News & Updates — jazz

A fine vibraphonist (and pianist) and a visionary producer, conductor and arranger, Charles Stepney was the psychedelic soul man over at Chess Records and their subsidiary Cadet Concept. Producer of classics by Ramsey Lewis, Minnie Ripperton, The Howlin' Wolf Album, Muddy Waters (Electric Mud), Terry Callier, Marlena Shaw, The Dells, The Emotions, Phil Upchurch and more, he was co-founder of Rotary Connection and Earth, Wind & Fire (although due to his contract with Chess could not always be listed in the credits). As a sideman he performed on many Chess songs, as well as played on albums by Eddie Harris,...

Hipster jazz vibraphonist Dave Pike has always been part of the rare groove & funky music landscape thanks to his classic tunes like the Indian-inspired "Mathar" and his great covers of "I Got The Feelin" and "Spooky" with The Dave Pike Set. Born on this date in 1938 in Detroit, he played drums before moving to amplified vibraphone and marimba. He came up playing bop and made his first recording with Paul Bley's group in '58. He cut a bunch of records as a leader that touched upon Latin jazz, bossa nova and Caribbean musics. He played in Herbie Mann's...

Tenor player Fred Anderson may have been an underknown saxophonist but there is no denying his amazing, flowing playing and his commitment to nurturing the local scene in Chicago. In fact, it was desire to stay home and run the Velvet Lounge that kept him from a larger international profile. Born in Louisiana, he came to Chicago in the '40s and worked doing carpet installation before opening nightclubs. In the '60's he was a founding member of the AACM and played on a couple of fantastic Joseph Jarman albums. Indeed, those fine albums are where I first heard him, especially...

The original soul sister Rosetta Tharpe was the first secular gospel recording star, a huge influence on rock & roll and an excellent electric guitarist. Whether in church or in a concert hall in front of a big band, she captivated everyone. As a child she barnstormed across the South with her mom and was called a "singing and guitar playing miracle". She cut her first records in '38 with Lucky Millander's orchestra, including "Rock Me". She appeared at the Spirituals To Swing concert that year and played with Cab Calloway's band as well. As bad as it was to...

The underrated composer & avant-jazz pioneer Lennie Tristano may not get as much respect as he deserves, but the guy helped bridge bop to free jazz in the late '40's(!). A gifted pianist, the young Tristano, totally blind by age 9, did his first "pro" gigs at 11, playing clarinet in a Chicago whorehouse. He played saxophone and piano in "rumba" bands in the early '40s and was a teacher to future professional collaborators Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh. He went to NYC in '46 and started hangin' and playin' with Bird. In '49 his group recorded the first free...