Saxophonist and composer Sam Rivers is remembered for his brilliant work as a leader and sideman, for the loft studio and performance space he operated in the 1970s, but above all, Rivers is remembered for “Beatrice,” a deeply felt ballad inspired by his wife. First recorded on his visionary debut as a leader, 1964’s Fuchsia Swing Song, “Beatrice” bridges the gap between hard bop and free jazz, with a... read more

The history of Blue Note Records — jazz’s preeminent record label, and one of the most storied imprints in all of music — is defined by a seamless blend of tradition and innovation. From the advent of hard bop to the label’s knack for elevating the greatest young talent in jazz, the Blue Note story has unfolded over the past 85 years with equal regard for jazz’s past and its future. Out Of/Into, the... read more

By Evan Haga Little Big III is the second album that pianist Aaron Parks has released on Blue Note as a bandleader, following 2008’s Invisible Cinema, a powerfully modern, post-genre concept for improvised music in the 21st century. Which makes it a homecoming of sorts. And like any important homecoming, it gathers its meaning by placing the profound changes that life brings against a backdrop of... read more

By Marcus J. Moore You don’t appreciate growing up until you look in the mirror and notice something’s different. Though maturing in itself is the act of physical and hormonal evolution, it’s not until you’re in a foreign city, eating something an elder used to cook to see how it compares, that you long for yesteryear. You start to miss that rickety screen door and the couch that no one could sit on. You... read more

By John Murph Saxophonist Walter Smith III pays homage to his hometown of Houston, Texas on his sophomore Blue Note album, three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not. The album’s wry title signifies the lineup, which includes fellow Houston natives – pianist Jason Moran and drummer Eric Harland – while bassist Reuben Rogers, who hails from the Virgin Islands, rounds out the quartet. Together they... read more