Category contemporary jazz

Close-up of a smiling young man wearing glasses and over-ear headphones, sitting centered on a red park bench on a sunny day. His eyes are closed in pure joy, and he’s wearing a light-colored shirt featuring the cover of Herbie Hancock's Headhunter album. Green trees and warm sunlight fill the softly blurred background.

Beyond Jazz Bullying

When I started listening to contemporary jazz, I kept reading about the “jazz police” and “jazz purists”. The self-appointed “authorities” on what jazz was. It was annoying that there was these “gatekeepers” that deemed what I was listening to was…

album cover to Interchange 1 from Kevin Kastning and Paul Wertico

New Music from Paul Wertico

Nearly thirty years ago, on May 27, 1997, Knitting Factory Works released The Sign of the Four, a fearless free-improvisation recording featuring Paul Wertico, Pat Metheny, Derek Bailey, and Gregg Bendian. Now, Grammy-winning drummer, and longtime former Pat Metheny Group…

cover of Tom Kennedy album The Summit and other images of Kennedy

Tom Kennedy – The Summit (2026)

On the very first track on Dave Weckl’s first solo recording, there was Tom Kennedy on bass. He was the bassist and a composer in the Dave Weckl Band for years. He was key to the sound of that great…