Kevin Whitehead
Kevin Whitehead is the jazz critic for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross.
Whitehead's articles on jazz and improvised music have appeared in such publications as Point of Departure, the Chicago Sun-Times, Village Voice, Down Beat, and the Dutch daily de Volkskrant.
He is the author of Play the Way You Feel: The Essential Guide to Jazz Stories on Film (2020), Why Jazz: A Concise Guide (2010), New Dutch Swing (1998), and (with photographer Ton Mijs) Instant Composers Pool Orchestra: You Have to See It (2011).
His essays have appeared in numerous anthologies including Da Capo Best Music Writing 2006, Discover Jazz and Traveling the Spaceways: Sun Ra, the Astro-Black and Other Solar Myths.
Whitehead has taught at Towson University, the University of Kansas and Goucher College. He lives near Baltimore.
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Mezzacappa's new sextet was inspired by stories from the late Italian writer. Cosmicomicsis alive with slippery music, light-touch humor and sounds that curve through time and space.
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Parker's breezy new album, which mixes live music with vintage synthesizers, draws on R&B, early hip-hop, droning electronica, jazz-funk, Afropop and flailing '60s-rock solos.
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Tyner, who died on March 6, placed thundering piano chords under fast, right-hand melodies. He led his own groups for decades, but was frequently associated with one early employer, John Coltrane.
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Though Pelt can certainly play uptempo with a lot of fire, he also loves to play ballads, including a batch of obscure ones. A new album showcases his more introspective side.
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Parker's breezy new album, which mixes live music with vintage synthesizers, draws on R&B, early hip-hop, droning electronica, jazz-funk, Afropop and flailing '60s-rock solos.
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In the early 1960s, saxophonists Davis and Griffin co-led a jumping two-tenor band. A live recording of their 1962 Seattle show is now available on Ow! Live at the Penthouse.
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Though their improvising gets rowdy at times, the Very Practical Trio players don't neglect the tune when they jam. Kevin Whitehead says the ensemble's new album has a nice give and take.
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Marcus gets a clean, unfettered sound from both his band and his instrument on his new album. Trio+is crisp, tight and varied — with more good melodies than we can dip into.
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The late jazz pianist spins out new and old melodies and cracks little musical jokes on a new series of reissues representing albums he recorded for various labels between '59 and '73.
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Early in his career, Cole formed a trio with guitarist Oscar Moore and bassist Wesley Prince. Hittin' the Ramp, a new 7-CD roundup, showcases the band that help catapult Cole to stardom.