#nowplaying 'Big Brass' by trumpeter Benny Bailey who passed this day in 2005. One of Bailey's early sessions, a lovely swinging, relaxed album. #jazzsky #musicsky

#nowplaying Soul jazz classic 'Brother Jug!' by Gene Ammons, which features 'Jungle Strut' covered by Santana on the 1971 album Santana III. #jazzsky #musicsky #vinylcommunity www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2gk...

“Dudes are trying new directions, and I dig it, but the avant-garde wouldn’t fit my bag. I might try a free lick here and there, but I’ll stick mostly to the Gene Ammons I know.” Remembering tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons, born OTD 1925 in Chicago. What a beautiful tone. #jazzsky #musicsky

Herbie Hancock turned 86 yesterday. I was offline and missed it, so tonight I'm listening to the beautiful 'Speak Like A Child' from 1968. Happy belated birthday maestro. #jazzsky #herbiehancock #musicsky #nowplaying

1) RIP Mike Westbrook, one of the greatest figures in the history of British jazz, who has died aged ninety. We're unlikely to see a composer and bandleader of such stature again. #jazzsky #musicsky www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiYV...

'Two degrees in bebop, a PhD in swing'... Remembering the great Lowell George, born OTD 1945 in Hollywood and gone too soon - #musicsky #littlefeat

*COMING SOON* For the fiftieth anniversary of its release on 23 April, I've written a new article reappraising 'Black and Blue' by The Rolling Stones... @lionunicorn.bsky.social #rollingstones

1) Remembering the great guitarist George Freeman, born OTD 1927 in April 10, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois. Freeman performed with Charlie Parker, Gene Ammons, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Jimmy McGriff and many others, as well as a bandleader. #jazzsky #musicsky #jazzguitar

You have to listen to her original version of Hound Dog. The song's about a woman throwing her no-good man out. You can wag your tail, But ain't gonna feed you no more.

Recorded OTD 1970, 'Black Beauty: Miles Davis at Fillmore West'. Storming early-electric Miles, recorded at the legendary venue as Davis & his band — Steve Grossman, Dave Holland, Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette & Airto Moreira — performed as opening act for the Grateful Dead. #jazzsky #musicsky

“Lowther’s trumpet playing is obviously Davis-influenced, but he does his own thing very effectively within this style" Ron Brown,Jazz Journal #nowplaying Henry Lowther Band, 'Child Song', 1970. I feature it in my top ten British jazz albums, read here: thelionandunicorn.com/2025/05/17/c... #jazzsky

#nowplaying For tonight listening pleasure: The Ahmad Jamal Trio, 'The Awakening', Jamal's sublime 1970 album, released on Impulse!, produced by Ed Michel. Ahmad Jamal – piano Jamil Nasser – bass Frank Gant – drums Essential. #jazzsky #musicsky #vinylcommunity #classicalbum

#nowplaying 'The Coming Atlantis' (1969) by guitarist Freddy Robinson. Great orchestrated, sometimes cinematic, bluesy soul jazz, featuring Joe Sample from The Crusaders on keys. Robinson played with John Mayall in the early 70s. #jazzsky #musicsky www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ilJ...

Remembering counterculture artist Mati Klarwein who was born OTD 1932 in Hamburg. His artwork is on numerous albums, most notably 'Abraxas' by Santana, 'Bitches Brew' by Miles Davis, and many other jazz and rock records. #jazzsky #musicsky #art #painting #vinylcommunity #classicalbums

#nowplaying the superb 'Blue Mode' (1970) by Reuben Wilson. Excellent soul jazz and Memphis influenced funk, featuring the great Melvin Sparks on guitar. On an interesting note, the cover art was by counterculture artist Mati Klarwein who was born OTD in 1932. #jazzsky #musicsky #vinylcommunity

Released #OTD in 1970. 'Remedies', the third album by Dr John, produced by Tom Dowd. #musicsky #blues #neworleans #vinylcommunity

Happy birthday to the master, Steve Gadd, born OTD 1945 in Irondequoit, New York. #jazzsky #musicsky #drums

"Artists are the gate keepers of truth. We are civilisation’s radical voice." Remembering singer, actor, lawyer, professional football player, and activist Paul Robeson who was born OTD 1898 in Princeton, New Jersey.

Remembering soul jazz organist Reuben Wilson, born OTD 1935 in Mounds, Oklahoma. Wilson was a huge influence on the acid jazz scene and was also widely sampled. His 60s records on Blue Note and 70s titles on Groove Merchant are deeply soulful and funky. #jazzsky #musicsky

#nowplaying 'Blue & Sentimental' by Ike Quebec (Blue Note, released 1961), featuring guitarist Grant Green, and rhythm section Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones. A superb record, bluesy, sweet and full of feeling; probably Ike's best, although they are all great. #jazzsky #musicsky #vinylcommunity

According to my family, Carmen McRae’s version of Blue Moon was my first favorite song as a baby. Always made me sit up and smile. I still love it! Also, don’t sleep on Ms. McRae’s skills as a pianist and composer. Very talented woman. ❤️

#nowplaying the magical 'Borboletta' by Santana (1974) Santana at the end of their most inventive period and their final jazz rock influenced album, 'Borboletta' is a wonderful record, with a spacious, airy, Latin sound which has much space for percussion, saxophone and keyboards to shine. #jazzsky

#nowplaying 'The Shadow Of Lo' by Return To Forever (1974) from 'Where Have I Known You Before'. Yesterday I listened to the album for the first time in a while; a great piece of jazz rock. #jazzsky #musicsky #jazzrock www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GZD...

"One of Bill Evans' most beloved recordings and features possibly the best-sounding audio of any album he ever did." -Richard Siedel, sleeve notes. The beautiful 'You Must Believe in Spring' from the album of the same name, recorded in August 1977 and released in February 1981. #jazzsky #musicsky

#nowplaying 'Puttin' It Together' by the New Elvin Jones Trio, featuring saxophonist/flautist Joe Farrell and bassist Jimmy Garrison. It was recorded OTD 1968 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and released on Blue Note in September of that year. #jazzsky #musicsky #bluenote #elvinjones

1) "...a collection of albums to soundtrack the Spring in all its glory." For your listening pleasure, here's my top ten albums for the temperate season (with accompanying playlist.) Part one here: thelionandunicorn.com/2026/04/03/s... #musicsky #article #albums #vinylcommunity

#nowplaying "Carmen McRae Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Classics" the classic 1962 album, featuring Nat Adderley on cornet and Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis on tenor saxophone. Superb. #jazzsky #musicsky #vinylcommunity

Released OTD 1974, 'Destively Bonnaroo' by Dr John, produced by Allen Toussaint and backed by The Meters. The Bonnaroo Music Festival was named after the record. A joyous slice of mid 70s New Orleans groove. Dig it. #musicsky #neworleans #drjohn #vinylcommunity

"Blues is to jazz what yeast is to bread--without it, it's flat." Remembering the wonderful Carmen McRae, one of the greatest ever jazz vocalists, born OTD 1920 in Harlem. Pure class. #jazzsky #musicsky #vocalists #jazz

A couple of notable prog birthdays today: Happy birthday to Family vocalist Roger Chapman, born OTD 1942 in Leicester, and Yes guitar wizard Steve Howe, born OTD 1947 in London. Both Family and Yes feature in my personal top ten favourite albums. #musicsky #progrock #yes Read here:

Late night listening - Kenny Burrell With Art Blakey, "On View at The Five Spot Café: The Complete Masters", last years superb expanded edition of the 1959 hard bop summit live in NYC. Sublime. Goodnight all. #jazzsky #musicsky #bluenote

#nowplaying For Freddie Hubbard's birthday, the classic 'Straight Life' from 1970. The first FH album I bought, and an absolute favourite. Great CTI Records production (Freddie's second recording for the label) and handsome Pete Turner cover art also. #jazzsky #musicsky #classicalbum #vinyl

#nowplaying 'Birks' Works' by The Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, of which the first of two recording sessions for the album took place OTD 1957 in NYC. Released on Verve in 1958. Essential album, essential Diz. #jazzsky #musicsky #dizzy #classicalbum #vinylcommunity

Happy 74th birthday to Clarke Peters, Lester Freamon in 'The Wire' and Big Chief Albert Lambreaux in 'Treme.' #tv #musicsky #cinema #stage #thewire #treme #neworleans

#nowplaying Miles Davis - Milestones, Live at Antibes Jazz 1969 #jazzsky #musicsky @milestones-archive.bsky.social

1) Remembering pianist, percussionist and vibraphonist Victor Feldman, born OTD 1934 in Edgware. Feldman was a student of drummer and producer Carlo Krahmer (whom my mother worked for in the 60s) and played in Ronnie Scott's orchestra before emigrating to the US in 1955. #jazzsky #musicsky

#nowplaying 'Takuta' (1973) from 'Soul Makossa' by Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist Michael Babatunde Olatunji, born OTD 1927 in Ajido, Lagos State, Nigeria. I first heard this on 'Club Africa vol 2', then dug deeper. Olatunji's albums are superb. #jazzsky #africa #musicsky #drums

#nowplaying The beautiful 'Basra' (1965) by the great drummer Pete La Roca (born OTD 1938 in Harlem). Recorded under the influence of a hallucinogenic (La Roca had taken LSD prior to traveling to Van Gelder Studio for the session) the album is an absolute delight. #jazzsky #musicsky

#nowplaying 'Mongo's Way' (1971) by Cuban percussionist and bandleader Mongo Santamaria, born OTD 1917 in Havana. Between 1970 and 1972, Santamaria recorded four albums on Atlantic Records, I was lucky to find all four at a record fair some years ago - they all sound great. #jazzsky #latinjazz

"Pop changes week to week, month to month. But great music is like literature." Remembering sitar virtuoso, composer and cultural icon Ravi Shankar, born OTD 1920 in Varanasi. #musicsky #indianmusic #ravi #sitar #jazzsky

"Jazz isn't like pop, where you sell millions of records with a hit. Your spirit and soul aren't important in pop music. But jazz is like classical music. If people like you, they'll remember you & you'll last forever." Remembering trumpet genius Freddie Hubbard, born OTD 1938 in Indianapolis. #jazz

Remembering Billie Holiday, born OTD 1915 in Philadelphia. 'There ain't nothing I can do Or nothing I can say That folks don't criticise me But I'm going to do Just as I want to anyway And don't care if they all despise me' (Ain't Nobody's Business, 1949) #jazzsky #musicsky

#nowplaying Johnny Griffin, Vol. 2, (A Blowing Session), recorded OTD 1957 at Van Gelder Studio. Paul Chambers, Art Blakey, Wynton Kelly, Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Johnny Griffin, Lee Morgan #jazzsky #musicsky www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6uH...

Gerry Mulligan (born OTD 1927 in Queens) & The Concert Jazz Band perform "As Catch Can" at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. From 'Jazz On A Summer’s Day' (1959). Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax)), Art Farmer (trumpet), Bill Crow (bass), Dave Bailey (drums). Composed by Gerry Mulligan. #jazzsky

#nowplaying 'Blue Interlude' by the great drummer. sideman and bandleader, Art Taylor, who was born OTD 1929 in NYC. From 'A.T.'s Delight' (Blue Note, 1961) #jazzsky #musicsky #bluenote www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPov...

Bank Holiday Monday evening, so it's only right I share my listening and a few of my jazz recommendations for a while. #jazzsky #musicsky

#nowplaying 'Blue Moses' (1972, CTI Records)by the great pianist and composer Randy Weston, who was born 100 years ago today in New York City. 'Blue Moses' is a superb, really well recorded (not surprising being a CTI production) large-group album with a great Pete Turner sleeve. #jazzsky

The sun is out, it's a bank holiday, you'll be looking for the right soundtrack to the season. And here's @benfinlay74.bsky.social with some suggestions. thelionandunicorn.com/2026/04/05/s...

It's springtime for bitterns and kingfishers... @benfinlay74.bsky.social's guide to the best albums for the season. thelionandunicorn.com/2026/04/05/s...

"The music featured here is rich in mood, and to my mind (and ears) suits the change to springtime." Part one of my top ten albums to soundtrack the Spring. Part two is out tomorrow. #musicsky #folk #classical #prog #article thelionandunicorn.com/2026/04/03/s...