Thelonious Monk was an artist regarded by many as something of an outsider during his lifetime, but he was a man whose bold musical birthright now remains undeniable. Brian Priestley speaks with Thelonious’ son, drummer and bandleader T.S. Monk, to chart the legend’s legacy and uncover the roots of his masterful musical innovations
Retirement? What retirement? It seems the rumours of John McLaughlin hanging up his axe have been greatly exaggerated. The guitarist speaks to Stuart Nicholson about how this latest Indo-jazz quest extends the vision he first explored with Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti in new uplifting ways
Alyn Shipton catches up with the South African star to discuss musical roots, life lessons and the memorable time he stepped in for Duke Ellington
Ahead of its time and widely admired when it first came out, the music for 1950s film A Streetcar Named Desire captures beautifully the essence of the steamy ambience of New Orleans, says Selwyn Harris
Adept at straddling any genre, Larry Young was part of Miles’ Bitches Brew sessions, Tony Williams’ Lifetime and even some one-off sessions with Jimi Hendrix. This is Kevin Le Gendre’s personal guide to the best Larry Young albums
Such was John Coltrane's desire to play the unplayable he would at times take the sax from his mouth and begin to chant and sing over the band. Stuart Nicholson looks at events in both Trane’s life, and society at large, which ultimately helped shape a seething soundtrack to this most turbulent of times
Bassist Miroslav Vitous talks about the album that changed his life, 'Sunday at the Village Vanguard' by the Bill Evans Trio
Brian Priestley unravels the magic of Miles Davis’ solo on Rodgers and Hart’s classic love ballad, nailing the song’s sentiments in five searing minutes of music
Albert Ayler's free jazz recordings still have the power to shock and awe those who confront it for the first time today. Here are 10 of his greatest moments on record...
Charlie Parker may have died aged just 34 on on 12 March 1955, but his totemic musical language of ‘bebop’ has remained a foundational element of the vernacular of jazz
