Filed under: News , R.I.P. Michael Ochs Archives After rumors began circulating earlier this week, it has finally been confirmed that legendary jazz musician Donald Byrd has died. According to a family member, the trumpet player and bandleader, born Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, died Monday,Feb 4., at the age of 80. His cause of death has not yet been disclosed. Byrd's nephew, Alex Bugnon, also a jazz musician, revealed [...]

In the early 60’s, the release of a bossa nova album by an American jazz musician was not a rare phenomenon. Bossa nova had become a new craze in North America and this led to a number of album releases that were less than noteworthy. Ironically, Charlie Rouse ’s 1962 album “Bossa Nova Bacchanal”, though generally not as popular as others, certainly stands out as one of the best albums in this category. A lot of this has to do with the approach Rouse took for this album. His conscious decision to stick with his jazz roots [...]
I didn't post an entry last night. I was too busy enjoying a birthday dinner with my girlfriend. I know some of you mongoloids see it as an affront whenever I skip a day of blogging, but hopefully you'll understand the circumstances this time. Furthermore, I just don't like you, and I don't give a fuck if you come here every Sunday looking for MP3s. I wanted some good Italian food last night and I was not going to let a silly little website stand in my way. Speaking of which, I got a letter from the city [...]
Ronnie Earl's guitar is a lantern in dark places... Guitar - Ronnie Earl - Music - Arts - Stringed
One of music's great gifts brings forth new music this summer... Music - Arts - Education - Arts and Entertainment - Courses and Lessons

With songs like 'For What It's Worth,' 'Suite Judy Blue Eyes,' 'Teach Your Children' and 'Love the One You're With,' Stephen Stills is a fixture on lists naming the greatest rock songs. Despite that praise, he isn't a fan of the countdowns. "I don't pay any attention to those lists," he tells Spinner. "I think those lists are purposeless." Case in point -- Stills says he couldn't pick a favorite guitarist. "There are five or six guitar players that I love equally: B.B. King , Elmore James , Eric Clapton , Jeff [...]

THE CREATOR HAS A MASTER PLAN (PEACE) Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong and his Friends Flying Dutchman : 1970 LA, vocals; Leon Thomas, vocals, percussion; James Spaulding, flute; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Sam Brown, guitar; Frank Owens, piano; Richard Davis, bass; George Duvivier, bass; Gene Golden, congas; Bernard Purdie, drums, plus strings. Satch plays Fats, sure - but Satch sings Sanders?!?! Following our previous Pharaoh Sander's post, we couldn't resist posting this outrageous oddity: Louis Armstrong singing Pharaoh's freak [...]

01. Lou Donaldson - Polka Dots and Moonbeams 02. Curtis Fuller - A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening 03. Louis Smith - Stardust 04. Dexter Gordon - Don't Explain 05. Cannonball Adderley - Dancing in the Dark 06. Johnny Griffin - These Foolish Things 07. Kenny Burrell - Autumn in New York 08. Stanley Turrentine - Then I'll Be Tired of You 09. Jutta Hipp - Violets [...]

Tomorrow night I'm popping down to the Speakeasy Jazz night at Limerick Boat Club on Sarsfield Bridge. I'm delighted to hear that the venue is still being used for music. I've been to a few gigs and parties there over the years, although it's been a while since I was last there. I was first introduced to the place sometime in the 90s when some friends of mine, who had been involved with the Rowing Club, took me to a Good Friday party there. I had been under the impression that the place was going to be knocked down, like [...]

Birk's Works - Kenny Burrell from the album On View At The Five Spot on Blue Note (1959). Scotch Blues - Kenny Burrell from the double album Blue Lights Volumes 1 & 2 on Blue Note (1958). My obsession with all thing Tina Brooks continues. I got into Brooks's backstory in my post on his albums as a leader , but today let's start to look at his career as a sideman. Burrell's first recorded sessions as a jazz artist were both on [...]

Image: Inca Pan . A short playlist with some latin and jazz influences for a relaxed evening with your favorite pets and gin cobblers. Yusef Lateef - The Plum Blossom Eastern sounds (Prestige / 1961) Nina Simone - See-line Woman Broadway-blues-ballads (1964) Kenny Burrell - Moon and Sand Moon and sand (Concorde / 1979) Dorothy Ashby - Lonely girl [...]