Music

Groovy Trio

Experiencing MMW’s Shack-man is like taking a trip to the groove planet. From the chill-out opening “Is There Anyone Here That Love My Jesus” to the building-up tempo “Bubblehouse” to the spacious closing “Kenny,” the trio Medekis (keyboards), Martin (drums) and Wood (bass) churn out intoxicating jazz riffs, hypnotizing funk rhythms, and electrifying fusion cuts after cuts.

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Soprano Sax King

A tribute to Sidney Bechet on NPR‘s “Jazz Profile“:

Bechet’s signature style left a profound mark on the way the clarinet and the soprano saxophone are played in today’s jazz. He has influenced countless musicians including Johnny Hodges, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Bob Wilber and Branford Marsalis, among others. Bechet was a great improviser, with a passion for life as well as music.

Don’t forget to tune into the program.

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Hank Jones Turns 89

Jazz pianist Hank Jones worked with Bennie Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Billie Holliday. He knew Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. While his peers struggled with drugs and alcohol and ended up dead, Jones managed to “Never smoked. Never drank. Never run around with wild women—tame ones,” he told NPR.

Happy birthday Mr. Jones. Stay clean and nimble!

Music

40th Anniversary of Coltrane’s Death

Tenor saxophonist John Coltrane departed today forty years ago, yet his music and style continue to impact the world of jazz. Many players emulate his techniques, but no one has surpassed the legend. Trane was indeed a Fearless Leader, and the six-disc set from Prestige reflects it. The sessions recorded within a year and a half (between 1956 and 1957) testify Trane’s artistic vision and fearlessness of expansion. For this special occasion, Fearless Leader makes a perfect retrospection.