I hadn’t thought of doing one of those retrospectives looking back at artists who left us in 2009. There have been times in the past couple of years when I’ve felt the Echoes Blog was becoming the Death Blog. But a list on Planet Origo got me to thinking that before 2009 is completely in…
Tag: Obituary
Reviews & Commentary
Jazz In the Space Age: George Russell Leaves Orbit
Composer George Russell traveled the spaceways and now he’s on the last trip. You may not have known him, but if you listen to music in general, jazz in particular and maybe even Echoes, you heard his influence. George Russell guided trumpeter Don Cherry, guitarist Terje Rypdal, saxophonist Jan Garbarek and many more into new…
Reviews & Commentary
Ali Akbar Khan Plucks His Last String
Echoes remembers Ali Akbar Khan (April 14,1922-June 19, 2009) Ali Akbar Khan is one of the only Indian musicians whose name is spoken in the same breathe as Ravi Shankar. He plays the Indian stringed instrument called the sarod and since his American debut in 1955 playing duets with classical violinist Yehudi Menuhin, he’s been…
Reviews & Commentary
Charlie Mariano-From Bop to Fusion to India to Gone
Saxophonist Charlie Mariano passed at 86 on June 16, 2009 Charlie Mariano was a second tier bop saxophonist with a biting, post-Charlie Parker sound who later showed the influence of John Coltrane and became enthralled with eastern music. In addition to his saxophones, he started playing an obscure, oboe-like instrument from India called the nagaswarum. …