Kevin Whitehead

Kevin Whitehead continues his Avant Garde Made Easy series with a look at pianist Cecil Taylor.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead begins a new six-part series we call Avant-Garde Made Easy, highlighting some of the important modern jazz mavericks of the so-called Avant Garde. Today we consider the music of trumpeter Lester Bowie.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead begins a new six-part series we call Avant-Garde Made Easy, highlighting some of the important modern jazz mavericks of the so-called Avant Garde. We begin the series with pianist, composer, and band leader Sun Ra.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead continues his look at Duke Ellington.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead corrects some common misconceptions about Duke Ellington.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead discusses Dutch jazz. He's been spending a lot of time in the Netherlands to research the style.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead has a tribute to Don Pullen, who died Saturday at age 53. The New York Times called Pullen "one of the major jazz pianists of his generation."

Jazz Critic Kevin Whitehead remembers the late Julius Hemphill, who died on Sunday. Hemphill, the saxophonist and composer, helped found the World Saxophone Quartet.

Jazz critic Kevin White pays tribute to Ella Fitzgerald who turns 75 this Sunday. He argues that there are two versions of the jazz singer -- an interpreter of ballads and standards, the other a "superhuman" scat singer.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead pays tribute to the singer, who died last Monday.