From the outset, jazz has been a music uniquely focused on improvisation. However, jazz composition has played a fundamental role in the development of the music throughout its history. Following on last month’s installment on jazz composition, here are a few recommendations that illuminate some of the finest composers of jazz and American music. Looking beyond the...

Since its inception, jazz has been celebrated as a platform for personal creativity and expression. For musicians and listeners alike, this is chiefly apparent in the music’s focus on improvisation – the opportunity for artists to develop their own melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic inventions in real time is what draws many to jazz in the first...

The first day of 2023 brought with it not only the start of a new year, but also marked the centenary of a pioneering figure in jazz, Milt Jackson. Born on New Year’s Day in 1923, Milt Jackson was among the first jazz players to embrace the vibraphone as a solo instrument. Following Swing-era trailblazers Lionel...

One of today’s most treasured holiday traditions is The Nutcracker ballet.  Whether you see it performed each year or you simply enjoy listening to the ballet’s classic themes, Tchaikovsky’s music perennially creates the backdrop for the holiday season.  However, this was not always the case. While the ballet first premiered in December of 1892, it...