This is the second part of a three-part series reminiscing on how I got started with contemporary jazz 20 years ago. Part one is here. KBIA-FM, one of the top NPR stations in the country, had an evening contemporary jazz program that would have a life-altering affect. One night, I won a GRP sampler in [...]

My contemporary jazz journey began 20 years ago, in college. In 1989, I was dating a girl who listened to contemporary jazz. She had cassettes of Spyro Gyra’s Point of View and David Sanborn’s A Change of Heart in her blue Honda. I was a bit familiar with modern jazz (a high school classmate had [...]

There’s a handful of DVD and Blu-ray releases coming out this summer that jazz fans might be interested in. A Blu-ray version of Jamiroquai’s excellent 2003 Live at Montreux is on its way. New Morning concerts by Yellowjackets and Mike Stern are coming out on both DVD and Blu-ray. Go through the carousel below to [...]

It’s hard to believe Michael Jackson is dead at the age of 50. I always imagined him having a comeback of sorts. A time when he rose above all the weirdness and rumors and reminded us why he was on top in the 80s. I just thought he had more to contribute. A last chapter [...]

I’ve been a fan of Hiroshima for a long time. I love contemporary jazz. I love Japanese arts, culture, and society. It’s been a natural fit. I’ve been recommending The Best of Hiroshima compilation for a long time. It’s been the best compilation of their music from their earlier recordings. It’s also been their only [...]

In unsurprising but still disheartening news, JazzTimes has stopped publishing. According to the web site, print publishing will resume when a sale is closed. In today’s economy and with information being instantly available online, I don’t know how any niche magazines or newspapers are able to keep going. I’m especially baffled by Jazziz, whose high [...]

Love this!

Four musicians, each from a different country, got together to record music in NYC in April. The thing is: they didn’t write any music. They improvised everything. This isn’t like some of the free jazz I’ve heard. It’s modern. It’s got my interest. Check out the teaser below. I think you’ll want to learn more [...]

You’ve read a bit about it and heard cuts from it. Now you can win your own copy of the new live recording by the Gary Burton Quartet (Burton, Pat Metheny, Steve Swallow, and Antonio Sanchez)! I’ve got three CDs to give away. Just post a comment below! Don’t forget to include an email address [...]

In the early 1970s, the Gary Burton Quartet, which included bassist Steve Swallow, added a 19-year old guitarist to the group. His name was Pat Metheny. Those three gentlemen reunited a couple of years ago, along with drummer Antonio Sanchez, and one of their performances was recorded for the release out today. Quartet Live! is [...]