News Muncher - category kevin whitehead

4 weeks ago

Remembering Roy Haynes, a jazz drummer known for his unfailing good taste

NPR

Remembering Roy Haynes, a jazz drummer known for his unfailing good taste Haynes, who died Nov. 12, was a heavy hitter, whose limber beat could lift the bandstand. WHITEHEAD: You can often spy syncopated Afro-Cuban beats in Roy Haynes' music as on a 1959 version of "Caravan" with pianist Phineas Newborn's trio. WHITEHEAD: By the 1990s, Roy Haynes was a …

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2 months, 4 weeks ago

Marking the centennial of jazz pianist Bud Powell

NPR

Marking the centennial of jazz pianist Bud Powell Born Sept. 27, 1924, Powell helped set the style for jazz piano after WWII. Jazz pianist Bud Powell was born Sept. 27, 1924. KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Bud Powell live at New York's Birdland, 1953. WHITEHEAD: Encouraged by fellow pianist, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell came up in the mid-1940s, a split second behind …

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1 year, 7 months ago

Remembering pianist and NEA Jazz Master Ahmad Jamal

NPR

Remembering pianist and NEA Jazz Master Ahmad Jamal Jamal was born in Pittsburgh, broke through with his small group music in Chicago in the 1950s, and recorded scores of records through 2016 — a 65-year recording career. KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Ahmad Jamal's first recording, "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top," Chicago, 1951. WHITEHEAD: In the late 1960s, Ahmad Jamal's …

Jazz Chicago Pittsburgh Fresh Air Npr Jamal Nea

1 year, 8 months ago

Walter Smith III sounds right at home on 'return to casual'

NPR

Walter Smith III sounds right at home on 'return to casual' Everything's in balance on the tenor saxophonist's new album: Smith's pliable expressive tone is neither too heavy nor too light as he exploits the tension between the composed and the improvised. KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Walter Smith III on "River Styx" from his album "Return To Casual," his first for …

Album Contra Host Npr Walter Kevin Whitehead Blue Note

1 year, 8 months ago

100 years ago today, Louis Armstrong wrapped his first recording session

NPR

100 years ago today, Louis Armstrong wrapped his first recording session The 21-year-old Armstrong, on cornet, was a protégé of New Orleans fellow cornetist and band leader King Joe Oliver. One hundred years ago today, Louis Armstrong wrapped up his first recording session. KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Louis Armstrong on cornet taking his first solo on record, King Oliver's "Chimes Blues," …

Jazz Recording Song New Orleans King Npr Louis

1 year, 9 months ago

Esperanza Spalding teams up with pianist Fred Hersch in this 'Vanguard' recording

NPR

Esperanza Spalding teams up with pianist Fred Hersch in this 'Vanguard' recording When Hersch invited jazz, pop and opera composer Spalding to perform three nights with him at the Village Vanguard, he thought she'd bring her bass. When pianist Fred Hersch invited jazz, pop and opera composer Esperanza Spalding to perform three nights with him at the Village Vanguard, he'd …

Jazz Play Song Way Russian Npr Fred

1 year, 9 months ago

Remembering Wayne Shorter, jazz saxophonist and visionary composer

NPR

Remembering Wayne Shorter, jazz saxophonist and visionary composer Shorter, who died March 2, was inspired by film and literature, as much as by sounds. GROSS: Jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter died on March 2 at age 89, more than 60 years since he began recording. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says Shorter was an inquisitive innovator inspired by film and …

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1 year, 10 months ago

Remembering Burt Bacharach, master of the melodic hook

NPR

Remembering Burt Bacharach, master of the melodic hook No '60s pop composer wrote more sophisticated songs than Bacharach, who died Feb. 8. Songs written by pop composer Burt Bacharach include "Walk On By," "Wishin' And Hopin'," "What The World Needs Now," "What's New, Pussycat?" KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Marty Robbins, 1957, with Burt Bacharach's first hit, an early collaboration with his …

Singing Song Songs Way Know David Npr

1 year, 10 months ago

Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis and Shirley Scott heat things up in their 'Cookbook' sessions

NPR

Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis and Shirley Scott heat things up in their 'Cookbook' sessions Tenor saxophonist Davis and organist Scott had one of the great jazz partnerships in the late 1950s. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says tenor saxophonist Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and organist Shirley Scott had one of the great jazz partnerships in the late 1950s. KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: "Heat 'N …

Jazz Davis Eddie Fresh Air Npr Shirley Tenor

1 year, 11 months ago

NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron shines playing solo on 'The Source'

NPR

NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron shines playing solo on 'The Source' Barron previously recorded most tunes on his album, a few more than once. Our jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says, though, that Kenny Barron really shines playing solo on his new album. KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Kenny Barron on the 1930 pop song "I'm Confessin'" with some old-timey stride rhythm in …

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4 years, 5 months ago

Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire Mixes The Playful And Solemn On A New Album

NPR

Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire Mixes The Playful And Solemn On A New Album The Bay Area trumpet player broke out in jazz over a decade ago. Our jazz critic Kevin Whitehead has a review of trumpet player Ambrose Akinmusire's new album with his longtime quartet. KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Ambrose Akinmusire's quartet from their new album poetically titled "On The Tender Spot …

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