John Coltrane at 100
By Bill Milkowski
One hundred years after his birth on September 23, 1936, in Hamden, North Carolina, the searching, searing sound of John Coltrane continues to register with profound impact on generations of musicians and jazz fans alike.
By Kira Grunenberg
By Stephanie Jones
Steve Wilson’s joyful lyricism on the alto saxophone is one of those delights for which many know and hold an abiding affection. Some of those are bandleaders like Maria Schneider, Ron Carter, Christian McBride and who continue to call on him for their big band dates. Some are the musicians like Renee Rosnes, Joe Locke, Kendrick Scott and others whom Wilson calls for his own dates. There’s also the clubs, festivals and labels, like Smoke Sessions, that released Wilson’s new album Enduring Sonance earlier this year. As ubiquitous as Wilson has become — he’s been part of the New York scene since 1987 — this is his first Blindfold Test. It took place at New York University’s Jazz Studies program, with two dozen students attending.
