Giovanni Russonello
Posts
5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Big Band Jazz
Big bands were built in the 1920s and ’30s to blast young dancers with layers of rhythm, but creative composers seeking a larger canvas have...
Toumani Diabaté, Malian Master of the Kora, Is Dead at 58
He believed that music could transcend national borders set by colonialism and restore ancient ties, even as it embraced the changes of a globalizing society.
Jean-Philippe Allard, Jazz Producer and Musicians’ Advocate, Dies at 67
He called himself a “professional listener,” and he tended to develop lifelong relationships with the artists he worked with.
5 Minutes That Will Make You Love South African Jazz
The country has a rich, original relationship to jazz, with American techniques layered into regional traditions and rhythms. Explore 50 years of recordings picked by...
Michael Cuscuna, Who Unearthed Hidden Jazz Gems, Dies at 75
Possibly the most prolific archival record producer in history, he was a founder of the Mosaic label, which became the gold standard of jazz reissues.
5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Shirley Horn
The pianist and vocalist was at once magnetically powerful and laid-back, glamorous and understated. A mix of musicians, writers and radio personalities share their favorites.
5 Minutes That Will Make You Love John Coltrane
Coltrane changed the game in American music a few times over. Here’s a guided tour to his career, courtesy of 15 musicians, scholars, poets, writers...
Winter Jazzfest Has Company: Unity Jazz Festival
The decision to place another festival right on top of Jazzfest highlighted how much has been flipped upside-down in jazz over the past 20 years.
Best Jazz Albums of 2023
The year’s most thrilling albums were made by artists pushing beyond borders, teaming with new collaborators and making bold statements of their own.
5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Jazz Flute
The flute is one of the more overlooked instruments in jazz, but it’s been making an impact on improvised music for more than 50 years....