Hank Shteamer
@darkforcesswing.bsky.social
📤 1096
📥 152
📝 86
writer, usually about music. Having a look around… contact:
[email protected]
hankshteamer.com
pinned post!
PSA: If you're contacted by anyone on any social media claiming to be me, & promising coverage in exchange for $, this is (obviously!) a scam. Pls report, block, etc. Latest fraudulent account — actively trying to get it deactivated but could take a while
www.tiktok.com/@hank_shteamer
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Hank Shteamer's Creator Profile
https://www.tiktok.com/@hank_shteamer
7 months ago
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In 2008, I got to sit down w/ Walter Becker to discuss his then-new solo album, a bunch of Steely Dan odds and ends, and a lot more for Time Out NY. Big thanks to the venerable Expanding Dan Substack for posting the full audio of the chat:
expandingdan.substack.com/p/walter-bec...
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Walter Becker lets the mask slip
"There is a level of perfection that Donald wants to hear in his music that I ran out of patience to do," Becker says in a candid, never-before-heard interview from 2008.
https://expandingdan.substack.com/p/walter-becker-interview-circus-money-2008
7 days ago
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Ralph Towner and Sunn O))) are polar guitar opposites: the respective epitomes of acoustic intimacy and amplified sonic weight. But where it counts, maybe they’re some strange sort of kindred.
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/ralph-town...
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Ralph Towner and Sunn O))): Kindred extremes
Acoustic intimacy and amplified sonic weight — superficially opposing but spiritually aligned visions of guitar-as-higher-purpose
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/ralph-towner-and-sunn-o-kindred-extremes
23 days ago
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Had a great time talking with the Sunn O))) guys (and friends) about Seattle lore, recording in the forest and stacking up 180 tracks of guitars:
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/a...
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130 Tracks of Guitar Per Song? Sunn O))) Is Back, and Going Big.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/arts/music/sunn-o-new-album-sub-pop.html?unlocked_article_code=1.EFA.s7XZ.Uw0Ej2M3n_2t&smid=url-share
28 days ago
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I saw more than 100 live shows this year. Here's a rundown of the 25 most memorable ones:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-20...
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Best of 2025: 25 greatest gigs
The live music that made my year
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-2025-25-greatest-gigs
about 1 month ago
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A few words on my favorite reissues and historical releases of the year:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-20...
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Best of 2025: New old music
Reissues and historical titles ranging from adventurous jazz to progressive punk
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-2025-new-old-music
about 1 month ago
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Here are my 10 favorite albums of 2025, with a few words on why that's the case:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-20...
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Best of 2025: Overall top 10
The new releases that defined my year in listening
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-2025-overall-top-10
about 2 months ago
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Extended 2025 jazz list, with 25 additional favorites from the year beyond the top 10:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-20...
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Best of 2025: Jazz (on record)
The annual top 10 list, plus a bunch more I dug
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-2025-jazz-on-record
2 months ago
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Co-sign! One of my fave reads of the year
add a skeleton here at some point
2 months ago
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Such a cool and inspiring story
add a skeleton here at some point
2 months ago
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2025 jazz top 10:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/a...
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Best Jazz Albums of 2025
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/arts/music/best-jazz-albums.html?unlocked_article_code=1.6U8.Q5CG.tE0eJeP3lS0s&smid=url-share
2 months ago
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Jabali at 85. Two more sets at Smoke tonight with
@ethaniversonpiano.bsky.social
, Mark Turner, Ben Street
2 months ago
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New interview with the Messthetics on the humbling and inspiring experience of covering Sonny Sharrock's 'Ask the Ages' in full, which they'll do again on Friday in D.C., along with James Brandon Lewis:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/like-tryin...
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'Like Trying to Get to Saturn': The Messthetics on Covering Sonny Sharrock's 'Ask the Ages'
Ahead of a full-album cover show with frequent collaborator James Brandon Lewis, the genre-blending trio discusses adapting and inhabiting the 1991 avant-jazz classic
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/like-trying-to-get-to-saturn-the
3 months ago
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This week's drum-centric newsletter, in which I make the case for why Tyshawn Sorey's phenomenal trio (at the Vanguard this week!) are the best band in jazz, and delve into the genius of
@jimwhitedrums.bsky.social
, who plays TV Eye on Monday:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/gig-of-the...
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Gig of the Week: 11/17/25
Two spellcasting drummers are playing in town within the coming days, and you should really go see both
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/gig-of-the-week-111725
3 months ago
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open.substack.com/pub/darkforc...
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Gig of the Week: 11/10/25
A tribute to a late death-metal pioneer, a great new drum-centric rock book, the welcome return of Ink & Dagger and more
https://open.substack.com/pub/darkforcesswing/p/gig-of-the-week-111025?r=1m5tqo&utm_medium=ios
3 months ago
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Thirty years ago, I read an album review, published in a DIY fanzine, that changed the course of my life. In recent days, I got to hold it in my hands - and thank the people who brought it into the world
open.substack.com/pub/darkforc...
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'Infected by the Gods': A Zine Called 'FeH' and the Contagious Enthusiasm of Music Writing
Thirty years ago, I read an album review that changed the course of my life. In recent days, I got to hold it in my hands — and thank the people who brought it into the world
https://open.substack.com/pub/darkforcesswing/p/infected-by-the-gods-a-zine-called?r=1m5tqo&utm_medium=ios
3 months ago
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Gig of the Week, 11/3/25:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/gig-of-the...
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Gig of the Week: 11/3/25
An avant-rock power trio comes to town, the musical community mourns a giant, and more
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/gig-of-the-week-11325
3 months ago
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A bit more on the infinity of Jack DeJohnette:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/the-infini...
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The Infinity of Jack DeJohnette
The drums are almost beside the point: It was his absolute presence in every musical situation, across a half-century, that made him one of the creative giants of our time
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/the-infinity-of-jack-dejohnette
4 months ago
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Jack DeJohnette's art will live forever:
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/a...
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Jack DeJohnette, Revered Jazz Drummer, Dies at 83
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/arts/music/jack-dejohnette-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.wk8.iRAk.lxKeYnKOdUmV&smid=url-share
4 months ago
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Every Thursday on Substack, I highlight one NYC gig for the coming week that I'm excited about, recap one from the prior week I loved and recommend dozens of other upcoming shows. It would mean a lot to me if you check it out and, if you like what you see, subscribe:
darkforcesswing.substack.com
4 months ago
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Gig of the Week post for 9/8/25 - recommend shows plus recent happenings including a new piece on Wayne Shorter's public archives:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/gig-of-the...
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Gig of the Week: 9/8/25
A peek inside the Wayne Shorter archives, appearances from two long-running avant-institutions, Andrew Cyrille on the web and more
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/gig-of-the-week-9825
5 months ago
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DFSBP Gig of the Week (Joe Farnsworth live, RIP Brent Hinds and more)
open.substack.com/pub/darkforc...
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Gig of the Week: 9/1/25
Goodbye, Brent Hinds; Neil on the Beach; Joe Farnsworth at Smoke; and more
https://open.substack.com/pub/darkforcesswing/p/gig-of-the-week-9125?r=1m5tqo&utm_medium=ios
6 months ago
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On the upcoming return of progressive post-hardcore masters Dazzling Killmen, and why the band has kept me fascinated for 30 years and counting:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/beauty-in-...
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Beauty in Ruin: Why the Dazzling Killmen Reunion Matters
On the return of the band behind 'Face of Collapse,' maybe the most fearsome and advanced post-hardcore record of them all
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/beauty-in-ruin-why-the-dazzling-killmen?utm_source=activity_item
6 months ago
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Many of my most enjoyable NYC live-music experiences in the past few years have one factor in common: Joe Farnsworth -- some thoughts and a new NYT profile:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/joe-farnsw...
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Joe Farnsworth, disciple of swing
A new profile of the indispensable NYC jazz drummer is out now
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/joe-farnsworth-disciple-of-swing
7 months ago
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Quick PSA: No new music released in the past ~15 years has hit me harder emotionally than the output of Patrick Walker, the U.K. singer-songwriter who records under the name 40 Watt Sun. He’s playing a rare NYC solo show at the Meadows on Sat., July 12th, and there are still tix available. (1/2)
7 months ago
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PSA: If you're contacted by anyone on any social media claiming to be me, & promising coverage in exchange for $, this is (obviously!) a scam. Pls report, block, etc. Latest fraudulent account — actively trying to get it deactivated but could take a while
www.tiktok.com/@hank_shteamer
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Hank Shteamer's Creator Profile
https://www.tiktok.com/@hank_shteamer
7 months ago
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I’ll be thinking about the final Ozzy/Sabbath show for a long while, but here’s some of what’s on my mind one day later, after streaming it from start to finish:
open.substack.com/pub/darkforc...
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Ozzy and Black Sabbath's Farewell Show: 10 Thoughts Across 10 Hours
Observations on a historic day for heavy metal
https://open.substack.com/pub/darkforcesswing/p/ozzy-and-black-sabbaths-farewell?r=1m5tqo&utm_medium=ios
7 months ago
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I’ve been a fan of Brandee Younger for a while, so it was an honor to profile her ahead of her new album - which I absolutely love - out Friday:
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/a...
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Brandee Younger Has a New Secret Weapon: Alice Coltrane’s Harp (Gift Article)
The harpist, composer and bandleader plays it on her latest album, “Gadabout Season,” a persuasive argument for the vast potential of her instrument.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/arts/music/brandee-younger-gadabout-season.html?unlocked_article_code=1.OE8.vjFp.t2ZvPfk8LPeP&smid=url-share
8 months ago
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Peter Evans’s Being & Becoming //
@roulettenyc.bsky.social
// Long Play Festival // May 2 Fantastic set. Dense, heady and at times (like here!) extremely hard-grooving. Joel Ross, Nick Joz, Tyshawn Sorey
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9 months ago
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Some thoughts on the intergenerational refuge of so-called screamo -- a.k.a., how did all these kids end up at the Saetia show?
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/saetia-is-...
9 months ago
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I doubt there’s another writer alive who would think to compare Otis Redding and Keiji Haino. Just one among dozens of reasons why a new Ben Ratliff book is always a gift. ‘Run the Song’ is Ratliff at his most undiluted. Rambling by design (befitting its theme), it’s also startlingly lucid.
10 months ago
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A marvelous experience to finally behold one of my greatest drumming heroes live. Absolute poetry; the sound and feel add up to an unmistakable fingerprint. (Damon Che / Yesness / Mercury Lounge, NYC / April 25, 2025)
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10 months ago
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Excited to see my name among the 2025 contenders for the Jazz Journalists Association's Robert Palmer–Helen Oakley Dance Award:
jjajazzawards.org/2025-nominee...
. Many of the greatest in the field have won or been nominated in the past, and it's a real honor to be in the running
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2025 Nominees for Journalism & Media
2025 Photo of the Year nomineesThese are the finalist
https://jjajazzawards.org/2025-nominees-for-journalism-media/
10 months ago
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One for Jabali, ahead of his great new ECM album, out tmrw
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/a...
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Billy Hart Has One Foot in Jazz’s Past and the Other in Its Future
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/arts/music/billy-hart-jazz-drummer-just.html?unlocked_article_code=1.0E4.lAj5.jwMYMGGL9xSt&smid=url-share
12 months ago
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Really enjoyed this one. Captures the chronology and important background context but also, crucially, the spirit of the subject. Made me feel the enormity of his loss all over again and sent me back to the music (lately: ‘Song Sentimentale’) with a fresh appreciation of his singular greatness
12 months ago
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One of the best things I've ever read not just on Garth but on the Band, period. Look forward to multiple re-reads. Music writing of this caliber really gives me hope. (Thanks to
@jonbern.bsky.social
for the heads-up.)
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 year ago
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My 10 favorite albums of 2024, all genres in play:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-20...
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Best of 2024: Overall top 10
The best of the best, from where I'm sitting
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-2024-overall-top-10
about 1 year ago
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A rundown of my favorite heavy albums (metal, punk, rock, etc.) of 2024:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-20...
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Best of 2024: The heavy stuff
Metal, punk, rock and more
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-2024-the-heavy-stuff
about 1 year ago
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Part 1 of the customary DFSBP year-end round-up is live on Substack: an expanded version of my 2024 jazz top 10, including 20 more ranked titles plus a bunch of others recommended in the text:
darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-20...
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Best of 2024: jazz
Top 10, plus 20 (plus)
https://darkforcesswing.substack.com/p/best-of-2024-jazz
about 1 year ago
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Look forward to talking through the year in jazz w/ Nate and Lauren tmrw evening! Dec. 17, 6:30 p.m. Eastern, viewing info below.
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 year ago
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Had a blast surveying the '90s Chicago underground — from the Vandermark 5 to U.S. Maple, 8 Bold Souls, Shellac and, of course, the Chicago Underground outfit itself... — for Shfl:
theshfl.com/guide/The-90...
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The ’90s Chicago Underground
Read Hank Shteamer on The ’90s Chicago Underground
https://theshfl.com/guide/The-90s-Chicago-Underground
about 1 year ago
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An immense honor to speak to Sonny Rollins for this new interactive feature on “Harlem 1958,” a.k.a. “A Great Day in Harlem”:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
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58 Jazz Musicians Were Photographed for ‘Harlem 1958.' Only One Remains.
Art Kane’s “Harlem 1958” gathered giants of the music. Sonny Rollins, 94, looks back at the historic picture.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/09/arts/music/harlem-jazz-sonny-rollins.html
about 1 year ago
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What a career... One of the greatest to ever do it. Check out Nicko announcing his presence here —first track on his first Maiden album — with maximum flair:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOGM...
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 year ago
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10 2024 jazz picks from among dozens of worthy titles. As usual, will survey some of the others in another forum before EOY, but for now, these all really spoke to me:
www.nytimes.com/2024/12/04/a...
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Best Jazz Albums of 2024
Musicians both established and up-and-coming stretched themselves in fresh ways over the last year, creating poignant moments of collaboration and challenge.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/04/arts/music/best-jazz-albums.html
about 1 year ago
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The coolest year-end lists are the most niche/personal, IMO. Few fit that bill more than the annual Machine Music round-up! Always something to discover here
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 year ago
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Pardon the poor sightline but the sublime sounds — from Public Records last night —ought to suffice. Jeff Parker and his ETA IVtet (Josh Johnson, Anna Butterss, Jay Bellerose) have cultivated something patient and immersive, like a sound bath that grooves.
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about 1 year ago
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Some very fine Cecil offerings here. Been a while since I’ve spun ‘Live in Bologna,’ and I’d forgotten how beautifully Leroy Jenkins blends into the CT sound world. Ward, Parker and Barker all offering something special as well. Grab ‘em!
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 year ago
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RIP to King Crimson's Pete Sinfield: one of rock's great lyricists & behind-the-scenes visionaries. It was enlightening to talk to him a few years back about writing "Schizoid Man," designing that mythical light show and coming up with the coolest band name ever
www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...
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King Crimson's '21st Century Schizoid Man': Inside Prog's Big Bang
Original King Crimson members look back on writing "21st Century Schizoid Man," and contemporaries describe the song's fearsome impact.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/king-crimson-interview-writing-21st-century-schizoid-man-891600/
about 1 year ago
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The Band - Brown Album Booker Little - Out Front craw - Lost Nation Road Paul Simon - Parka Album Sonny Sharrock - Guitar
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 year ago
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Roy! Few drummers — or musicians, period — have ever sounded more energized by and engrossed in the conversational flow at the heart of jazz. A rush of fresh ideas in every performance. The apex of alertness, stylishness and flair
www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
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Chick Corea - Matrix
YouTube video by barkofink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=nKuQ6gwbPqk
about 1 year ago
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Ben Ratliff with another exemplary tribute to the genius Roy Haynes
www.npr.org/2024/11/12/7...
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Roy Haynes, pioneering modern jazz drummer, has died at 99
Haynes influenced generations of drummers and helped change the direction of jazz improvisation.
https://www.npr.org/2024/11/12/764793546/roy-haynes-dead-at-99
about 1 year ago
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