“‘Different’ Trios” – a playlist by Bob Hecht
In this 27-song playlist, Bob Hecht focuses on non-traditional trio recordings.
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“Trios – Three’s Not a Crowd” – a playlist by Bob Hecht
In the history of jazz there have been many variations of instrumentation within the trio format (think of Benny Goodman’s trio or Jimmy Giuffre’s) but on this playlist, Bob Hecht concentrates on a handful of the classic trio configurations—either piano, bass and drums, or in a few instances, piano, guitar and bass……
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“Duos – Two of a Mind” – a playlist by Bob Hecht
In this edition of extensive jazz playlists, the award-winning jazz producer and scholar Bob Hecht presents a 31-song playlist of historic and contemporary duo performances that exemplify the essence of jazz as a conversation between individuals, an open exchange between equal partners.
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“Alone at the Piano” – a playlist by Bob Hecht
In this edition of extensive jazz playlists, the award-winning jazz producer and scholar Bob Hecht focuses his attention on solo piano performances, including those by artists such as Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Art Tatum, Tommy Flanagan, Cedar Walton, Bill Evans, Jaki Byard, Keith Jarrett.
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“The Naked Jazz Musician” – A playlist by Bob Hecht
As Sonny Rollins has said, “Jazz is about taking risks, pushing boundaries, and challenging the status quo.” Could there be anything riskier—or more boundary-pushing—than to stand naked and perform with nowhere to hide? Bob’s extensive playlist is comprised of such perilous undertakings by an array of notable woodwind and brass masters who have had the confidence and courage (some might say even the exhibitionism) to expose themselves so completely by playing….alone.
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“The Pianoless Tradition in Modern Jazz” – a playlist by Bob Hecht
An extensive playlist built around examples of prominent pianoless modern jazz.
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“Latin Tinges in Modern Jazz” – a playlist by Bob Hecht
A nine-hour long Spotify playlist featuring songs by the likes of Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Ahmad Jamal, and Dizzy Gillespie that demonstrates how the Latin music influence on jazz has been present since the music’s beginnings.
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“A Baker’s Dozen Playlist of Ella Fitzgerald Specialties from Five Decades,” as selected by Ella biographer Judith Tick
Chosen from Ella’s entire repertoire, Ms. Tick’s playlist (with brief commentary) is a mix of studio recordings, live dates, and video, all available for listening here.
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“Autumn Comes and Goes” – a playlist by Bob Hecht
A 28-song Spotify playlist devoted to Autumn, featuring great tunes performed by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, Lester Young, Stan Getz, and…well, you get the idea.
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“Liner Notes to Charlie Parker” – a poem (and playlist) by Chuck Sweetman
The poet writes a fantasy about Parker’s time in the California asylum Camarillo…a 15 song playlist accompanies the poem
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“What Is This Thing Called Something Else?” – a playlist by Bob Hecht
Contrafacts, as such reworkings are called, are the product of writing a new melodic line over an existing set of chord changes, thereby disguising or sometimes completely obscuring the identity of the original piece.
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“Liner Notes to Bluesy Jazz” – a poem (and playlist) by Chuck Sweetman
The poet writes on how a musician putting their heart into their playing is a key to a great solo
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Playlist – “The Promise of Spring”
An hour-long playlist of recordings by legendary jazz musicians, inspired by the outset of spring
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Don Thompson – a playlist by Bob Hecht
An 18 song playlist to demonstrate some of the genius and versatility of the Canadian jazz musician Don Thompson
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“Liner Notes to ‘All The Things You Are'” — a poem (and playlist) by Chuck Sweetman
The poet writes of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein’s hit song, and offers an 18 song version playlist
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Hard boppers dig the standards — a playlist by Bob Hecht
A Spotify playlist featuring standard tunes from the Great American Songbook as performed by hard bop musicians.
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Playlist: George Gershwin’s “Summertime”
Forty-two versions of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” in much of its glory for your listening pleasure, and in the heat of this moment.
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“The Compositional Genius of Bill Evans — A Brief Overview & Playlist,” by Bob Hecht
Contributing writer Bob Hecht discusses Bill Evans’ enduring compositional genius, and has assembled an extensive Spotify playlist that includes many of his tunes.
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Playlist: “Jazz Tributes” — compositions and performances by jazz musicians, for jazz musicians
Bob Hecht has created an extensive Spotify playlist he calls “Jazz Tributes” that also serves as a kind of “Thanksgiving” greeting – compositions and performances by jazz musicians, for jazz musicians.
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Playlist: “Miles Plays Wayne”
Bob Hecht, a frequent contributor to Jerry Jazz Musician, writes about a current fascination – the compositions of Wayne Shorter, and his contributions to the Miles Davis groups he played in during his time with the trumpeter, 1964 – 1970. Bob has assembled a 20 song Spotify playlist featuring many of the recordings…
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Playlist: Compositions of Ornette Coleman
Contributing writer Bob Hecht’s 40-song playlist features 20 compositions by Ornette Coleman that alternates a cover version of an Ornette composition – often by a pianist or other harmonically-based instrument – followed by Ornette’s original version. It provides a nice perspective on the beauty of his music, even for those who may not particularly be fans.
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Playlist: A sampling of soprano saxophonists
. . photo by William Gottlieb/Library of Congress Sidney Bechet at Jimmy Ryan’s, New York, N.Y., ca. 1947 . …..I don’t know about you, but ever since Kenny G made himself known in the world of pop music, the soprano saxophone has been a challenge for me to enjoy. His “smooth” approach to the … Continue reading “Playlist: A sampling of soprano saxophonists”
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“The Art of Accompanying” — a 50-song playlist
A 50 song jazz playlist featuring countless great performances, including by Shirley Horn, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, and many others
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“Moondance” – a short story by Ruth Knafo Setton
The story – a finalist in the recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – focuses on two people whose passion for music infuses their lives… and their chance at love.
...What we discover about Kamala Harris from an armful of record albums
Like her or not, readers of this site will enjoy learning that Vice President Kamala Harris is a fan of jazz music. Witness this recent clip (via Youtube) of her emerging from a record shop…
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Interview with Tad Richards, author of Jazz With a Beat: Small Group Swing, 1940 – 1960
While small group swing was shunned by the jazz critical establishment for being too flamboyant and too close a cousin to the emerging (and despised) rock and roll, Richards makes the case that small group swing players like Illinois Jacquet, Louis Jordan, Big Jay McNeely, Joe Liggins, Red Prysock, T-Bone Walker and Ray Charles played a legitimate jazz that was a more pleasing listening experience to the Black community than the bebop of Parker, Dizzy, Bud Powell and Monk. It is a fascinating era, filled with major figures and events, and centered on a rigorous debate that continues to this day – is small group swing “real jazz?”
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A collection of jazz haiku, Vol. 2
The 19 poets included in this collection effectively share their reverence for jazz music and its culture with passion and brevity.
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Proceeding From Behind: A collection of poems grounded in the rhythmic, relating to the remarkable, by Terrance Underwood
A relaxed, familiar comfort emerges from the poet Terrance Underwood’s language of intellectual acuity, wit, and space – a feeling similar to one gets while listening to Monk, or Jamal, or Miles. I have long wanted to share his gifts as a poet on an expanded platform, and this 33-poem collection – woven among his audio readings, music he considers significant to his story, and brief personal comments – fulfills my desire to do so.
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Interview with Gary Carner, author of Pepper Adams: Saxophone Trailblazer
The author speaks with Bob Hecht about his book and his decades-long dedication to the genius of Pepper Adams, the stellar baritone saxophonist whose hard-swinging bebop style inspired many of the top-tier modern baritone players.
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Interview with Judith Tick, author of Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song
In Becoming Ella Fitzgerald: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song, the book’s author Judith Tick writes that Ella “fearlessly explored many different styles of American song through the lens of African American jazz, [and] treated jazz as a process, not confined to this idiom or that genre,” and who “changed the trajectory of American vocal jazz in this century.” Ms. Tick. who is professor emerita of music history at Northeastern University, talks with about Ella – and her book – in this wide-ranging October 23, 2023 interview.
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Publisher’s Notes…a 3-dot update
News about upcoming publishing dates, collections, and recent posts…
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Interview with Brent Hayes Edwards, co-author (with Henry Threadgill) of Easily Slip Into Another World: A Life in Music
Co-author Mr. Edwards discusses his work with Henry Threadgill, widely recognized as one of the most original and innovative voices in contemporary music, and the winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Music.
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Podcast…BG Boogie’s musical tour of indictment season
The podcaster “BG Boogie” has weaponized the most recent dilemma of The Former Guy, creating a playlist “with all the latest up-to-date-est musical indictments of political ineptitude.”
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Spanish researcher lists 200 jazz works linked to Don Quixote
“Don Quixote’s Adventures in the World of Jazz: 200 Examples and a Few Remarks” reveals remarkable presence of Miguel de Cervantes’ classic Don Quixote in the history of jazz.
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The Sunday Poem: “I Hear Music in the Kitchen” by Sandra Rivers-Gill
Naturally, his lyrics are cued a cappella./“I’m home” slips from his lips,/sizzles like the taste of what I’m baking in the oven,/as he unwinds his day.
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Interview with Alyn Shipton, author of The Gerry Mulligan 1950’s Quartets
In this May, 2023 interview, Shipton and Jerry Jazz Musician contributing writer Bob Hecht talk about Mulligan’s unique contributions to modern jazz.
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Designed for Dancing: How Midcentury Records Taught America to Dance: “Outtakes” — Vol. 2
The authors of “Designed For Dancing” share examples of Cha Cha Cha record album covers that didn’t quite make the final cut in their book.
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On the Turntable — The “Best Of the ‘Best Of’” in 2022 jazz recordings
A year-end compilation of jazz albums oft mentioned by a wide range of critics as being the best of 2022
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A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Fall/Winter, 2022-23 Edition
.This collection of jazz poetry – the largest yet assembled on Jerry Jazz Musician – demonstrates how poets who are also listeners of jazz music experience and interact with the spontaneous art that arises from jazz improvisation, which often shows up in the soul and rhythm of their poetic language.
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Designed for Dancing: How Midcentury Records Taught America to Dance: “Outtakes” — Vol. 1
The authors of “Designed For Dancing” share three examples of record album covers that didn’t quite make the final cut in their book.
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Book Excerpt from Designed for Dancing: How Midcentury Records Taught America to Dance, by Janet Borgerson and Jonathan Schroeder
In this excerpt, the authors write about some influential midcentury Latin-themed dance albums.
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“So What!…or, Where were you when you first heard Kind of Blue?” — a true jazz story by Bob Hecht
Bob Hecht recalls his experience of first hearing “Kind of Blue,” the 1959 jazz album by trumpeter Miles Davis
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Interview with Joe La Barbera, co-author of Times Remembered: The Final Years of the Bill Evans Trio
Drummer Joe La Barbera talks about his book, and the significance of his experience working in Bill Evans’ last trio
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Poems, by Patricia Carragon and Michael L. Newell
do you hear the wind?
see that scarlet leaf
dance on concrete?
I am that wind
I am that leaf
I am that dance
A Black History Month Profile: Louis Armstrong
In a November 16, 2020 interview with Jerry Jazz Musician, Ricky Riccardi, author of Heart Full of Rhythm: The Big Band Years of Louis Armstrong, discusses his vital book and Armstrong’s enormous and underappreciated achievements during the era he led his big band.
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Two of a Mind: Conversations on Creative Collaboration, Vol 1: featuring Bill Charlap and Sandy Stewart
An intimate portrait of Bill Charlap and mother Sandy Steward, who explore the art of musical collaboration and accompanying singers.
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“Under Quarantine” — COVID era poetry of Erren Kelly
A collection of the poet Erren Kelly’s unconstrained, improvisational and provocative poetry written during the era of COVID
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“Life in E Flat” — a conversation about Phil Woods, with pianist Bill Charlap and jazz journalist Ted Panken
Bob Hecht talks with pianist Bill Charlap and writer Ted Panken about the late Phil Woods, and his book Life in E Flat: The Autobiography of Phil Woods
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Interview with Kevin Whitehead, author of Play the Way You Feel: The Essential Guide to Jazz Stories on Film
Kevin Whitehead, the longtime jazz critic for NPR’s Fresh Air, discusses jazz music and the movies – the “natural allies” that both grew out of existing creative traditions, and, since the mid-1920’s have told stories about “child prodigies, naturals who pick up the music the first time they hear it, hard workers with a painstaking practice regimen, talented players diverted into soul-killing commercial work, and even non-improvisers taught to fake it.”
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“What one song best represents your experience with 2020?”
The community of poets, writers, artists and photographers who have recently contributed their work and time to Jerry Jazz Musician to answer this question, “What one song best represents your experience with 2020?”
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Interview with Ricky Riccardi, author of Heart Full of Rhythm: The Big Band Years of Louis Armstrong
In a November 16, 2020 interview with Jerry Jazz Musician, Riccardi discusses his vital book and Armstrong’s enormous and underappreciated achievements during the era he led his big band.
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A Collection of Jazz Poetry — Autumn, 2020 Edition
Jazz and poetry have always had a symbiotic relationship. Their creative languages share the common soil of imagination and improvisation, from which their audiences discover inspiration and spirit, and perhaps even a renewed faith in life itself.
This collection features 50 gifted poets from places as disparate as Ohio and Nepal, Estonia and Boston, Guyana and Pittsburgh, each publicly sharing their inner world reverence for the culture of jazz music.
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Book Excerpt: Heart Full of Rhythm: The Big Band Years of Louis Armstrong, by Ricky Riccardi
In the book’s prologue, “Bigger Than Jazz”– a portion of which is published here with the consent of the publisher, Oxford University Press – Riccardi writes about Armstrong’s Apollo Theater performances of 1935 (marking his comeback from an 18 month stay in Europe), his final big band performance of 1947, and subsequent appearances there with his integrated small group, the All Stars.
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“Sinatra and Me” — a true jazz story by Paul Brophy
Frank Sinatra floated through the air in my boyhood home and Philadelphia neighborhood. My mother and two of her older sisters, Henrietta and Marge, had seen young Frankie in person at Atlantic City’s Steel Pier in the late 1930s, the thrill that wed these young Italian-Americans to Frank for life. “It’s Always You” reached them. He was part of our Staffieri family — their fantasy husband.
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“On the Turntable” — Christian McBride’s The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons
Just as it did during the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War protests, music is playing an important political and inspirational role in the Black Lives Matter movement and the worldwide protests in support of it.
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Reminiscing in Tempo: “Life during the time of isolation and social distancing”
Prominent artists and educators reflect on the pandemic and how they are spending their time during isolation and social distancing
...“Life during the time of isolation and social distancing” Vol. 5 — ASU educator and author Tracy Fessenden
Arizona State University historian and author Tracy Fessenden responds to the question; “During this time of social distancing and isolation at home, what are examples of the music you are listening to, the books you are reading, and/or the television or films you are viewing?”
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“Life during the time of isolation and social distancing” Vol. 3 — journalist Joe Hagan and photographer Tim Davis
Journalist Joe Hagan and photographer Tim Davis respond to the question; “During this time of social distancing and isolation at home, what are examples of the music you are listening to, the books you are reading, and/or the television or films you are viewing?”
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“On the Turntable” — The Music of Cole Porter
While preparing for an interview this week with Dominic McHugh. co-editor of The Letters of Cole Porter, I have immersed myself in Porter’s music, which has long been inspiration for a multitude of jazz recording artists.
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The “Three Dot Update”…An occasional flurry of news and information, Vol. 1
Miscellaneous news and notes to share…
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“The Elvin Jones Standard” — an appreciation by Evan Nass
His style is unique, expressive, bombastic, heavy and rolling. He became one of the most famous drummers, making vast contributions to the hard bop and post-bop jazz movements. He had great influence on all the jazz musicians he played with, but more importantly, they influenced him.
...“On the Turntable” — June, 2019 edition
. . . _____ . . New Jazz Music Recommendations . . While much of the listening for this month’s edition of “On the Turntable” took place, as always, while walking the sidewalks and paths of Northeast Portland neighborhoods and parks, much of it also took place during … Continue reading ““On the Turntable” — June, 2019 edition”
...“On the Turntable” — May, 2019 edition
This month, a playlist of 19 recently released jazz recordings, including those by Branford Marsalis, Joe Martin, Scott Robinson, Allison Au and Warren Vache
...“On the Turntable” — April, 2019 edition
This month, 22 recently released jazz recordings are recommended, including those by Chris Potter, Sons of Kemet, Joey DeFrancesco, Stephan Crump, Julian Lage, Antonio Sanchez and Brittany Anjou
...On the Turntable — March, 2019 edition
A month of walking the dog around the (often frigid) park, ear buds in place, resulted in lots of interesting. discoveries from artists known and unknown (at least to me). This month, an eclectic blend of 18 recently released recordings from all over the globe.
...On the Turntable, February, 2019
Recommended listening…20 recently released jazz tunes by, among others, Brad Mehldau, Matt Penman, Ethan Iverson/Mark Turner, Ben Wendel, Julian Lage, and Don Byron
...On the Turntable — January, 2019 edition
. . . . I am having time to listen to new music more regularly these days, and finding great pleasure in many of the “grooves.” (Full disclosure…investing $10 per month in a Spotify account — while not the sensual experience of laying the needle on the vinyl — effortlessly gets your ears to … Continue reading “On the Turntable — January, 2019 edition”
...Jazz History, Culture, Community
IN THIS ISSUEPublisher's Notes On turning 70, and contemplating the future of Jerry Jazz Musician Thoughts on embracing a new stage in life, and where I hope to go next with Jerry Jazz Musician Read the StoryInterview Interview with Larry Tye, author of The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America … Continue reading "Jazz History, Culture, Community"...
“High Notes” — a short story by Shan Richardson
I drifted off into the best sleep I’ve had in weeks. In months even. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to get into Fat Daddy’s as a regular. It’s the hottest – no, it’s the coolest jazz club there is. On any given night you’d find the club cradled with sweet melodies and rocked by spoken word poetry. And on Friday nights, you used to be able to catch us…
Thing is, my band and I got banned last year. But before then, we had lines out the door with folks wanting to hear us play. The whites, the blacks, the browns and those that fell in between because their parents had jungle fever. The attention can become quite addicting. There wasn’t any fortune though, it’s a small town.
Fast forward to now – a year later. I managed to befriend
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Submit Your Work Jerry Jazz Musician regularly publishes work by contributing artists, and encourages you to consider submitting your own work. When your work is published, you will join a growing community of writers, poets, artists, podcast producers and filmmakers who share a passion for the creative culture found on this website. The following … Continue reading "Submit"...
“Improv” — a short story by Lorna Wood
This was all her fault, Sarah thought, as she watched the Victory Lounge clear out. She should have known Branchville wasn’t ready for improv jazz. But the bass player, Tommy Williams, had been so supportive after the workshop with the graduate wind students. Sarah had gotten so interested in the group’s ideas about jazz and improvising that she had gone straight to the practice room after the workshop and found their website. Earbuds in both ears, she was improvising to one of the rhythmic bass tracks there when she happened to raise the bell of her clarinet on a long high note the way she’d seen the quartet’s wind players do, and there was Tommy knocking on the door.
He had been so just what a jazz bass player from Chicago should be, Sarah thought, with his dusky skin and his smoky voice, and his rakish fedora tipped over one eye. And at the same time he had been so genuinely
...In This Issue
(featuring the art of Paul Lovering)
Feature
The Sunday Poem
”Every Time” by Michel Krug
The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.... Michel Krug reads his poem at its conclusion
Click here to read previous editions of The Sunday Poem
Interview
Publisher’s Notes
Essay
Short Fiction
Click here to read more short fiction published on Jerry Jazz Musician
Playlist
Feature
Interview
Poetry
Feature
Short Fiction
Poetry
Book Excerpt
Interview
Short Fiction
Art
Short Fiction
Essay
Trading Fours with Douglas Cole
In Memoriam
Book Excerpt
Click here to read more book excerpts published on Jerry Jazz Musician
Jazz History Quiz #176
Community
Contributing Writers
Coming Soon
Interview Archive
