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Gerry Mulligan: Born Again On the Little Bighorn by Brian Morton
© Copyright ® Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“ … perhaps Mulligan’s most significant single contribution to modern Jazz has been, until recently, poorly recognised and largely...
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The Kennedy Dream - Oliver Nelson [From the Archives]
© -Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved."In February of 1967, Oliver Nelson recognized Kennedy’s contributions and assembled a big band to play music in his honor, with taped segments...
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Shelly Manne & His Men 1956 Bud Powell's "Un poco loco"
To say that Shelly Manne was a unique drummer is an understatement. Even today it is difficult to imagine an extended drum solo played with a bare left hand, a brush in the right hand and a tambourine...
View ArticleBlueport // Gerry Mulligan and His Concert Band
Stick around for the 4-bar trades at the end between trumpeter Clark Terry and Gerry Mulligan on baritone.
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Stan Levey: From Left to Right - The JazzProfiles Interview
© -Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.Bebop was causing the swing drummers fits because of the jabs and stabs required of the left hand and right foot — snare drum and bass drum —...
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Tal Farlow: Jazz Guitar and Bebop
© -Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved."In 1944-1945 I was in the service stationed outside Philadelphia. I used to go to this little night club in town located in an alley named...
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Ahmad Jamal, measured maestro of the jazz piano, dies at 92 NPR Obituaries
OBITUARIESAhmad Jamal, measured maestro of the jazz piano, dies at 92April 16, 20237:54 PM ETBy Martin JohnsonAhmad Jamal, pictured in 2016.Rémy Gabalda/AFP via Getty ImagesFor most jazz performers, a...
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Steve Gadd - The Ben Sidran Interview [From the Archives]
© Copyright ® Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.I’ve shared this quotation from trumpeter, composer and bandleader Wynton Marsalis before, but it bears repeating in the context...
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Shorty Rogers As Interviewed By Steve Voce
© - Steven A. Cerra - copyright protected; all rights reserved."sprezzaturaShorty Rogers's music exemplifies what the Italian courtier Castiglione called sprezzatura — the ability to do difficult...
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‘Dorothy Ashby: With Strings Attached 1957-1965’ Review By Martin Johnson
© Copyright ® Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.“Although Casper Reardon and Adele Girard preceded Dorothy Ashby in the genre of jazz harp, Ashby’s improvisatory style was...
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CerraJazz on Substack - The June 1, 2023 Transition
© Copyright ® Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.As frequent visitors to the blog will no doubt observe, this notification has been posting on a recurring basis.It will continue to...
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"Some Other Blues On Livia Records" - Louis Stewart and Noel Kelehan
© Copyright ® Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.SOME OTHER BLUES features 8 standards, including the title track by John Coltrane, and an original ballad from Noel Kelehan. The CD...
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‘Easily Slip Into Another World’ Review: Henry Threadgill’s Jazz Voyages
‘Easily Slip Into Another World’ Review: Henry Threadgill’s Jazz VoyagesThe innovative saxophonist and composer delivers the story of a life devoted to a form of music always seeking new horizons.By...
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