NPR Music

Around The Jazz Internet: May 4, 2012

By Patrick Jarenwattananon

Published May 4, 2012 at 6:30 PM CDT

Rick Diamond

Getty Images

A new profile of Blue Note Records head Don Was, pictured here at the 2009 BMI Country Awards, reveals some interesting signings.

More from this week:

International Jazz Day concert videos are up. JazzTimes had a writeup. So did Jazz Beyond Jazz.

Cecil Taylor in The New York Times. Ben Ratliff sits down with the great pianist for "five hours over two days," and then some with his artistic progeny. There's also a series of Taylor solo and tribute performances coming up soon in New York.

Don Was, new head of Blue Note Records, is profiled by Nate Chinen in the Times. Public revelations: The label has signed Wayne Shorter, Terence Blanchard, Derrick Hodge, Jose James, Aaron Neville, Van Morrison. New Ravi Coltrane, Lionel Loueke and Joe Lovano records are in the works.

An alternate list of 50 great jazz albums, from Phil Freeman. New, old, both.

Cuban pianist Omar Sosa is coming "home" to the San Francisco Bay Area for a gig. Here's a look at how musicians meet musicians and make themselves feel at "home."

Dan Morgenstern, eminent jazz critic/historian, speaks with WBGO after retiring from the Institute of Jazz Studies. Also: For a look at some throwbacks, check out "This week in JazzSet history."

Three Monk Competition winners, all vocalists, talk about the effect of the award on their careers. This story is actually written by a jazz vocalist for the Washington Post.

A new documentary film paints a portrait of jazz in Washington, D.C. right now. A trailer is up.

Neneh Cherry (daughter of Don Cherry) and The Thing (Scandinavian free-jazz trio) cover rapper MF Doom. Wild, no?

Lessons for all teachers, from jazz-band instructors.

JazzWax spoke with composer-arranger Van Alexander.

The Jazz Session spoke with guitarist Anders Nilsson and pianist Dan Cray.

The Checkout replayed this gig.

Elsewhere at NPR Music:

Lynne Arriale plays the KPLU studios with a trio. There's video here.

Jason Moran was on Talk of the Nation for International Jazz Day. A wonderful interview.

Our intern Dominic listens to Bitches Brew for the very first time.

JazzSet features the Moshier-Lebrun Collective's Studs Terkel project.

Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz features Ellis Larkins.

Alfredo Rodriguez is featured on Song of the Day.