Monday, May 12th
timeless
Leonard Cohen (1934-2016) with Sonny Rollins (1930-, tenor saxophone), “Who by Fire” (L. Cohen), live (TV show), 1989
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lagniappe
random sights
this morning, Oak Park, Illinois
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
Category: saxophone
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.
*****
* “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
Thursday, April 3rd
passings
George Freeman (guitarist), April 10, 1927-April 1, 2025
Birth Sign,* 1970 (Delmark Records)
When, fifty years ago, I first heard this album, I thought it was wonderful. I still do.
*****
*1. “Mama, Papa, Brother” 2. “Cough It Up” 3. “My Scenery” 4. “Must Be, Must Be” 5. “Birth Sign” 6. “Hoss” 7. “My Ship”
George Freeman, guitar; Lester Lashley, trombone (track 4); Von Freeman (brother, MCOTD Hall of Fame), tenor saxophone (tracks 2-3, 6-7); Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, tenor saxophone (track 4); Sonny Burke, organ (tracks 1–6); Robert Pierce, organ (track 4); Billy Mitchell, drums
2025
Saturday, March 1st
From Miles Davis to the NYC Subway: The Forgotten Jazz Legend Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre (Danilo Parra, director), published (YouTube) 2/20/25
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Illinois
2025
Wednesday, February 12th
Some performances just keep building, getting better, and better, and better.
Steve Coleman Five Elements (SC, alto saxophone, compositions; Jonathan Finlayson, trumpet; Anthony Tidd, bass; Sean Rickman, drums; Kokayi, vocals), live, Spain (Donostia San Sebastian), 2022
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
2025
Wednesday, January 22nd
my back pages
On a cold, snowy night forty-eight 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, Chicago
2024
Tuesday, December 31st
sounds of Chicago
DKV Trio (Hamid Drake [MCOTD Hall of Fame], drums; Kent Kessler, bass; Ken Vandermark, reeds), live, Chicago, 12/28/24
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lagniappe
random sights
Dingle Peninsula, Ireland, 2017
2024
Saturday, December 21st
what’s new
This combination of voices—alto saxophone, cello, accordion—I could listen to all day.
Tim Berne (alto saxophone), Hank Roberts (cello), Aurora Nealand (accordion, etc.), live, Austria (Wels), 11/26/24
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Oak Park, Illinois
2024
Saturday, December 14th
like nobody else
Albert Ayler Quintet (AA [1938-1970], tenor saxophone; Donald Ayler, trumpet; Michel Samson, violin; Bill Folwell, bass; Beaver Harris, drums), “Our Prayer” (A. Ayler), live (TV), Germany (Munich), 1966
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lagniappe
art beat: other day, National Museum of Mexican Art (Chicago), Day of the Dead exhibit
2024
Monday, November 4th
sounds of New York
Johnny Griffin (1928-2008, tenor saxophone) with Ronnie Mathews (piano), Ray Drummond (bass), Kenny Washington (drums), live, New York (Village Vanguard), 1981
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lagniappe
random sights
other day, Chicago
music clip of the day 