Jazz

He died earlier this month. Lacy was considered "the foremost interpreter of Thelonius Monk" and in fact trained and performed with Monk when he was in his mid-20s. Lacy was also known as the "father of the modern soprano saxophone." (This interview first aired Nov. 20, 1997.)

Jones was considered one of the most influential drummers in jazz history. He died Tuesday at the age of 76. He was best known for his work with John Coltrane. He also toured with bassist Charles Mingus and pianist Bud Powell. Jones had been a bandleader for over 30 years. His brother Hank Jones is a respected jazz pianist and his brother Thad Jones was a composer, arranger and bandleader who died in 1986. (Originally broadcast on Jan. 7, 1998.)

We remember record producer Milt Gabler, who died July 20 at the age of 90. Gabler founded America's first independent record label, Commodore Records. He was the first to record Billie Holiday's anti-lynching song, Strange Fruit, after major record companies refused. He was also the first to pair Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. Later, he produced records for Bill Haley and the Comets, Peggy Lee, the Weavers, the Ink Spots and many others. His record store Commodore Music was legendary and a hangout for musicians and music lovers.

We remember jazz bassist Milt Hinton. He died yesterday at the age of 90. Hinton was one of the great jazz bass players, having played with musicians like Cab Calloway, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday. Throughout his career, Hinton photographed the musicians he worked with, and the surroundings he moved through. His books of photographs are "Bass Line: The Stories and Photographs of Milt Hinton" (Temple University Press), and "Overtime: The Jazz Photographs of Milt Hinton"

We remember jazz trumpeter Lester Bowie. He died Monday at the age of 58 from liver cancer. Bowie was a founding member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, founded in 1969. Bowie was known for his flamboyant performing, his sense of humor and theatrics, and his off kilter interpretations of R&B classics. (REBROADCAST from 11/3/89) (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES AFTER THE FLOATER).

Vibraphonist Milt Jackson died from liver cancer. He played with Earl Hine's big band, and Dizzy Gillespie's. He took his style not from another vibraphonist but from Charlie Parker, and was the first bona fide bebop musician on the vibraphone. Jackson also recorded music with Thelonious Monk. And in 1952 he co-founded the Modern Jazz Quartet, pulled from Gillespie's rhythm section, which stayed together for over 20 years. (REBROADCAST from 1983)

We remember jazz musician Art Farmer. He died on Monday at the age of 71 from heart failure. Farmer was an important second-generation be-bop musician, and also known for his warm tone and lovely ballads on the trumpet and fluegelhorn. He worked with bands led by Wardell Gray, Horace Silver, and Gerry Mulligan. In the 1950s he formed the Jazztet, a sextet with saxophonist Benny Golson, and they wrote many compositions together. (REBROADCAST from 7/21/87)

We remember jazz singer Joe Williams who died yesterday at the age of 80. Williams begin singing professionally at age 17, influenced by Erskine Tate, Jimmy Noone and Coleman Hawkins. In 1954, he became Count Basie's number one singer and was perhaps the principal reason the band was the dominate big band of the 50s and 60s. His hits include "Every Day (I Have the Blues)" and "All Right, Ok, You Win." He started performing as a soloist in 1961. (REBROADCAST from 6/20/89)

We remember jazz vocalist Betty Carter with a 1990 interview. She was considered one of jazz's great singers, composers and arrangers. She was known for her work with small groups, her control of tempo, and her vocal improvisations. In 1961 she recorded what became a classic album, "Ray Charles and Betty Carter." In 1993 she began the Jazz Ahead series at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Last year she received the National Medal of Arts. She died on Saturday of pancreatic cancer. She was 69. (REBROADCAST from 11/28/90)

We remember jazz drummer Tony Williams, who died of a heart attach Sunday at the age of 51. As a teen prodigy, Williams played with the Miles Davis Quintet, and later drummed with Jimi Hendrix and John Coltrane. (REBROADCAST from 5/25/90)