Ellis Marsalis

In this installment of Liner Notes with Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, we learn about multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer and arranger Ralph Towner. Born in Washington, Towner incorporates improvisation into much of his work. Blumofe encourages using Towner’s work to remind us…

How often do we engage in work by choice? How often is that work an obligation? In this installment of Liner Notes with Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, we learn about avant-garde pianist, improviser and composer Myra Melford who uses music to transcend the everyday. Melford’s time stu…

How can we distance ourselves from convenient situations to allow ourselves to see fresh perspectives? In this installment of Liner Notes with Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, we learn about jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon, one of the originators of the bebop sound. For much of his career, Go…