Deep Focus

Let's admit it: we love to talk about individual achievement in music. "You know this guy played the fastest." "Yeah, but that one played the highest, and THAT ONE was the loudest!" This conversation never ends.But what does the group know that the individual doesn't?What does the body know that the mind doesn't? What about group consciousness? What about ritual?What would the Greek geometer...

When we were coming up, alto saxophonist Jackie McLean was one of the main cats. He, along with friends like Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, and Art Taylor, had emerged in New York City revering Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk, yet he discovered his own unique sound. We hunted for his well-worn Blue Note albums (not yet reissued at the time), and waited for him to play in NYC. And waited, and...

When we were coming up, alto saxophonist Jackie McLean was one of the main cats. He, along with friends like Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, and Art Taylor, had emerged in New York City revering Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk, yet he discovered his own unique sound. We hunted for his well-worn Blue Note albums (not yet reissued at the time), and waited for him to play in NYC. And waited, and...

When we were coming up, alto saxophonist Jackie McLean was one of the main cats. He, along with friends like Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, and Art Taylor, had emerged in New York City revering Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk, yet he discovered his own unique sound. We hunted for his well-worn Blue Note albums (not yet reissued at the time), and waited for him to play in NYC. And waited, and...

This Monday's (8/17) Deep Focus is on pocket trumpeter and global troubadour Don Cherry, a dear, deeply missed friend of WKCR. Back in the Eighties, Don was a frequent guest on Mitch Goldman's show. Don would guest DJ, talk to the audience, bring guests... It was an ongoing Eighties NYC Don Cherry party. And if there was a blank cassette handy, Mitch would make a recording. The tapes got tossed...

This Monday's (8/17) Deep Focus is on pocket trumpeter and global troubadour Don Cherry, a dear, deeply missed friend of WKCR. Back in the Eighties, Don was a frequent guest on Mitch Goldman's show. Don would guest DJ, talk to the audience, bring guests... It was an ongoing Eighties NYC Don Cherry party. And if there was a blank cassette handy, Mitch would make a recording. The tapes got tossed...

This Monday's (8/17) Deep Focus is on pocket trumpeter and global troubadour Don Cherry, a dear, deeply missed friend of WKCR. Back in the Eighties, Don was a frequent guest on Mitch Goldman's show. Don would guest DJ, talk to the audience, bring guests... It was an ongoing Eighties NYC Don Cherry party. And if there was a blank cassette handy, Mitch would make a recording. The tapes got tossed...

What makes us love the musicians we love? They do something magical that no one else had ever thought of before. Or the magical thing they do is so outlandishly demanding that, if anyone else had thought of it, they simply would not have been able to execute it. Allan Holdsworth was another of the handful of conjurers who deserves the title, “guitarists’ guitarist.” He passed away at 70 the month...

What makes us love the musicians we love? They do something magical that no one else had ever thought of before. Or the magical thing they do is so outlandishly demanding that, if anyone else had thought of it, they simply would not have been able to execute it. Allan Holdsworth was another of the handful of conjurers who deserves the title, “guitarists’ guitarist.” He passed away at 70 the month...

What makes us love the musicians we love? They do something magical that no one else had ever thought of before. Or the magical thing they do is so outlandishly demanding that, if anyone else had thought of it, they simply would not have been able to execute it. Allan Holdsworth was another of the handful of conjurers who deserves the title, “guitarists’ guitarist.” He passed away at 70 the month...