Author Archives: The Independent Ear

Dysfunctional is the curious title of a gritty and revealing autobiography written figurative minutes before the passing on to ancestry of a Kansas City treasure, master saxophonist Ahmad Alaadeen. Subtitled “life journeys of a second generation jazz musician,” that’s precisely … Continue reading →

PRES BIRD THE QUEEN August 27 marked the anniversary of the birth of the President of the Tenor Saxophone, the great Lester “Pres” Young. Monday, August 29 marked the anniversary of the births of the Yardbird, Charlie “Yardbird” Parker, and … Continue reading →

Over the past few months the Independent Ear has featured conversations with some of today’s Brooklyn jazz movers & shakers, as well as a series of conversations on the legendary East. In this installment we journey back to the mid-1950s, … Continue reading →

Harlem jazz scribe Ron Scott, a past participant in our series of conversations with black jazz writers “Ain’t But a Few of Us,” and a regular contributor to the Amsterdam News among other outlets, wrote this appreciation of a truly … Continue reading →

New Mexico is one of the less publicized beauty spots of this country. Past experiences in Santa Fe and Albuquerque have been very agreeable. Last weekend’s experience there as a small part of the annual New Mexico Jazz Festival was … Continue reading →