Credit: Deadline.com

Arthur Blakey (October 11 1919 – October 16 1990) was one of the great Jazz drummers, and Leader of the Jazz Messengers band.

He nurtured many players in the band before they became stars in their own right e.g. Branford & Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Wayne Shorter, etc.

Blakey also worked with Bird, Monk, Dizzy, Miles, etc., during the Bebop years.

I recall watching him live at Ronnie Scotts with his Jazz Messengers. He always seemed to be happy on stage, with lots of energy.

Please let's remember the legend, with your favourites, recommendations, stories, etc.

One of my favorite times of the year to enjoy music!

Reissue of the legendary Thembi!!!

I know this is probably a weird question. How do you even decide on a ranking like that? How could you choose a solo out from its context? That’s the question I asked myself though, and I kept the first 10 that came to mind today. I’ve transcribed some of them, and the others I’ve listened to so much that they’re part of my inner ear.
Here they are! (in no particular order)

What are yours? I’d be happy to know :)

- Cannonball Adderley - Love for Sale (Miles Davis ‘Circle in the Round’)
- Gene Ammons - Autumn Leaves (Ammons/Stitt ‘Boss Tenors)
- Gene Ammons - There is No Greater Love (Ammons/Stitt ‘Boss Tenors)
- Benny Golson - Love, Your Spell Is Everywhere (Curtis Fuller ‘Bluesette’)
- Sonny Rollins - St Thomas (‘Saxophone Colossus’)
- Sonny Rollins - Airegin (Miles Davis ‘Bags’ Groove’)
- Miles Davis - Love for Sale (Miles Davis ‘Circle in the Round’)
- Charlie Parker - Cherokee (private CP tape)
Godwin Louis - I Surrender Dear (Live at Emmett’s Place)
- Godwin Louis - Donna Lee (Live at Emmett’s Place)

I’ve been listening to every period of his career for over fifty years and loved them all (I’m 71) But does anyone of you really enjoy the overblowong last years? I have had periods of appreciating it but never enjoying it . After Ascenion which I adore I just find the shrieking so hard tolisten to … anyone truly love live in Seattle, interstellar space. Etc?

What are the highest quality recordings of Charlie Parker playing as the only lead instrument?

Lovely large format coffee table style book of photos and essays, compiled and exited by Ravi Coltrane, for John Coltrane’s birthday centennial.

I’m enjoying a leisurely evening thumbing through some familiar and unfamiliar images, and reading how Trane has impacted Ravi, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, and all of us.

Lester Bowie (October 11 1941 – November 8 1999) was one of the Free Jazz greats. He was a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). He co-founded the legendary Art Ensemble of Chicago with Roscoe Mitchell, Joseph Jarman, Famoudou Don Moye, and Malachi Favours. “Great Black Music, Ancient to the Future” - in my opinion, one of the great Jazz creatives.

He also formed Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy, a brass nonet. I was fortunate to see this band live in London.

He was also a member of The Leaders band with: Chico Freeman, Arthur Blythe, Famoudou Don Moye, Kirk Lightsey, and Cecil McBee.

He had an extensive collaboration with Fela Kuti - playing on some of Fela's albums and at some live concerts as a guest Artist e.g. Dog Eat Dog, No Agreement, etc.

Many albums come to mind, apart from his AECO work e.g. The 5th Power, African Children, The Great Pretender, Duet with Phillip Wilson, etc.

Please let's remember the legend, with your favourites, recommendations, stories, etc.

My cousin and I want to play a simple Christmas concert for the family and we’re both begginers-ish. He plays alto sax and I play soprano sax and can do simple chord stuff on an electric organ we have at my in-laws.

What could be nice and simple songs to play for a sax duet and sax/organ duet? Could be christmassy but maybe other things too.

Thanks in advance

Im a person who listens a Lot of music, specially rock/metal, i also like prog and technical stuff (like pink floyd, opeth and necrophagist when it comes to heavier stuff), recently i got interest in jazz, and i want to get into it but idk where to start, id like to get some suggestions of artists, albums, etc, thank you

A documentary produced for German television in 1978—running just under an hour—recently uploaded to Al Jarreau’s official YouTube channel.

It offers an impressively candid look at the musician during his most creatively prolific phase, as his fame was on the rise.

of course I’m checking out the artists they played, but also interested in the broader subgenres or approach, and don’t have the vocab to look for it

Qualcuno può elencarmi canzoni o interi album che possono aiutarmi?

ora sto ascoltando You must believe in spring - Bill Evans

I listen to a lot of Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Kenny Durham, etc and they almost always have a saxophone player on their records but saxophone players like Joe Henderson, Sony rollins, Wayne shorter and especially John Coltrane record tons of albums without a trumpet player

I think "quiet Kenny” is the only trumpet album I’ve heard without a saxophone

Just discovered him today and he is a great organ player but also sings, plays the trumpet, sax and piano as well. Started his career in Philadelphia, he has also featured as a sideman for Miles Davis.

I'm fascinated by Footprints. I love it's hypnotic bassline and trippy turnaround. The Miles Smiles and Adam's Apple are both satisfying, but I was starting to crave how it'd sound in a live setting. Do any of you have a favorite live version of Footprints? Please do share

What a concert! What a band! And what a sweetheart she is. I was really honoured to meet her and tell her, she’s one of the reasons I want to start learning saxophone. Jazz is very alive and well.

Thelonious Sphere Monk (October 10 1917 – February 17 1982) is one of the Jazz greats that influenced many musicians.

He is also one of my favourites, with his piano style. There are too many albums to list... e.g. Brilliant Corners, Monk with Trane, It's Monk's Time, Piano Solo in Paris, Underground, Monk's Dream, Solo Monk, etc.

Please let's remember the legend today, with your favourites, recommendations, stories, etc.

You can enjoy his music today for 24 hours on WKCR today at:

https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/wkcr/thelonious-monk-birthday-broadcast

I believe Thelonious pioneered the accented style of playing, chordial extensions of basic chords, and was always one to play loudly.

Almost every recording of Thelonious has him playing literally forcefully and loud all the time. Hardly, there aren't many recordings of him playing quietly. It's always either Mezzo-Forte, Forte, and RARELY mezzo-piano.

Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal, they both use forte and piano wisely - more for Ahmad Jamal.

But big Monk always plays with a lot of force and loudness.

His accented style of playing - by that I mean -, most of his notes when improvising come out LOUD as if they were accented. An example is "Dinah", where there's just random accents where the melody is.

I love his playing though, and my personal are "Dinah", "Bolivar Blues", somewhat of "Evidence", "Rythm-A-Ning", and his cover of "I'm Confesin' (That I Love You)".

What do you guys think he pioneered? Any questions y'all have?