Ambrose Akinmusire Known as a constantly searching and forward-looking musician, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire won the Thelonious Monk (now Herbie Hancock) International Jazz Competition in 2007 at 27 years old. His first disc, Prelude to Cora, announced a bright new talent willing to honor multiple strains of influences from hip-hop to classical with stops at post-bop, […]
Brad Mehldau
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43 Happy Birthday, Cole Porter
Brad Mehldau Born June 9, 1891, we are celebrating Cole Porter’s 130th birthday. This means that Porter was 27 years old, having already had shows produced on Broadway, when the first jazz recording was made in 1917. Early recordings by James P. Johnson, Jimmie Lunceford, Teddy Wilson and Django Reinhardt showed the adaptability of his […]
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Hour 20 Legacy Saxophone from Joshua Redman and Ravi Coltrane
Ravi Coltrane Dewey Redman (1931 – 2006) and John Coltrane (1926 – 1967) are giants in jazz history. Their sons Joshua Redman (born 1969) and Ravi Coltrane (born 1965) are among the most prominent players playing today. Has there ever been another time in jazz history when two of the most admired players are children […]
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Hour 4: Bird at 100: Rudresh Mahanthappa, Joe Lovano, Vincent Herring, Gary Bartz, Bobby Watson
Rudresh Mahanthappa Charlie Parker was born 100 years ago on August 29, 1920. Although he died at 34 years old in 1955, his legacy is so powerful that jazz would be a very different music if not for his contributions. In the intervening 65 years, Bird’s music has continued to influence and inspire, now, several […]