By Devon Wendell Phil Woods was not just a musician; he was a force of nature to be reckoned with. He was tough, full of grit, and always ready to defend the music that he loved and played so effortlessly with all of his might. I’ve seen Phil reduce mere mortals to ashes when they… Read More An Appreciation: Phil Woods
By Devon Wendell There’s nothing quite like a gritty Chicago tenor saxophone battle, especially during the post war hard-bop era. By the mid ‘50s, Players like Johnny Griffin, Gene Ammons, Von Freeman, and John Neely were blowing at each other with this insatiable hypo-manic bop that would make your head spin. What these men played… Read More Doc Wendell’s Prescription For Bop: Clifford Jordan & John Gilmore “Blowing In From Chicago” (Blue Note)
By Devon Wendell Many jazz aficionados like myself have been waiting for a live box set like this one for most of our lives and it’s finally here. Miles Davis At Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 consists of 4 CDs featuring 20 years of Miles Davis performances (8 shows in total) showcasing Miles… Read More CD Review- Miles Davis At Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 (Columbia/Legacy)
By Don Heckman Drummer Denny Seiwell, who made a rare appearance at Vitello’s Friday night, has a resume reaching from Zoot Sims and Al Cohn to Joe Cocker, the Who, Art Garfunkel, James Brown and many other jazz and rock luminaries. But his most significant musical association may have been the time he spent as… Read More Live Jazz: Denny Seiwell, John Chiodini and Joe Bagg at Vitello’s
By Don Heckman I’m willing to bet that anyone who was actually around in the sixties remembers the decade as a whirling kaleidoscope of people, events and places. Yes, I know the line – if you remember the sixties, you weren’t there. But I was there, and I remember it well. Or, at least, I… Read More Here There & Everywhere: “Civil Rights — Jazz Document 1963”
The International Review of Music 