Miles Davis didn't provide sheet music for his musicians during the recording of his iconic album "Kind of Blue." He said that "I didn't write out the music for 'Kind of Blue.' But brought in sketches 'cause I wanted a lot of spontaneity in the ...
Woody Guthrie was born on July 14th, 1912 in Okemah, Oklahoma. He had a voice like a long distance train heard miles away. His songs have become the folk song standards of America. Among them: "Pretty Boy Floyd," "Pastures of Plenty," "Hard Travelin'," "Deportees," "Roll ...
In 1980, Cab Calloway was (re)discovered by a new generation, in a filmed tribute to black music, The Blues Brothers. Long-term jazz fans, young initiates or blossoming rappers would be filled with the spirit of the last living jazz legend.
Calloway was also an ambassador for his race, leading one of the most popular African American big bands during the Harlem Renaissance and jazz and swing eras of the 1930s-40s. American Masters celebrates "The Hi De Ho Man's" legacy during Black History Month with the ...
Read an interview with the filmmakers of American Masters Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould about the process making the film, editing a documentary, and interviewing people with passionate stories to tell about the iconic musician.
A profoundly enigmatic musical poet, there have been many documentaries about Glenn Gould, but they were typically sidetracked, focusing on the pills and fashions - missing the man, the magic and the message of music. American Masters pierces through the misconceptions in Genius Within: The ...
Read an essay by John Santos, Historian/Percussionist, on the life and formidable legacy of Cuban musician, Israel ‘Cachao’ López, and his unforgettable contributions to jazz.