The exquisite jazz violin of Stephane Grappelli - then and later [more inside]
posted by Trurl on Jan 19, 2012 - 15 comments

A decade on, the Coen brothers' woefully underrated O Brother, Where Art Thou? [alt] is remembered for a lot of things: its sun-drenched, sepia-rich cinematography (a pioneer of digital color grading), its whimsical humor, fluid vernacular, and many subtle references to Homer's Odyssey. But one part of its legacy truly stands out: the music. Assembled by T-Bone Burnett, the soundtrack is a cornucopia of American folk music, exhibiting everything from cheery ballads and angelic hymns to wistful blues and chain-gang anthems. Woven into the plot of the film through radio and live performances, the songs lent the story a heartfelt, homespun feel that echoed its cultural heritage, a paean and uchronia of the Old South. Though the multiplatinum album was recently reissued, the movie's medley is best heard via famed documentarian D. A. Pennebaker's Down from the Mountain, an extraordinary yet intimate concert film focused on a night of live music by the soundtrack's stars (among them Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, Chris Thomas King, bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley) and wryly hosted by John Hartford, an accomplished fiddler, riverboat captain, and raconteur whose struggle with terminal cancer made this his last major performance. The film is free in its entirety on Hulu and YouTube -- click inside for individual clips, song links, and breakdowns of the set list's fascinating history. [more inside]
posted by Rhaomi on Dec 22, 2011 - 107 comments

Using his "file card" technique to create the title piece "Spillane" (whereby musical ideas written on note cards form the basis for discreet sound blocks arranged by way of a unifying theme), John Zorn forges an impressionistic narrative out of stretches of live-music jazz, blues, country, lounge, thrash, etc., and a variety of samples and spoken dialogue inspired by Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer detective novels (recited by John Lurie). - AllMusic [more inside]
posted by Trurl on Dec 2, 2011 - 7 comments

On July 26, 1965, at the Antibes Jazz Festival, the John Coltrane Quartet made its only public performance of A Love Supreme. (previously) [more inside]
posted by Trurl on Nov 29, 2011 - 19 comments

"Ornette in '59" - a BBC documentary segment about Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come. [more inside]
posted by Trurl on Nov 5, 2011 - 17 comments

SLYT The Brandt, Braur, Frick ensemble and Emika performing her song "Pretend". [more inside]
posted by titus-g on Aug 30, 2011 - 10 comments

MILES BEYOND: the web's premier resource on the influential and inspirational electric music Miles Davis played from 1967 to 1991 [more inside]
posted by Trurl on Jun 20, 2011 - 20 comments

This is the story of one of the great lost experimental jazz/rock albums. But is it only a story?
posted by Trurl on May 29, 2011 - 16 comments

Nina Simone at Montreux 1976 - How It Feels To Be Free
posted by Blazecock Pileon on Feb 21, 2011 - 25 comments

Wynton Marsalis waxes poetic (and music) at the Kennedy Center about art, freedom, jazz, the minstrel shows of yesterday and today, Walt Whitman, American history, the similarities between the Battle Hymn of the Republic and the Mickey Mouse Club March, rock and roll, and how it all ties together. [more inside]
posted by Ndwright on Apr 13, 2009 - 30 comments

The Sun Ra Quilt of Joy
posted by Joe Beese on Mar 7, 2009 - 28 comments

The Guardian has compiled a list of their top fifty arts videos, the majority being from either rare or obscure sources and uploaded onto YouTube.
posted by djgh on Aug 30, 2008 - 13 comments

Disney doesn't have a stranglehold on jazz and animation. Michal Levy has, using geometric shapes, created animation to John Coltrane's Giant Steps. [more inside]
posted by ashbury on Nov 10, 2007 - 22 comments

George Melly, singer, writer, and expert on Surrealism, has passed away aged 80.
posted by motty on Jul 5, 2007 - 18 comments

I talk to my haircut. The Rev. Dr. Fred Lane was a dada jazzbo as part of the Raudelunas scene in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in the 70s and 80s. His real name is T. R. Reed, and he's a creator of wonderful whirligigs. There's also a documentary in the works (careful of your eyes on that page).
posted by sleepy pete on Mar 27, 2007 - 13 comments

Abdul Mati Klarwein is the the thoughtful guy who painted the wonderous gatefold sleeves of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew, and Santana's Santana's Abraxas. It's all the more inspiring to be listening to either musician's music of the period while viewing. Just don't stare too long. [ last two YouTube]
posted by eegphalanges on Aug 12, 2006 - 12 comments

David Stone Martin (Coralized link) is not very well known, but you've most likely seen his work on featured on various jazz records. Be sure to view all three pages of some amazing album covers. (The original site is on Geocities, please be gentle)
posted by riffola on Dec 9, 2005 - 12 comments

The Language of Saxophones At 55, L.A. musician and poet Kamau Daáood is finally beginning to acknowledge the possibility of his own place in local letters with his debut book of poetry, The Language of Saxophones, a 30-plus-year retrospective published by City Lights. Though he’s recorded a solo CD and read nationally and internationally, Daáood had never seen fit to collect his material in a book. Until now. “I never liked the idea of poetry sitting on a shelf somewhere, lost in all those book spines”.
posted by matteo on Apr 17, 2005 - 2 comments

Short movies of live performances by some avant-garde musicians, including Derek Bailey, Skeleton Crew, and The ROVA Sax Quartet. Last three links WMV
posted by kenko on Dec 11, 2004 - 8 comments

mysterio sympatico is the latest collaboration between jazz guitarist bill frisell and cartoonist jim woodring, who designed a few covers for frisell's records. in honor of flash friday, whimgrinder is online for your amusement (though sadly without frisell's score). what are some animation/music combos you'd like to see?
posted by pxe2000 on Jun 13, 2002 - 6 comments