Miscellanea

Our nation’s capital has played an integral role in the development of jazz going back all the way to James Reese Europe.

The early career of Duke Ellington, the introduction of bossa nova to the United States, and the recognition of jazz as a national treasure all happened in Washington.

Whitney Balliett
(April 17, 1926-February 1, 2007)

The Sound Of Surprise (1959)
Part One: 1954-1956

• Pandemonium Pays Off (Norman Granz)
• Artistry In Limbo (Stan Kenton)
• The Bibulous Aunt (jazz writing)

Part Two: 1957

• Progress and Prudence (Cecil Taylor)
• The Duke At Play (Duke Ellington, Johnny Richards)
• Pastoral (Jimmy Giuffre)
• Hot (Roy Eldridge, Jimmy Rushing)
• Avaunt (Teddy Charles)
• Colossus
• Djinni (Art Tatum, George Russell, Dave Brubeck)
• Mammoth (Newport Jazz Festival 1957)
• The M.J.Q.

Pianist Keith Jarrett is now well-known over the world as a musician of supreme talent and creativity. Back in 1966 he was playing in drummer Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (alongside trumpeter Chuck Mangione, incidentally) and was just being recognized as a force to be reckoned with in straight-ahead jazz, although he was playing “inside” the piano (on the strings), even at that time.

by Michael Fitzgerald
March 1996-July 22, 1998 [NO LONGER BEING UPDATED]

James Carter biographical sketch

James Carter was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. His musical education consisted of private studies with local bop scene veteran Donald Washington as well as tenures at the prestigious Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.