Miles Davis

So what does Kind of Blue sound like to an admitted jazz novice?

A lifetime of music fandom and a voracious appetite for new things has given me a wide-ranging (if sometimes shallow) knowledge of musical styles, forms and history. Despite that, there are holes. Big holes. And some of those holes are, well, embarrassing. I've decided the time has come to fill thos ... More >>

Paer

Paer
Self-released

Homebrew

Fourth and Long
MojoHand Records

Ron Carter on the evolution of jazz bass and how "guys are writing more difficult parts" these days

Ron Carter has been on over 2,500 albums and secured a spot as one of the world's finest bassists in the history of jazz. Doing much more than merely helping anchor the rhythm, Carter is a quite the melodic master. In his five-decade-long career, he's played with countless jazz legends, including a ... More >>

Ten essential jazz albums if you know squat about jazz but want to become more versed

About two decades ago, I heard Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, and it floored me. It's the best selling jazz of all time, and if there's one album that truly started an obsession with jazz, it was that one. As a kid, I'd gotten to see cats like Red Rodney, Zoot Sims and Slide Hampton at Dick Gibson's j ... More >>

SHIRLEY

From a Bright Clearing
Dazzle Recordings

Don Cheadle has studio offer for Miles Davis film

​Long in development, the Miles Davis feature film that Don Cheadle plans to star in and direct has a studio offer, the actor said in interview with the Wall Street Journal that was published today. Cheadle, who graduated from East High School, says in the interview that "the movie isn't a bio ... More >>

Guitar guru John McLaughlin's spiritual path has been a long one

American Tomahawk, Chromeo, Black Milk fill our playlists this week

​As people who think about, talk about, listen to and make music, the most common question we encounter is, "What are you listening to right now?" So whether you're looking for recommendations, trying to get a feel for our individual sensibilities, or are just curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Party in Five Points

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of October 19, 2009

​As music critics, the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation, our latest feature. For the benefit of those who happen to be curious, we've compiled a list of ... More >>

Heavy Rotation, our top spins for the week of October 5, 2009

​​As music critics, the most common question we get asked (and ask each other, for that matter) is, "What are you listening to?" The pervasiveness of this query is precisely what inspired Heavy Rotation, our latest feature. For the benefit of those who happen to be curious, we've compiled a list ... More >>

Today's featured event: Local art gladiators go canvas to canvas at RedLine Gallery

It won't be masked lucha libre dudes or extreme fighters duking it out before the public tonight at RedLine Gallery. Nope, instead imagine four local artists brushing away, live and simultaneously, for three solid hours, with a cool, funky barrage of Miles Davis tunes swirling in their heads for i ... More >>

Five Peace Band is miles from where Chick Corea and John McLaughlin began

Mini Reviews

Mike Stern

Saturday, October 4, Boulder Theater, Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Return to Forever

Chick Corea’s breakthrough act is back after nearly three decades.

Return to Forever

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Q&A: David Murphy of Sound Tribe Sector 9

Bad Plus...Plus

Bad Plus...Plus

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Born Again

Westword Music Showcase 2006

Be there or be square!

The Sputter

Great Unseen (Bocumast Records)

Listen Up

Fast reviews of recent releases

Overseas MP3s

For just pennies a tune, you can build a primo music library and support free enterprise in Russia.

The Flaming Lips

Late Night Tales (Azuli Records)

Fantômas

Friday, April 22, Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 303-297-1772.

Best Place to Get Your Jam On

Dulcinea's 100th Monkey

Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette

The Out-of-Towners (ECM) Land of the Sun (Verve)

Critic's Choice

Dirty Dozen Brass Band

The Evolutionary

Charting the territory explored by John McLaughlin's guitar.

Just Imagine

Experimental theater tests playwrights' skills

The Brad Upton Quartet

Dragon (Black Orchid)

Discmania

Backbeat writers revisit their favorite albums of the year.

The Musings of Miles

Almost ten years after his death, jazz fans remain fascinated by the man who gave birth to cool.

Red Snapper

Our Aim Is to Satisfy Red Snapper (Matador/Warp)

Bass Instincts

Dave Holland's jazz cuts to the heart of the matter.

Stop Making Sense

DJ Logic experiments with hip-hop, rock and all that jazz.

Night & Day

May 13-19, 1999

Playlist

Night & Day

February 25 - March 3, 1999

The World According to Herbie

Six new releases paint an intriguing picture of jazz chameleon Herbie Hancock.

The Prize Patrol

The biggest musical winners from 1996.

The Odd Couple

A new boxed set paints Miles Davis and Gil Evans in black and white.

THE GOODS

THERE WEREN'T THOUSANDS OF FIRST-RATE RECORDS RELEASED IN 1995. BUT THERE WERE NINETY.

CRITIC'S CHOICE

DIRTY WORK