Wednesday, February 4th
sounds of New York
Jim Staley (trombone) with Ned Rothenberg (reeds) and Sylvie Courvoisier (piano), live, New York, 2025
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Illinois (Conservatory)
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
Category: saxophone
2026
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
2025
Wednesday, November 26th
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)
2025
Friday, November 21st
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
2025
Monday, November 10th
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)
2025
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)
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, July 23rd
like nothing else
Tony Malaby (saxophone), Mat Maneri (viola), Daniel Levin (cello), “New Artifacts,” recorded live (New York), 2015
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lagniappe
random sights
this morning, 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
music clip of the day 