Tenor and soprano saxophonist Bill Evans was born on February 9, 1958 in Clarendon Hills, Illinois. Evans studied classical clarinet early in life, switching his focus to jazz tenor saxophone by high school, studying with Dave Liebman at William Paterson University. He moved to New York City in 1979, freelanced and joined Miles Davis’ group […]

Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (Sonny Stitt) was born on February 2, 1924 in Boston, Massachusetts. Given up for adoption as an infant, he was adopted by the Stitt family in Saginaw, Michigan, started playing saxophones early on, and while in high school worked locally in the Len Francke Band. By 1943, when he was with […]

Besame Mucho (Composed by Consuelo Velazquez) Mike Vaccaro, Leader, Tenor Sax, FluteGerry Schroeder, KeysKevin Axt, Bass, ContraBassMichael Higgins, Guitar“Tiki Passillas”, PercussionAnne Walsh, VocalsDrums and PercussionChris Stevens, Marimba, PercussionTom Zink, Recordist – Ken McCarthy

Pianist Anthony Cedar Walton Jr. was born on January 17, 1934 in Dallas, Texas. His first piano teacher was his mother, he studied at the University of Denver and, after dropping out of school to move to New York, he was drafted into the Army. Walton played jazz with top musicians while in the Army […]

Drummer Barry Altschul was born on January 6, 1943 in New York City. After being self-taught on the drums, Altschul studied with Charlie Persip, making his recording debut in 1965 with the Jazz Composer’s Orchestra. During 1965-69 he was a member of the Paul Bley Trio (with several different bassists including Steve Swallow and Gary […]

Vibraphonist Milt Jackson was born on January 1, 1923 in Detroit, Michigan. Raised on church music, Jackson started playing the guitar when he was seven, piano at 11, drums, timpani and violin in high school, and also sang including with a gospel quartet the Evangelist Singers. After hearing Lionel Hampton play the vibes with Benny […]

What a line up! This one really pulls at my heart strings, especially to see Don Cherry and Lester Bowie. How much I miss them.  Don Cherry, trumpet, vocalsLester Bowie, trumpetMarshall Allen, alto sax, percussionJohn Gilmore, tenor fax, fluteArchie Shepp, tenor sax, vocalsSun Ra, keyboards Richard Davis, bassClifford Jarvis, drumsPhilly Joe Jones, drums Famoudou Don Moye, percussion  […]

Tenor-saxophonist Harold Land was born on February 18, 1928 in Houston, Texas. Land grew up in San Diego where he began playing tenor-sax when he was 16. He worked locally, made his recording debut with Jimmy Liggins’ Drops Of Joy in 1947, and led a boppish session of his own for Savoy in 1949. However […]

It was thanks to Jerome that my ears opened to HEAR the drums for the first time. This was one of the greatest gifts anyone ever gave me. Cooper’s background is stellar. He grew up literally above Theresa’s, the legendary Chicago blues club. He got his educational foundation from Captain Walter Dyett who also taught […]