With the rise of feng shui and self-help books like Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” people are beginning to realize and prioritize the importance of creating a cozy home environment. To truly make a house (or apartment!) into a home, you need to cultivate warm spaces that invite you and guests to relax and unwind. Whether you just moved into a new studio or you’ve been living in the same creaky house for decades, it’s never a bad idea to shower your home with a little tender love and care.
So, this autumn, why not create the most perfect jazz listening nook? I know what you may be thinking–a “listening nook”? What the heck is that? Well, a nook usually refers to a corner, a snug little spot where you can curl up and doze or read. But since music is our forte at Night is Alive, we are assuming that you will be listening to jazz music in your autumnal nook! Maybe you even have an old record player collecting dust in your attic that you could drag out and revive? No matter what, we’ve got some songs to help inspire your home decorating!
At the outset of any new project, the most important thing is that you use your imagination. The sky’s the limit! Let your imagination soar; let it roam free and wild. No idea is too outlandish at this early stage–maybe you want your nook to feel like you’re inside a hollow tree. Maybe you want to feel like you’re looking up at the night sky. Or maybe you really just want a velvet chaise lounge. No matter what you want, allow this song, from Night is Alive’s album Call Me Irresponsible to inspire your imagination.
Once you’ve captured the vision, the dreamboard if you will, of your listening nook, it’s time to shoot for the moon! Why do you want this nook? Why is it important to create a homey space? Reflecting on your goals will help to make the dream a reality. This song, from Night is Alive’s album Old New Borrowed and Blue will help you to refine and focus your vision and land among the stars.
Did you know that Zen Buddhists believe that the clutter, or cleanliness, of your home helps to create your mindset? The clearer and more organized your surroundings, the clearer and more organized are your thoughts. It’s a positive feedback loop! So, while creating your listening nook think about your habits and routine–what will create the clearest path to organization and enjoyment? Let this song from Night is Alive’s album Colors of Jazz inspire your introspection.
Picture this: after weeks of traveling and family obligations every weekend you finally have a Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday all to yourself. You get home from work, take off your sweaty work clothes and toss them in the hamper then take a long shower or bubble bath. After putting on your pajamas, the take-out food you ordered is at your door. You get cozy in your new listening nook, turn on this song–from Night is Alive’s album The Border Widow’s Lament–and settle in. Between bites you contemplate the interiors of your home–where do you feel most safe? Where do you still want to redecorate?
Check out this music and more on Night is Alive’s albums page.
Dizzy’s Birthday Bash: How Dizzy Gillespie Shaped Afro-Cuban Jazz
John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie was born on October 21, 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina. He was the youngest of nine children born to Lottie and James Gillespie—the latter a local bandleader. Thanks to his dad’s musical knack, young Dizzy and his siblings grew up surrounded by instruments. By age four, Dizzy was already tinkering on the piano, and by 12, he had taught himself to play both the trombone and trumpet!
One night, Gillespie heard his trumpet idol, Roy Eldridge, blasting over the radio waves, and his dream of becoming a jazz legend took full flight. He soon snagged a music scholarship to the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina, attending for two years before his family relocated to Philadelphia. It wasn’t long before his cheeks were puffing, his signature bent trumpet was pointing skyward, and his fiery virtuosic style was captivating audiences nationwide.
By the 1940s, Dizzy had become a pioneer of bebop—a fast-paced, complex style of jazz that showcased blistering speed and high-flying melodic runs. But Dizzy was never one to stay inside a single musical box. He was fascinated by global rhythms, particularly the infectious polyrhythms coming out of Cuba. Then he met Chano Pozo.
In 1947, iconic Cuban conguero Mario Bauzá introduced Dizzy to Pozo, a legendary percussionist and dancer fresh off the boat from Havana. Though Dizzy didn’t speak Spanish and Pozo spoke no English, they shared a universal language: groove. The moment they jammed together, magic happened.
Dizzy and Pozo teamed up to write “Manteca” (Spanish for “lard,” but slang for cool or grease), which quickly became the ultimate Afro-Cuban jazz anthem. The track kicked off with Pozo’s hypnotizing conga rhythm, layered with a swinging bassline, and exploded into Dizzy’s blazing brass melodies.
It wasn’t just a gimmick or a quick fusion, it was a revolution. Before this, Latin music and American jazz mostly played in separate ballrooms. Dizzy fused Cuban clave rhythms directly with complex jazz harmonies, creating a vibrant hybrid genre that got listeners tapping their feet and dancing in the aisles.
Dizzy’s open-minded, celebratory approach to music proved that jazz had no borders. His Afro-Cuban compositions opened the floodgates for generations of musicians, from Tito Puente and the Fania All-Stars to modern Latin jazz masters.
So, this October 21st, blow a horn, puff out your cheeks, and put on some classic Dizzy Gillespie. Happy Birthday, Dizzy! Thanks for bringing the ultimate rhythm party to jazz.If you want to experience Dizzy’s Afro-Cuban magic firsthand, drop these two classics into your rotation:
This is the track, released in 1948, that started it all, opening with Chano Pozo’s infectious conga riff before locking into an irresistible groove. As Dizzy’s trumpet soars over a swinging horn section, you can hear the exact moment bebop meets Havana. It’s impossible to listen to this masterpiece without bouncing along to the beat!
Co-written with Chano Pozo and pianist Gil Fuller, this 1951 track trades high-speed fireworks for a laid-back, smoldering sway. Dizzy’s muted trumpet glides effortlessly over hypnotizing Afro-Cuban percussion and lush harmonies. It’s cool, sophisticated, and guaranteed to transport you straight to a sunlit jazz club.
Can you hear any Gillespie-inspired music in our own Night is Alive albums? You can listen on our Youtube page or add music from our various albums to your Spotify playlist. And of course, the very best in jazz is always available on Night is Alive’s albums page.
It’s that wondrous autumnal time of year again: the trees are changing from green to hues of orange, yellow and red; the air feels crisp, cool and magical; and there’s a crunch underfoot as you walk down the leaf-littered sidewalk. Fall is hands-down my favorite season because the cool weather feels so refreshing and calming after the heat of summer, and because I enjoy listening to my favorite folk tunes during these months!
Folk music is an umbrella term that emerged in the 19th-century and can be defined in many ways: folk music may be music that is transmitted orally; music with unknown or anonymous composers; music that is played on traditional instruments; music about cultural or national identity; music that evolves through the generations; music associated with a people’s folklore; and/or music performed by custom over a long period of time.
Long story short, folk music is timeless: it has a past, a history, and a culture associated with it. A folk song usually exists in countless iterations that have been passed on through the years and performed by many different musicians. This fall, Night is Alive has prepared a playlist of fun, folksy, feel-good tunes that we hope will help you to appreciate the awesome autumnal season. Enjoy!
Okay, so this one isn’t exactly feel-good: Inspired by a traditional Scottish ballad, this song captures the poignant folktale of a woman mourning her slain husband. But while the source material is pure folk, the Night is Alive trio rearranges it into a hypnotic, haunting and richly resonant jazz instrumental that is anchored by a deep acoustic base. To hear more, check out the album, also titled The Border Widow’s Lament.
“This Land Is Your Land” is one of the most famous American folk songs of all time. From just the title, you can probably recall the lyrics: “From California to the New York Islands . . .” But did you know that Woody Guthrie actually wrote this song in 1940 as a response to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.” Apparently, Guthrie was tired of hearing “God Bless America” on the radio, and we wanted to mix things up. Well, he sure did! “This Land Is Your Land” now has hundreds of versions, adaptations and recordings, including this one! This jazzy, rhythmic, feel-good cover, released by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings in 2005, will have you tapping your toes this autumn!
Written in 1949 by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays, this song was inspired by the mid-century American labor movement and the fight for racial equality. At its core, the song employs three straightforward symbols–the hammer, bell and song–as the tools of activism. Rather than waiting for things to change, the song beckons people to rally together and build love between each other. In 1963, Trini Lopez stripped away the more somber folk aesthetics to create a track that was more pulsing, rhythmic and joyous.
Originally written in 1974 by Dave Loggins, this is a newer folk song about a man begging his beloved to join him in different cities as he rambles his way around the U.S. “Please come to Boston for the springtime / I’m stayin’ here with some friends / And they’ve got lots of room / You can sell your paintings on the sidewalk,” he entreats his lover.
The song gained popularity, with different covers, such as that of David Allan Coe. Then in 1976, the California crooner Joan Baez, modified the lyrics and included the tune on her live album From Every Stage. She takes the perspective of the woman refusing all the man’s invitations and instead asks him to settle down with her.
Check out more jazz music on Night is Alive’s albums page.
When your work and social calendars are packed, it can seem like a pain in the neck to organize a pumpkin-carving activity. You have to go to the pumpkin patch, buy the pumpkins, bring them home, set up a carving station, have the right knives and carving utensils, and then get candles to put inside! But trust me, the payoff is so worth it. I mean, what even is autumn without a ghoulish pumpkin on your porch or balcony?!
To help motivate you and get you in the pumpkin-carving mood, Night is Alive has curated a playlist of jazz songs that include playful percussives. Nod your head, or tap your toes, along to these fun rhythms while you create the scariest and spookiest pumpkins this October!
From the Night is Alive album It Takes 3, this track sets an instantly breathless, high-velocity pace. Driven by Bryan Carter’s crisp, scampering drum work, the song feels like a frantic dash down a moonlit, leaf-strewn street on a crisp autumn night. The traded phrases between the saxophone and piano dance playfully over the rhythm section, matching the jittery anticipation of carving out jagged, toothy grins into your gourds. It’s an infectious, swinging tune that makes scraping out fibrous pumpkin pulp feel like a total breeze.
Featured on the Night is Alive album Colors of Jazz, this selection brings an intricate, exploratory percussive pulse to your pumpkin-carving session. Lorca Hart’s dynamic cymbal work and nimble snare accents ripple underneath the melody like a sudden gust of October wind rustling through dry branches. As you map out the eyes and nose of your jack-o’-lantern with a paring knife, the shifting drum textures provide a brilliant soundtrack that keeps your hands steady and focused. Every accent on the kit feels like another candle flickering to life inside a dark, hollowed-out shell.
This track, from Night is Alive’s album Lover and Love Songs, infuses the room with a wonderfully whimsical, bobbing cadence. The playful beat of the rhythm section captures that exact feeling of lighthearted clumsiness when you’re trying to scoop out stubborn seeds without making a mess on the table. Its eccentric, swaying beat encourages you to nod along while carefully detailing a crooked, spooktacular grin. It is impossible to stay frustrated with a slipping carving knife when this track is bouncing through your speakers.
Transitioning to iconic jazz standards, this timeless 1959 piece is an absolute must-have for any rhythm-forward seasonal playlist. Joe Morello’s legendary, mesmerizing drum intro opens the door, establishing an unorthodox 5/4 time signature that feels wonderfully off-kilter and mysterious. That hypnotic percussion pattern provides an eerie, sophisticated backdrop as you lean over your workspace to shave down the thick outer shell of the pumpkin. It is a masterclass in rhythm that keeps your carving strokes synchronized to an effortlessly cool pulse.
Finally, this staple of classic jazz brings an exotic, driving intensity that matches the theatrical drama of Halloween night. The tune’s famous, galloping conga-infused rhythm and stop-time breaks deliver a cascade of percussive textures that heighten the suspense in the room. As you finally drop a lit tea candle inside your finished creation and turn off the overhead lights, this song’s soaring melodies and rhythmic punch provide the ultimate cinematic reveal. Your porch is officially ready to welcome any trick-or-treaters brave enough to walk your way!
Check out this music and more on Night is Alive’s albums page.
“Autumn Leaves”: The Anatomy of Jazz’s Most Famous Standard
If you know anything about jazz, then you’re familiar with Nat King Cole’s 1955 recording of the jazz standard “Autumn Leaves.” I’m sure you know the beautiful lyrics of melancholy and heartbreak: “The falling leaves drift by the window / The autumn leaves of red and gold / I see your lips, the summer kisses / The sun-burned hands I used to hold / Since you went away the days grow long / And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song / But I miss you most of all my darling / When autumn leaves start to fall . . .”
With more than a thousand commercial recordings by mainstream musicians, “Autumn Leaves” is one of the most recorded jazz songs of all time! But do you know the history and evolution of this famous jazz standard? Did you know that the song is actually an English adaptation of a French song? And did you know that the original composer was Hungarian?
Hungarian Joseph Kosma was introduced to Parisian Jacques Prévert in Paris and the two began collaborating on the song, “Les Feuilles Mortes,” which means “The Dead Leaves.” Kosma drew inspiration from his ballet music compositions, as well as Jules Massenet’s “Poème d’octobre No. 4,” and Tchaikovsky’s 1888 Hamlet Overture-Fantasia, Op. 67. The song was completed in 1945 and officially published in 1947.
The most successful recording of “Les Feuilles Mortes” was by Yves Montand in 1949 and sold a million copies within 5 years. Then in 1950, Johnny Mercer wrote the English lyrics, which consist of only two verses, are significantly shorter than the French version. There was also an instrumental piano recording by Roger Williams that topped the Billboard charts in 1955. Over the years, over 1,400 versions have been produced!
So, this autumn, why not have a listen to a few different versions, and see which “Autumn Leaves” is your favorite? Or if you’re a beginner jazz musician, you may want to try playing the song. With its simple AABC form, it’s a great way to become acquainted with jazz harmony.
Did you know that this same form can be found in some of Night is Alive’s music? Check out our albums page and let us know which tunes you can find! Who knows? You might even hear this famous tune “quoted” in improvisational sections…
Here are a few memorable versions of “Autum Leaves” to kick off your listening:
The county fair is an American staple. At the end of every summer, when I was a kid, I looked forward to the corn dogs, funnel cakes, and turkey legs! Oh and don’t forget about the fried oreos, fried cheese curds and fried pickles. One time I even had a pickle popsicle. But besides the many delicious treats, there are also livestock and agricultural shows, rides and games, and live entertainment. The county fair is a fun-filled time for the whole family, so, of course, at Night is Alive, we’ve got a country jazz playlist for your weekend!
The end of the summer is bittersweet, and sometimes, like a summer love or heartbreak, it can make your brown eyes blue. But like this jazzy rendition of Crystal Gayle’s beloved ballad, from Night is Alive’s album Cryin’ In My Whiskey, the end doesn’t have to be heavy and dark. There is also a lightness to be found in endings because that means a new beginning is right around the corner!
This was originally a 1931 jazz standard written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons. Then in his 1978 album Stardust, Nelson recorded a jazz-inflected version that became a major country hit! So, while you’re dabbing on your blush and applying your lipstick for the county fair, why not listen to the song that entreats a lover to come back. Like Gayle’s tune, this song also somehow ends on a jubilant note.
So many country songs are about heartbreak and sadness, but Vince Gill’s famous 1994 hit captures those moments of pure giddiness when love finds you. Is there a special sweetheart that you might bump into at the county fair? Or maybe you’re going with your sweetheart of many years, and you can reminisce on your early days when holding hands still caused you so many butterflies! Either way, this jazzy rendition, from Night is Alive’s album Cryin’ In My Whiskey, will give you heart eyes this fair season.
Written and recorded by country music legend, Hank Williams, this song is regarded as one of the country genre’s most important standards. On a drive from Nashville, Tennessee to Shreveport, Louisiana in 1952, Williams was inspired to write this song. In the car, he was describing his first wife to his fiance, and said she was a “cheatin’ heart.” Only a year later, jazz legend Louis Armstrong recorded a re-imagining of the tune with swinging rhythms.
Released in 2007 as the first single from Lucinda Williams’s eighth album, this song is a comforting reminder to check in on yourself and others. Maybe you had a bit too much to drink, or a few too many funnel cakes at the fair, and you’re not feeling that good. It’s okay to say goodbye to all that, and go home. Let this jazzy rendition, from Night is Alive’s album Cryin In My Whiskey remind you to take care of yourself!
Check out this music and more on Night is Alive’s albums page.
Late-Night Autumn Warmth: Jazz Ballads for Chilly Evenings
Even though it’s still only September, the weather has already cooled down significantly! I don’t know about you, but I’ve really been enjoying the lower temperatures and chill in the air. At night, I’ve been leaving all the windows in my apartment open to feel the breeze and listen to the chirps of the crickets as I fall asleep. The chilly evenings also give me a reason to get all cozy and bundled up under a warm blanket with a steaming mug of chamomile tea. I think there is something so comfortable about desiring warmth, rather than trying to escape heat, the latter of which we have been doing all summer! So, to help you stay warm during these chilly autumn nights, Night is Alive has crafted a playlist to warm your hearts.
When was the last time that you took a bubble bath? During the heat of the summer, a hot bath was probably the last thing you wanted to do, but now that we’re venturing into autumn, it sounds like the perfect way to relax. Listen to the raindrops patter on your rooftop while you lean back, relax and ease yourself into the warmth of the evening. Here’s that rainy day that the Lorca Hart Trio captures in their song from Night is Alive’s album Colors of Jazz!
Sometimes I think it’s nice to lean into melancholy by listening to some sad music, like this song from Night is Alive’s album Lovers and Love Songs. The beautiful instrumentals provide a soft backdrop to stay up late binge-reading a book all curled up on the couch. Maybe you’re reading a tragedy, gothic or a romance and there’s thunder and lightning outside!
For some reason the colder weather has got me feeling some deja vu recently. Have you ever experienced deja vu? It somehow feels both spooky and comforting, just like the chills of early autumn. A good friend once told me that experiencing deja vu means that you’re on the right path, that you are following your fate. Like this song, from Night is Alive’s album It Takes 3 portrays, sometimes it just seems to me I’ve heard that song before . . .
Wind’s bass in this song, from Night is Alive’s album Border Widow’s Lament, sounds very haunting, hypnotic and gothic, like the early wisps of fall. Autumn is the favorite season of many because it portends harvest and Halloween. Have you thought about what costume you will wear for Halloween? It’s never too early to start brainstorming and planning.
As the nights grow longer and daylight shortens, I can’t help but to think of wandering souls. Like the nomadic, free-spirited gypsies, autumn can be a time of rambling and roving. In this song, from Night is Alive’s album Old New Borrowed & Blue, Magnarelli’s wayfaring trumpet evokes a pleasant restlessness. Why not allow that restlessness to inspire a late night walk among the full moon and stars?
Check out this music and more on Night is Alive’s albums page.
We’re back with more of the heartfelt interview with bassist Lonnie Plaxico where we don’t just learn about the life of an incredible musician, but a little about life itself.
NiA: For those who didn’t get the chance to meet Cassandra or get to know her, is there anything you feel would capture her personality in a few sentences?
LP: Well, she was unique in her own way. Complicated at times, and trying to figure out life. I mean, she was experiencing music, life and relationships. Everything people go through.
Musicians have the same relationships that other people have, but what we do is a little different. Like people go to work, they just doing certain things. But being a musician, you get closer to people, different from other jobs because of the creative freedom that’s happening. the creative thing that’s going on, and freedom that people have is, you know. It’s hard to explain to people who don’t live it.
NiA: It’s like, your work is not just a hat you put on and take off at the end of the day. Being a musician is a part of your identity, a part of who you are and shapes who you are as an individual.
LP: Yeah, and there’s a certain freedom that comes along with that lifestyle but also risk. Your mind has to be secure enough to know that even if you don’t know where you’re going to be working the next week or the next month, you keep moving forward. You have to live in that place of uncertainty and become comfortable with it.
With all the musicians I work with, it’s a culture. It’s a closeness that you get from working with people like Cassandra. I mean, because they become family. Actually, more than family because, you know, I spent 20 years with my biological family. But I was working with her for 43 years.
NiA: It would be difficult to work that long with someone and not develop a special connection with them.
LP: Yeah, it’s music that keeps you together. Not drifting away. It’s like a kind of marriage, it doesn’t have to be perfect but it’s a place you can keep coming back. And you continue to work with other people because that’s how you learn and grow, other people have different things to teach you. I always relate things to relationships, you know. In marriage, you’re pretty much serving that person. In music, you’re encouraged to go have other relationships with other musicians because you learn different things that you’re not gonna get from just one person.
NiA: So would you say Cassandra had a collaborative spirit?
LP: Yeah, she challenged you in her way. I had a figure out how to work with who she was musically. You have to listen and make adjustments to how that person sings or plays. You know, I mean, it’s unpredictable at times. Living, breathing, always changing.
NiA: Where were some of the places you traveled together?
LP: Everywhere! Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, everywhere.
NiA: Was the experience very different playing in all of those different locations?
LP: Not so much, the place didn’t influence the performance all that much. I mean, you go there and you play and it’s an opportunity to create. It’s just a stage, and it’s the same stage everywhere you go.
Now, the people are different in different places. The more the people respond to you, the more they’re gonna bring something different out of you. So, some places where the people are really showing expression, it’s like a basketball team. I would say fans are the other part of the team, because the fans make them play better. Music is the same way. When people are really clapping and showing appreciation, the musicians are going to naturally play differently, better.
NiA: Are there any places where you knew the crowds were consistently going to be very appreciative?
LP: Yeah, Chicago, Oakland, Washington D.C. Culturally, people are going to bring a different vibe, whereas places like Japan, they may be a little more reserved.
NiA: If you had to choose, what is some of Cassandra’s music that you would recommend for people to dip their toe in?
LP: We did a song called “You Move Me”. It was for a movie soundtrack for the film Love Jones. It’s a more commercial tune that a lot of people tell me they like, so I think the listeners are more than just musicians. That would be one.
Also, any of her records that went to the Grammys. I mean, they won for a reason. They were more popular records, like New Moon Daughter, and Loverly. And she did a jazz standard record called Blue Skies. So that would be the one for people who just like listen to traditional jazz. That record is all jazz standards. Those are the three records I would recommend.
NiA: Thank you for having this conversation with us, Lonnie, I know it’s impossible to capture everything in a single brief conversation about someone who lived such a full life. We truly appreciate you speaking with us about your time with Cassandra.
LP: I appreciate that, I knew her off the stage, on the stage, and through the ups and downs. Being able to work together so long was special because in the past, a lot of musicians didn’t even live long enough to make a lot of music. So, I mean, she lived to be 70 and perform at a high level.
Cassandra only got sick within the past month, so she didn’t experience any deterioration or anything like that. Some people, you can tell they’re sick or not as strong a musician as they were when they were younger. Our last gig together was in June (2026), and she didn’t appear to be sick. She was strong and having fun. She was doing what she wanted to do until it was time to go.
We were supposed to have a gig in July. She was not sick like, how sometimes people are very sick for a year or more. She was performing. I don’t think she knew she was sick. So, mentally and physically, it was just another day.
NiA: What did you play during your last gig together in June?
LP: We were playing music from New Moon Daughter. It was a 30-year anniversary gig. We did a recording in February with a piano player named Eric Lewis, who played in her band. He actually just did a recording, a tribute to Sting. His career started with Cassandra after college. So, he has Cassandra and me on a track on that CD, which will probably come out this year. That’s the last time Cassandra and I recorded together – on that upcoming project.
NiA: Well that will be really cool, to have that new music come out even after she’s passed.
LP: Yeah, it’s even more valuable, because it’s one of the last things she’s ever done. It’s just one song, but the song is good. And someone captured that moment.
I’m still just processing the fact she’s gone. I’ll be processing it for years. Her passing is a little different than most people I’ve worked with because, you know, being in the music business for a long time, so many people have passed, since I started playing professional at 14 (I’m 66 now). I’m still processing many losses, but I’ve never worked with anyone as long as I worked with Cassandra.
It’s more like losing family. Most of the time when you work with someone, it’s for a month or maybe a few years. But you almost never work with someone nonstop for 43 years. But…it’s life. There is a beginning and an ending and it’s out of our control.
NiA: And the beauty of music is that Cassandra will be kept alive through all of her recordings.
LP: Yeah, her legacy is actually going to take on another chapter. And people will value it more, because the book of Cassandra is going to be written now. It’s more sacred when someone dies. When they’re living, they’re still creating and it’s okay. But when they die, you have to preserve it because it’s the value of that person. It means more now that they’re not here.
In loving memory of Cassandra Wilson, one of the great jazz singers of our time.
December 4, 1955 – September 1, 2026
Visit nightisalive.com/albums to check out Radiance, Lonnie’s most recent album with Night is Alive. He also appears on many of our other albums, so be sure to give them a listen.
We sat down with Lonnie Plaxico, who was a dear friend and colleague of the late Cassandra Wilson. He played with her for many years, touring and making music across the world. Their relationship wasn’t simply professional – it was a deep connection that you can only cultivate through sharing parts of your soul through musical collaboration.
Night is Alive: How did you and Cassandra meet?
Lonnie Plaxico: We met at a jam session, a place called Jazz Forum in New York in 1982. We had both just moved to New York, and you know, when you get in town, you go to jam sessions. That’s how people can hear you and get to know you. It’s like playing a game of basketball – it’s how you stay in shape and get to know the other musicians in the area.
NiA: Like, a way to just let those creative juices flow, pure expression.
LP: Yeah, it’s a culture. You learn different songs from the musicians you meet and it challenges you – as a young musician, you learn a lot in that culture.
NiA: So, that’s where you and Cassandra met for the first time. Did you decide right then and there that you wanted to collaborate on a deeper level?
LP: Yes, we spoke to each other after the jam session and she asked me where I was from. She thought I was from Mississippi – that’s where she was from. I’m actually from Chicago, and when I told her that I learned that her father had connections with Chicago – either he was from there, or had lived there for a time. That was the connection that started our friendship.
NiA: Was Cassandra singing at the jam session? She also played clarinet, right?
LP: She did play clarinet, but she was singing that night.
NiA: How did you end up becoming her music director, and touring together?
LP: My roommate in New York was Steve Coleman. He told me that he met this real good singer. When he described her, I told him I had met her the other night at a jam session. He was really impressed with her, and when Steve was asked to produce a record, he asked Cassandra and me to join.
NiA: That was Point of View (1986) and was Cassandra’s debut on a major album, I believe.
LP: Yeah, Steve eventually produced her first record. So, we kind of started working together a lot after that, doing gigs together. Whenever I was available, I did gigs with her. And as she built her career, I started recording on more albums and we naturally transitioned into touring together. She became more successful in the music business and once her career took off I was able to just play with her full-time and eventually became her music director.
NiA: What’s one of your favorite memories from that time touring together?
LP: I mean, I don’t have a favorite, because all of it is connected. It’s just…life. It keeps growing until one day it stops. It’s always something new, and I feel like if I choose a favorite moment then I’m going to miss everything that’s ahead. So I prefer to just enjoy the moment.
NiA: If you keep looking towards the next thing, then before you know it you look back and see you’ve missed enjoying it in the moment.
LP: Yeah, like, this is life. I’m living it. If you stay connected to the favorite moments, and life is taking you different directions, then you can’t let those moments go and just enjoy what’s ahead.
NiA: During those moments playing and touring together, do you feel like you and Cassandra influenced each other’s sounds and styles?
LP: Yes and no. Being a musician, you just have to listen to each other. You hire, you work with people. It’s like a relationship, you want to be with someone who paying attention to you. Musicians know who listen to them when they performing, who’s really compatible with them and able to make them sound better.
Some make the music easy because they’re giving you the space or just the interplay. It’s like, the person you end up dating is the one who complemented you more. It’s not a spoken thing, like you’re asking for stuff. It just happens.
NiA: That’s especially true being a bass player as part of the rhythm section, right? I feel like there’s so much interaction that goes on between like you and the drum set and piano, especially interludes where you’re all kind of playing off each other and really listening to what the others are doing.
If Charlie Parker were still alive, he would be turning 106 this August 29th! The American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer was a frontrunner in the development of bebop, which is a style of jazz characterized by advanced harmonies, fast tempos and virtuosic technique. He brought groundbreaking rhythm and harmony into jazz, such as rapid passing chords, chord substitutions and new variants of altered chords. But Parker was more than just a musician, he was an icon for the hipster subculture and Beat Generation, and embodied uncompromising artistry and intellectualism rather than just entertainment.
Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Charles Parker’s father was a pianist, dancer and singer on the Theatre Owners Booking Association circuit. At Catholic school, Parker sang in the choir, and at age 11 he began playing the saxophone. Then at age 14, he joined the Lincoln High School Band, and his mother bought him a new alto saxophone. In 1935, he withdrew from high school to pursue music full-time by joining the local musicians’ union.
Parker went through some hardships–a divorce, drug addiction and car accident that led to three broken ribs and a fractured spine–but he continued developing his sound and working with a pianist and guitarist. In 1939, Parker moved to New York City to pursue his musical career, where, after working part-time jobs to earn a living, Parker finally achieved his musical breakthrough. He developed a new improvisational vocabulary that later became known as “bebop.”
Fun fact: Did you know that Charlie Parker was nicknamed “Bird” or “Yardbird” for his legendary love for eating chicken? This 1946 song’s title cleverly makes a reference to this beloved nickname. “Ornithology” showcases contrafact, which is a practice that was developed by Parker and involved writing original melodies over existing jazz forms and standards. In this case, the newly-created melody was written over the standard “How High the Moon.”
The titular track of the 1956 studio album, “Now’s the Time” is one of Charlie Parker’s most important compositions. The song bridges Parker’s roots in traditional Kansas City blues with the new radical rhythmic language of bebop. The 12-bar blues written in the key of F features a simple but catchy six-note repeating riff. The song also became an anthem for the power and urgency of modern art, with artist Jean-Michel Basquiat famously painting a massive tribute to the vinyl record.
This 1945 bebop recording begins with a harmonically ambiguous introduction that quickly moves to a B flat major at the start of Parker’s first solo chorus. The harmony becomes based on the chord changes of Ray Noble’s song “Cherokee.” Max Roach’s drum solo ends the transition and the closing echoes the introduction but with an unexpected change. Enjoy this frantic, high-speed masterpiece on Charlie Parker’s birthday!
Can you hear any Parker-inspired music in our own Night is Alive albums? You can listen on our Youtube page or add music from our various albums to your Spotify playlist. And of course, the very best in jazz is always available on Night is Alive’s albums page.
