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Category: piano

Thursday, January 22nd

my back pages

On a cold, snowy night forty-nine years ago, at a church thirty miles north of Chicago, my wife, Suzanne, and I were married. Tenor saxophonist Von Freeman (1923-2012, MCOTD Hall of Fame) and pianist John Young (1922-2008) provided the music, playing before the ceremony (“Over the Rainbow,” “It Never Entered My Mind,” “More”); during (Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” [unaccompanied saxophone], as Suzanne walked down the aisle), and after (“My Favorite Things,” “Song for My Father”). All of what they played that night can be heard here (0:14-).

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lagniappe

random sights

other day, Oak Park, Illinois

Friday, January 16th

what’s new

John Cage (1912-1992), In a Landscape (1948); Thomas Kotcheff (piano), Bryan Curt Costors (electronics), published 1/15/26

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lagniappe

random sights

other day, Oak Park, Illinois

Monday, January 5th

Singer-songwriters? Most I tire of before they begin. This guy I could listen to all night.

Daniel Knox (1980-), live (begins 15:10), Chicago (Constellation), 1/3/26

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lagniappe

random sights

this morning, Oak Park, Illinois

Saturday, December 13th

what’s new

Max Richter (1966-, compositions, piano), live, Paris, May, 5/28/25 (published yesterday)

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Chicago (Columbus Park)

Tuesday, November 25th

timeless

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849), Prelude No. 13
Victor Schiøler (1899-1967), piano (1956)

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lagniappe

random sights

yesterday, Oak Park, Illinois

Wednesday, October 29th

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)

Saturday, October 18th

otherworldly

Ran Blake (1935-, piano), “Little Rootie Tootie” (T. Monk), published 10/17/25

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lagniappe

random sights

other day, Lake Superior (Copper Harbor, Michigan)

Friday, August 29th

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).

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*Complete information regarding personnel and compositions can be found here.

Saturday, August 23rd

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

Wednesday, August 20th

alone

Jimmy Rowles (1918-1996, piano), “Poor Butterfly” (J. Golden, R. Hubbell), live, New Orleans, 1982

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lagniappe

reading table

Only: sing.

—John Berryman (1914-1972, MCOTD Hall of Fame), from “An Untitled Dream Song” (New York Review of Books, 8/21/25)