Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Sérgio Santos Mendes was born in Niteroi, Rio de Janiero, Brazil on February 11, 1941. S a child he attended the local conservancy with hopes of becoming a classical pianist. As his interest in jazz grew, he started playing in nightclubs in the late-1950s just as the jazz-inflected derivative of samba known as bossa nova emerged.

Mendes formed the Sexteto Bossa Rio, recorded Dance Moderna in 1961, toured Europe and the U.S., recorded with Cannonball Adderley and Herbie Mann, played Carnegie Hall and then moved to the States in 1964, cutting two albums for Capitol and Atlantic Records.

Sergio would join the Musicians Union, Create Brasil 65, change the name later to Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66, opt not to record Tito Puente’s “Oye Como Va” which would become a hit for Carlos Santana, release “Mas Que Nada” that would take them platinum. He would record “Look Around” and their fourth album “Fool On A Hill”.

His breakout success was with the performance of Burt Bacharach’s “The Look of Love” at the 1968 Academy Awards telecast, ultimately becoming the biggest Brazilian star in the world at the time. He would go on to record for Elektra, Bell, A&M and Concord record labels, collaborate with Stevie Wonder, reunite with Lani Hall on the Bond “Never Say Never Again” soundtrack, record with will.i.am and The Black Eyed Peas, Jill Scott, India Arie and others on his Timeless project, win several Grammys over the course of his fifty-five releases and be twice nominated for an Academy Award for the Look of Love and his contributions to the 2011 film “Rio”.

Bandleader, pianist, composer, arranger and songwriter Sergio Mendes died on September 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. He was 83.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Ari Brown was born on February 1, 1944. Growing up in Chicago he learned to play the piano and saxophone. He attended Wilson College where he met Jack DeJohnette, Henry Threadgill, Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman.

Brown played piano in R&B and soul bands in the 1960s, then switched to saxophone in 1965. By  1971 he was a member of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) and was also playing with The Awakening in the early 1970s. In 1974 Ari lost several teeth in a car crash, and temporarily switched to piano again until he recovered.

By the late 1970s he was playing sax once more with McCoy Tyner, Don Patterson and Sonny Stitt. In the 1980s, Brown worked with Lester Bowie, Von Freeman, Bobby Watson and Anthony Braxton. He would later become a member of Kahil El’Zabar’s trio.

As a leader he recorded three albums for Delmark and as a sideman has recorded thirteen sessions with The Awakening, the Ritual Trio, Orbert Davis, the Juba Collective and the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. Saxophonist and pianist Ari Brown continues to perform and record.

Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Bob Moses: The Drummer Who Helped Invent Jazz Fusion
Rakalam Bob Moses was born on January 28, 1948, in New York City, arriving just as bebop was transforming into something even more adventurous. He studied drums throughout his childhood, absorbing the rhythmic complexity of modern jazz, and by the time he was a teenager in 1964, he was already playing professionally with the wildly creative multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk—a baptism by fire that would shape his fearless approach to rhythm.

Pioneering Fusion Before It Had a Name
In 1966, Moses and guitarist Larry Coryell did something revolutionary: they formed the jazz-fusion group Free Spirits, blending jazz improvisation with rock energy and electric instruments at a time when most jazz purists considered such combinations heretical. This was two years before Miles Davis’ In a Silent Way, two years before Tony Williams Lifetime—Free Spirits were genuine pioneers, exploring territory that barely had a map.

The following year, 1967, Moses began a fruitful collaboration with vibraphonist Gary Burton, with whom he would record throughout the 1970s. Burton’s innovative approach to the vibraphone and his openness to musical experimentation made him the perfect partner for Moses’ exploratory drumming.

Finding His Voice as a Leader
Moses released his first album as a leader, Bittersuite, in 1975—a deeply personal statement that showcased his compositional abilities alongside his drumming. This was followed by Devotion in 1979, further establishing him as not just a sideman but a creative force with his own vision.

During this fertile period, he was also a member of Compost, an adventurous ensemble featuring saxophonist Harold Vick, percussionist Jumma Santos, bassist Jack Gregg, and the great drummer Jack DeJohnette. The group explored Afro-Cuban rhythms, modal jazz, and free improvisation—a melting pot that reflected Moses’ wide-ranging musical interests.

A Collaborator’s Collaborator
Moses became the drummer of choice for some of the most forward-thinking musicians of the era. He worked extensively with saxophonist Dave Liebman’s Open Sky ensemble, guitarist Pat Metheny (during his early, more experimental period), pianist Hal Galper, keyboardist Gil Goldstein, bassist Steve Swallow, Swiss bandleader George Gruntz, and the brilliant guitarist Emily Remler—each collaboration revealing different facets of his musical personality.

What united all these partnerships was Moses’ ability to provide both solid grounding and adventurous color, to swing hard when needed but also to explore texture, space, and unconventional rhythmic structures.

Prolific Leadership
From the 1980s into the new millennium, Moses continued recording prolifically as a leader for Gramavision, Amulet, Navarre, Sunny Side, and Jazzwerkstat record labels. Many of these releases received significant critical acclaim, recognized for their compositional depth, rhythmic sophistication, and willingness to take chances.

Unlike some drummers who lead albums that are merely showcases for technique, Moses’ recordings are genuine compositions—thoughtfully constructed pieces that happen to feature exceptional drumming rather than drum solos searching for a musical context.

Still Creating, Still Teaching
Today, Moses continues performing alongside bassist John Lockwood, bassist Don Pate, and keyboardist John Medeski with the noted spiritual jazz guitarist Tisziji Muñoz—explorations that connect to jazz’s mystical, transcendent possibilities.

He also teaches at the prestigious New England Conservatory, where he passes on decades of hard-won knowledge to the next generation of drummers and improvisers. For Moses, teaching isn’t just about technique—it’s about opening young musicians’ ears to possibilities they haven’t yet imagined.

A Legacy of Fearless Exploration
From teenage prodigy playing with Roland Kirk to jazz-fusion pioneer with Free Spirits, from sensitive accompanist with Gary Burton to visionary bandleader with dozens of albums under his own name, Bob Moses has spent over six decades refusing to be categorized, refusing to play it safe, and refusing to believe that drums are merely a timekeeper.

He’s proven that the drum kit can be a melodic instrument, a textural palette, a conversational partner, and a compositional tool—all while never losing sight of the fundamental groove that makes jazz music move and breathe.

That’s not just a career—that’s a lifetime of pushing boundaries and expanding what’s possible behind the kit.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Billy Harper: The Tenor Titan Who Sang Before He Could Speak Jazz
Long before Billy Harper picked up a tenor saxophone, he was already making music with his voice. Born January 17, 1943, in Houston, Texas, he was singing choral and solo pieces at both secular and sacred events by age five. Music wasn’t something he discovered, it was something already flowing through him, as natural as breathing.

A Prodigy Finds His Instrument
By 14, while still attending Worthing High School, Harper had already formed his first Billy Harper Quintet, a remarkably ambitious move for a teenager. After graduating cum laude, he headed to North Texas State University to study saxophone and music theory, joining their powerhouse big band that was already legendary in jazz education circles. In 1965, the ensemble took first prize at the Kansas Jazz Festival, with Harper’s passionate tenor playing catching the attention of everyone in earshot.

The Move That Changes Everything
The following year, 1966, Harper made the pilgrimage every serious jazz musician eventually makes: New York City. His Coltrane-influenced sound—spiritually intense, harmonically sophisticated, and emotionally raw immediately caught ears. Soon he was playing with jazz royalty: two transformative years with drum master Art Blakey, followed by stints with Elvin Jones, the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Max Roach, Randy Weston, and Gil Evans throughout the 1970s. These weren’t just gigs; they were nightly masterclasses with living legends who had helped define modern jazz.

Global Ambassador, Singular Vision
Harper toured the world with these groups—Africa, Europe, Japan, across the United States—absorbing influences and sharing his sound with audiences everywhere. But it was his work as a leader that truly showcased his unique vision and voice.

His 1973 album Capra Black became a seminal statement of Black consciousness, fusing avant-garde jazz exploration with gospel fervor and political urgency. Then came 1976’s Black Saint, which not only launched the influential Italian label of the same name but announced Harper as a major international force—a composer, bandleader, and conceptualist with something important to say.

A Prolific Career
With over twenty albums to his name and collaborations with flutist Bobbi Humphrey, trumpeter Lee Morgan, and pianist McCoy Tyner (among many others), Harper has spent recent decades recording primarily for the respected Steeplechase and Evidence labels, documenting his continuing evolution as an artist.

Giving Back
And he’s never stopped teaching—generously sharing his hard-won knowledge at Livingston College, Rutgers University, and The New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, earning grants and awards along the way. For Harper, passing on the tradition is as important as extending it.

Still Blowing Strong
He continues touring the globe, still delivering that powerful, spiritually charged tenor sound that’s unmistakably his own. His playing carries the weight of gospel testifying, the intellectual rigor of advanced harmonic thinking, and the emotional honesty of someone who’s lived deeply and honestly through their music.

From Houston church choirs to the world’s greatest concert halls and jazz festivals—that’s a journey worth listening to. And Billy Harper is still writing new chapters.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Baikida Carroll: From St. Louis Streets to the Avant-Garde
Some musicians are born into jazz, literally. Baikida Carroll arrived on January 15, 1947, in St. Louis, Missouri, as the son of tenor saxophonist Jimmy Harris. Music wasn’t just in the house; it was the family business, the air he breathed, the language spoken at the dinner table.

A High School Band for the Ages
As a teenager, Carroll played trumpet in his high school band alongside a young pianist named Donny Hathaway (yes, that Donny Hathaway), while studying theory with his mentor Vernon Nashville. Through the All-City Jazz Band, he connected with future innovators Lester Bowie, J.D. Parran, and James Jabbo Ware. These weren’t just bandmates, they were co-conspirators in what would become the future of creative jazz.

Learning the Craft, Breaking the Rules
Carroll sharpened his technical skills at Southern Illinois University and the Armed Forces School of Music, building a foundation solid enough to support the experimental flights to come. Then he dove headfirst into St. Louis’s Black Artists Group (BAG), where he directed their groundbreaking free jazz ensemble. The 1970s found this revolutionary collective recording in Europe, pushing boundaries and redefining what jazz could be communal, spiritual, and liberated from commercial constraints.

Walking Both Sides of the Street
But here’s what makes Carroll fascinating: he never stayed in one lane. During that same decade, while exploring the outer reaches of avant-garde expression, he was also gigging with blues and R&B royalty—Albert King, Little Milton, Fontella Bass, and Tina Turner. Between gigs, he took master classes with legends like Oliver Nelson, Thad Jones, Ron Carter, Mel Lewis, Phil Woods, and Roland Hanna. Talk about range. Talk about refusing to be boxed in.

A Staggering Body of Work
His discography tells the full story: four albums as a leader and over thirty as a sideman, collaborating with an astonishing roster that includes Sam Rivers, Carla Bley, Steve Lacy, Anthony Braxton, Oliver Lake, Jack DeJohnette, Muhal Richard Abrams, and Julius Hemphill, among many others. Each collaboration reveals a different facet of his musical personality—from tender balladry to explosive free improvisation.

Beyond the Bandstand
Theater called to him too, with credits spanning productions from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to Having Our Say. Fellowships, awards, board positions, Carroll’s contributions to music and the arts run deep and wide, extending far beyond his trumpet playing into education, advocacy, and community building.

Multiple Lifetimes, One Musician
This is a musician who’s lived multiple lifetimes within jazz, each one worth exploring, each one revealing new dimensions of what’s possible when you refuse to choose between tradition and innovation, between accessibility and experimentation, between commercial viability and artistic integrity.

Baikida Carroll didn’t just play the trumpet. He used it to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and remind us that jazz has always been about freedom, musical, personal, and otherwise.

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