passings
Steve Cropper, guitarist, songwriter, producer, October 21, 1941 – December 3, 2025
Booker T. & the M.G.’s, live, New York, 1991
*****
Phil Upchurch, guitarist, July 19, 1941 – November 23, 2025
With Booker T. & the M.G.’s, “Love and Peace,” live (TV show), published 2010
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lagniappe
art beat: other day, National Museum of Mexican Art (Chicago), annual Day of the Dead exhibit
timeless
Duke Ellington (1899-1974; piano, composition) & Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967; piano, composition) with Joe Shulman (1923-1957, bass), “In a Blue Summer Garden,” rec. 1950 (New York)
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langiappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Illinois
what’s new
Nate Smith (drums) with James Francies (keyboards, synthesizer), Josh Johnson (alto saxophone), Ben Williams (bass), “Magic Dance,” live (studio), Seattle, 10/1/25 (published yesterday)
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lagniappe
other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)
what’s new
One-word review: Wow!
Archer (Dave Rempis, saxophone; Terrie Hessels, guitar; Jon Rune Strøm, bass; Tollef Østvang, drums), live, Austria (Wels), 11/8/25
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
what’s new
SML, live, Chicago (Empty Bottle), 2025 (published 11/6/25)
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)
passings
Jack DeJohnette, drummer, pianist, composer, August 9, 1942 – October 26, 2025
Jack DeJohnette (drums) with MCOTD Hall-of-Famer Henry Threadgill (reeds), Roscoe Mitchell (reeds), Muhal Richard Abrams (piano), and Larry Gray (bass), Made in Chicago, 2015
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago (Columbus Park)
Happy Birthday!
Charlie Parker (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955, alto saxophone) with Fats Navarro (trumpet), Bud Powell (piano), Art Blakey (drums), et al., recorded live at Birdland (NYC) on May 15-16, 1950*
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lagniappe
radio
Today it’s all Bird all day at WKCR (Columbia University).
*****
*Complete information regarding personnel and compositions can be found here.
One-word review: Wow!
The Leaders (Lester Bowie, 1941-1999, trumpet, MCOTD Hall of Fame; Chico Freeman, 1949-, tenor saxophone [son of MCOTD Hall of Famer Von Freeman]; Arthur Blythe, 1940-2017, alto saxophone; Kirk Lightsey, 1937-, piano; Cecil McBee, 1935-, bass; Famadou Don Moye, 1946-, drums), live (“Luna,” C. Freeman; “Blues on the Bottom,” C. McBee; “Heaven Dance,” K. Lightsey), Vienna, c. 1989 (published 8/20/25)
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, outside Chicago
3n
Marcus Gilmore (drums) with David Virelles (piano), Petros Klampanis (bass), “Cape Stride” (M. Gilmore), live, Greece (Athens), 2023
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Illinois
like nobody else
Terry Riley (June 24, 1935-, composer, musician), 90th birthday celebration, live, New York, 6/24/25: The Holy Liftoff (2024), Claire Chase (flutes); In C (1964), large ensemble
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Illinois
music clip of the day 