Jazz

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews tenor saxophonist David Murray's new album, Ming's Samba. Whitehead says he revives some off-beat jazz traditions to create his distinctive sound.

Jazz pianist Dave McKenna is known both for his large repertoire of songs and his improvisatory skill. He joins Fresh Air to offer a musical meditation on the change of seasons.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new reissue of recordings by Artie Shaw's quintet, the Grammercy Five, which went through a lineup changes over the years. He says it reveals the seriousness of Shaw's search for greatness.

Pianist Kenny Barron says that the late jazz musician's style was jagged, percussive and dissonant. Barron performs some of Monk's compositions to demonstrate this innovative approach.

Critic and composer Gunther Schuller's new book, The Swing Era, examines the history of big band music. Though he is already a jazz enthusiast, Schuller says he researched his book as if he had no prior knowledge of the genre, hoping to craft a more comprehensive and objective account of that its development.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says a new album by Connie Crothers and the Lennie Popkin Quartet features predictable, snaking melodies, but, like their mentor Lennie Tristano, they keep up the intensity beneath their cool exterior.

Jazz pianist Kenny Barron joins Fresh Air to perform some of Abdullah Ibrahim's music, as well as Barron's own composition inspired by Ibrahim.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says critical darling's piano music is often considered dark and heavy. But Blake's new album, Painted Rhythms Volume II, also has a sharp wit.

Barron was part of the Sphere jazz ensemble and records for the ECM label. He joins Fresh Air to perform some of the songs that influenced his playing.

Buell Neidlinger is a session musician who has recorded with several pop, folk and jazz musicians. He leads a string band on his new album, performing the music of Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says it breaks down the barrier between serious art and raucous fun.

Jazz critic has this profile of Roy Eldridge, an early pioneer of the jazz trumpet, whose style departed from greats like Louis Armstrong in several important ways.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says much of saxophonist Ahmed Abdullah's new album, Liquid Magic, takes its cues from South African musical traditions. Whitehead says that the international influence on a style already born of African traditions proves that jazz is in no danger of stagnating.

The thirty-year-old saxophonist leads a new big band that performs pieces from the classic swing era. He formed a professional and personal relationship with Benny Goodman, and now stewards the archive of the jazz legends' recordings.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says the saxophonist, often associated with the avant-garde, can't easily be pigeonholed. Lake's big band album takes its cues from Eric Dolphy, blues, and gospel. The ensemble may be loose, but the soloists shine.

Composer and keyboardist Wayne Horvitz was associated with the Manhattan downtown scene of experimental composers and improvisers. Now a resident of Seattle, he fuses his diverse musical influences in a new album called The President.

On his new album, trumpeter Herb Robertson reinterprets several compositions by the late pianist. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says the record emphasizes the jubilance of Powell's music, rather than the difficulties he faced later in life.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says the blues singer's reissued album of Bessie Smith songs is a winner. Recent attempts of contemporary pop singers to cover the work of classic artists can't compare to recordings of Baker's era.

Kevin Whitehead says that some listeners place too much emphasis on Tom Harrell's schizophrenia, which often makes him appear withdrawn while performing. Whitehead thinks they should pay more attention to how the jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player can make fresh music out of familiar ideas.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says Carla Bley is an exceptional composer and piano player, but he's frustrated by how uneven her output has been throughout the 1980s. Her new album, Duets, with bassist Steve Swallow is a reminder of how good her music used to be. A reissue of an excellent, earlier record, Social Studies, is also available.

Koglmann plays both composed classical and improvised music. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says the unconventional approaches on his new album, About Yesterdays Ezzthetics, may not be be new, but they succeed in making a unique record.