Despite passing away in 1955 before reaching his 35th birthday, alto saxophonist Charlie ‘Yardbird’ Parker is largely credited with shaping the sound of jazz as we know it today. Almost as well known for his troubled life as innovative saxophone playing, we’ve picked 10 of the best Charlie Parker songs which sum up the genius …
One of the most prolific composers in jazz history, bassist Charles Mingus’s fiery temperament and eccentric personality was often audible in the music he wrote. Driving his band on with a big sonorous sound and powerful rhythmic figures, join us for a look at 10 Charles Mingus songs which capture the essence of a true …
Jazz is no stranger to the search for perfection, but sometimes an album comes along that blows everything else out of the water through sheer emotional impact alone. That’s certainly the case with Billie Holiday’s Lady In Satin (1958), which catches both the singers musical genius and deteriorating health little more than a year before …
Pianist Michel Petrucciani was one of the greatest jazz musicians to emerge from France. His tragically short life was crammed full of accolades, albums and worldwide touring, as we’ll discover in this article… From his early days on the Côte d’Azur learning to play piano, turning professional at the age of just thirteen and relocating …
The genre we know as Blues has a long significant historical and cultural background. Originating from America’s Deep South in the 1860s the music incorporated elements from folk songs, spirituals and work songs. To identify the earliest blues songs is problematic due to the fact much of the music would have been passed down by ‘word …
As part of our deep dive into the best jazz albums of all time, we take a closer look at some of the great early recordings of iconic jazz pianist Thelonious Monk released under the title “Genius of Modern Music: Volume 1”. Thelonious Monk’s playing style has been described as angular, disjointed and rhythmically challenging. …
Perhaps one of the more underrated tenor saxophone giants of the 20th Century, Joe Henderson nonetheless recorded some iconic jazz albums, in particular with Blue Note Records. In this article we take a closer look at his 1993 album So Near So Far (musings for Miles) which showcases a veteran of the scene paying tribute …
In a genre full of originals, it’s perhaps fitting that one of the most unique musicians of all time – Thelonious Monk – is responsible for one of the most unusual and interesting jazz ballads ever written. In this article we dive into the story of Round Midnight, as well as pick 6 of our …
For better or worse, for many Charlie Parker epitomises the jazz life. The wayward genius whose life was marred and ultimately cut short by his addiction to narcotics. The truth as always is a little different, and with a character as strong as Parker the truth also depends on who you talk to. There have …
Jazz with strings? Yes please! Many legendary jazz musicians throughout history have been deeply interested in classical music, and the way in which it can be combined with jazz. One clear result of this is the exploration of adding string-based lineups to recordings, mixing the potency of jazz improvisation with the intricacies and lush harmony …