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)
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
Category: piano
2025
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.
2025
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
2025
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)
2025
Tuesday, August 5th
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
2025
Thursday, July 31st
There are a handful of pianists whose performances I jump on immediately, no matter the piece. He’s one.
Daniil Trifonov (1991-), piano: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), “The Sleeping Beauty,” Op. 66 (Transcr. Pletnev), IV. Andante, published 7/26/25
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Illinois
2025
Friday, July 18th
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
2025
Saturday, July 5th
passings
Alfred Brendel, pianist, writer, January 5, 1931-June 17, 2025
Live, Austria (Vienna), 1979: Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924), Toccata K.287 (1921)
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
2025
Tuesday, April 22nd
Happy (103rd) Birthday, Charles!
Charles Mingus Sextet (CM, 4/22/1922–1/5/1979, bass, compositions; Eric Dolphy, 1928-1964, alto saxophone; Clifford Jordan, 1931-1993, tenor saxophone; Johnny Coles, 1925-1987, trumpet; Jaki Byard, 1922-1999, piano; Dannie Richmond, 1931-1988, drums), live, Belgium,* Norway,** Sweden,*** 1964
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lagniappe
radio
WKCR-FM (Columbia University): all Mingus, all day.
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* “So Long Eric,” “Peggy’s Blue Skylight,” “Meditations on Integration”
** “So Long Eric,” “Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk,” “Parkeriana,” “Take The ‘A’ Train”
*** “So Long Eric” (performance and rehearsal), “Meditations on Integration” (performance and rehearsal)
2025
Tuesday, March 25th
sounds of 1940
Raymond Scott And His Orchestra (feat. Walter Gross, piano), “Creepy Weepy” (R. Scott), 1940
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Oak Park, Illinois
music clip of the day 