — Youtube A tribute to the trumpeter, conga player and bandleader United. Jerry Gonzalez y Pepe Rivero. Live at Clazz Latin jazz Festival 2012, Madrid Lineup: Jerry Gonzalez (congas, trumpet) Pepe Rivero (piano), Reinier Elizarde “negrón” (double bass) and Georvis Tip (drums) guest: Manuel Machado (trumpet) and Yuvisney Aguilar (percussion). Trumpeter, percussionist Continue reading
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‘Harlem River Drive’ Revisited – Eddie Palmieri
29 September 2018 — Jazz on the Tube The magnificent Eddie Palmieri, now in his 80th year! A replay of his groundbreaking 1971 (I think) composition, ‘Harlem River Drive’, in a live performance in E. Harlem. Continue reading
The New Dark Age 