75 years ago this month, Coleman Hawkins recorded what would become one of the most legendary jazz recordings. I didn’t always like this recording. When I first heard it, as a jazz newbie, all I noticed was the crappy recording quality, the hiss, crackle and pops. How “old” it sounded, etc. Now? I could listen […]
#InTheShed
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How My Practice Journal from 20 Years Ago Led to Performing with Joshua Redman
Ultimate Thanks to Bob Reynolds for lending me his horn last minute – on his Birthday no less! Saved my ass. Great musician. True friend. — Joshua Redman (@Joshua_Redman) September 30, 2014 Last week I spent my birthday performing with Joshua Redman. He even played an entire gig on my saxophone. It was incredible. Post […]
John Coltrane Played Poetry…Literally
My jaw dropped when I discovered this. James Carey describes his video creation: A few years ago, knowing I absolutely adored the John Coltrane album, “A Love Supreme” my wife gave me this incredible book by Ashley Kahn : “A Love Surpreme/The Story of John Coltrane’s Signature Album.” Reading the book, I discovered something remarkable: […]
You’ve got to hear this Ben Webster phrase
I was too excited about this to type it out…so I made a little video. Here’s the track (but make sure to get the album; half the fun is the liner notes and outtakes): http://youtu.be/x0_GJSpV_u4 Ben’s buttery phrase closes out his chorus ~3:30. Enjoy!
A Conversation with Ben Wendel (Saxophonist, Composer, Kneebody-er)
I heard Ben Wendel give a brilliant performance recently and it reminded me to share this conversation we recorded in 2011. Listen in and find out why I hesitated to release it (until now) as well as a whole buffet of topics from musical influences, saxophone practice routines, how Kneebody came to be, and Ben’s […]
Chris Potter & Kenny Werner’s Beautiful Rendition of Tom Harrell’s “Sail Away”
When I first heard this I thought it was the single greatest soprano saxophone performance I’d ever heard. That was more than fifteen years ago. To this day, I feel the same. (Though Branford’s soprano tone is a favorite of mine.) I’ve been sharing this track a lot lately with students & readers who ask […]