@billmilkowski.bsky.social
Sad news about the passing of the great pianist-composer Richie Beirach at age 78. RIP, Richie! bit.ly/4bR8o0k
R.I.P. Richie Beirach
Sad news today about the passing of the great Brooklyn-born pianist
bit.ly
January 27, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Sad news about the passing of the great pianist-composer Richie Beirach at age 78. RIP, Richie! bit.ly/4bR8o0k
I was just listening to Ralph Towner's 2006 album Time Line on Saturday, then woke up on Sunday to the sad news that he had passed at age 85 in his home in Rome, Italy. I immediately posted my memories of the guitar great on Substack.
Remembering Ralph Towner
The guitar great and longtime ECM artist passed away on Sunday at age 85
open.substack.com
January 20, 2026 at 4:15 PM
I was just listening to Ralph Towner's 2006 album Time Line on Saturday, then woke up on Sunday to the sad news that he had passed at age 85 in his home in Rome, Italy. I immediately posted my memories of the guitar great on Substack.
Reminiscing about my 40+year friendship with guitar great Mike Stern on the ccasion of his 73rd birthday. billmilkowski.substack.com/p/through-th...
Through the Decades with Mike Stern
The guitar hero, dedicated road warrior and survivor of the '80s recently turned 73
billmilkowski.substack.com
January 15, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Reminiscing about my 40+year friendship with guitar great Mike Stern on the ccasion of his 73rd birthday. billmilkowski.substack.com/p/through-th...
Yesterday slipped by without me acknowledging the passing of Michael Brecker on Jan. 13, 2007 at age 57. He was a sweet man, a beloved husband to Susan and father to Jessica and Sam, and perhaps the greatest tenor saxophone player on the planet during his shortened career. And he is still missed.
Remembering Michael Brecker
A slide show and excerpt from my 2021 book, "Ode to a Tenor Titan"
billmilkowski.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 11:07 PM
Yesterday slipped by without me acknowledging the passing of Michael Brecker on Jan. 13, 2007 at age 57. He was a sweet man, a beloved husband to Susan and father to Jessica and Sam, and perhaps the greatest tenor saxophone player on the planet during his shortened career. And he is still missed.
A tip of the hat to the great guitar avatar John McLaughlin, who turned 84 on Jan. 4. www.billmilkowski.com/post/happy-b...
Happy Birthday, John McLaughlin!
The undisputed guitar hero turns 84 today
www.billmilkowski.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:51 PM
A tip of the hat to the great guitar avatar John McLaughlin, who turned 84 on Jan. 4. www.billmilkowski.com/post/happy-b...
The great tenor saxophonist turns 73 today. open.substack.com/pub/billmilk...
Happy Birthday, Joe Lovano!
The tenor sax titan and multiple reedman turns 73 today
open.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:11 AM
The great tenor saxophonist turns 73 today. open.substack.com/pub/billmilk...
This most distinctive voice in jazz guitar turns 74 today. open.substack.com/pub/billmilk...
Happy Birthday, John Scofield!
The most distinctive guitar voice on the scene turns 74 today
open.substack.com
December 26, 2025 at 10:51 PM
This most distinctive voice in jazz guitar turns 74 today. open.substack.com/pub/billmilk...
Once again, I couldn't just pick ten!
My Top 100 Jazz Albums of 2025
Once again, I just couldn't stop at ten
open.substack.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Once again, I couldn't just pick ten!
Through the month of December, Jaco's birthday month, I'm cutting 40% off the retail price of my Jaco biography: www.billmilkowski.com/product-page...
JACO: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius | Bill Milkowski
A fitting tribute to the troubled genius who revolutionized electric bass playing and bridged the gaps between jazz, R&B, rock and funk. From his early days in R&B club bands through his inter...
www.billmilkowski.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Through the month of December, Jaco's birthday month, I'm cutting 40% off the retail price of my Jaco biography: www.billmilkowski.com/product-page...
Jaco would've turned 74 today. Who loves ya, Jaco!
Who Loves Ya, Jaco!
YouTube video by Bill Milkowski
youtu.be
December 1, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Jaco would've turned 74 today. Who loves ya, Jaco!
The late guitar great Russell Malone would've turned 62. Read this Before & After session I did with him in 2011 for JazzTimes: bit.ly/3WLRkQE
Remembering Russell Malone
The guitar great would've turned 62 today (November 8)
bit.ly
November 9, 2025 at 12:01 AM
The late guitar great Russell Malone would've turned 62. Read this Before & After session I did with him in 2011 for JazzTimes: bit.ly/3WLRkQE
Here's 12 new recordings I highly recommend.
A Dozen Gems Worth Checking Out
Top twelve choices in a deluge of new jazz releases flooding across my desk
open.substack.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Here's 12 new recordings I highly recommend.
On the occasion of his 64th birthday (yesterday), I look back at interviews I did with maestro Marsalis in 2000 and 2007.
Wynton Marsalis (Always) Speaks His Mind
Revisiting interviews from 2000 and 2007 on the occasion of his 64th birthday
open.substack.com
October 19, 2025 at 7:02 PM
On the occasion of his 64th birthday (yesterday), I look back at interviews I did with maestro Marsalis in 2000 and 2007.
Here's to Big Chief John Sinclair, who would've turned 84 today (from my 2023 Substack column): billmilkowski.substack.com/p/a-salute-t...
Remembering Big Chief John Sinclair
A fond farewell to the poet-political activist-blues scholar and marijuana connoisseur
billmilkowski.substack.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Here's to Big Chief John Sinclair, who would've turned 84 today (from my 2023 Substack column): billmilkowski.substack.com/p/a-salute-t...
Who loves ya, Jaco! (Dec. 1, 1951 -- Sept. 21, 1987)
Remembering the World's Greatest Bassist
Jaco Pastorius passed away on Sept. 21, in 1987, just shy of his 36th birthday
open.substack.com
September 21, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Who loves ya, Jaco! (Dec. 1, 1951 -- Sept. 21, 1987)
"Anyone who ever bent a string and squeezed all the juice out of the note, as Carlos Santana once put it to me, owes a huge debt to the King of the Blues."
My tribute to B.B. King contains tons of YouTube clips of selected performances from over the years. What a rich contribution he made.
My tribute to B.B. King contains tons of YouTube clips of selected performances from over the years. What a rich contribution he made.
A Centennial Shout-out to B.B. King
All hail the King of the Blues, who was born on September 16, 1925
open.substack.com
September 19, 2025 at 4:46 PM
"Anyone who ever bent a string and squeezed all the juice out of the note, as Carlos Santana once put it to me, owes a huge debt to the King of the Blues."
My tribute to B.B. King contains tons of YouTube clips of selected performances from over the years. What a rich contribution he made.
My tribute to B.B. King contains tons of YouTube clips of selected performances from over the years. What a rich contribution he made.
Legendary saxophonist Dave Liebman turned 79 last week. All the best, Lieb!
Thinking of the Great Dave Liebman
The legendary saxophonist-educator and NEA Jazz Master just turned 79Last week we celebrated the 79th birthday of a living jazz master, an icon whose saxophone playing (on both tenor and soprano) has ...
www.billmilkowski.com
September 6, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Legendary saxophonist Dave Liebman turned 79 last week. All the best, Lieb!
Here's my appreciation of the iconic saxophonist, prolific recording artist and educator Dave Liebman, who turns 79 today. bit.ly/3HX8Bmg
Thinking of the Great Dave Liebman
The legendary saxophonist-educator and NEA Jazz Master turns 79 today
bit.ly
September 4, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Here's my appreciation of the iconic saxophonist, prolific recording artist and educator Dave Liebman, who turns 79 today. bit.ly/3HX8Bmg
Pat would've turned 77 today. #patmartino #jazzguitar
Thinking of Guitar Great Pat Martino
The South Philly native and influential force in jazz would've turned 77 today
substack.com
August 25, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Pat would've turned 77 today. #patmartino #jazzguitar
Remembering the guitar great on what would've been his 79th birthday. open.substack.com/pub/billmilk...
The Unmitigated Mastery (and Mystery) of the Late, Great Allan Holdsworth
The iconic, unprecedented guitar genius would've turned 79 today
open.substack.com
August 6, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Remembering the guitar great on what would've been his 79th birthday. open.substack.com/pub/billmilk...
Thinking of the Great Sheila Jordan Today
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open.substack.com/pub/billmilk...
Thinking of the Great Sheila Jordan Today
The beloved jazz singer is currently in hospice care and needs our help
open.substack.com
August 4, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Thinking of the Great Sheila Jordan Today
open.substack.com/pub/billmilk...
open.substack.com/pub/billmilk...
To commemorate Al Di Meola's 71st birthday yesterday, I have compiled some reminiscences of my various encounters with the guitar hero over the years:
Happy 71st Birthday to Al Di Meola
The guitar great is fully back from a health scare in 2023 and out touring once again
open.substack.com
July 23, 2025 at 6:51 PM
To commemorate Al Di Meola's 71st birthday yesterday, I have compiled some reminiscences of my various encounters with the guitar hero over the years:
Happy to revisit all the ebullient characters in my book "Swing It! An Annotated History of Jive"
www.billmilkowski.com/post/cat-fat...
www.billmilkowski.com/post/cat-fat...
Cab, Fats, Slim & Mr. Jordan Redux
Excerpts from my book, "Swing It! An Annotated History of Jive"
www.billmilkowski.com
June 9, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Happy to revisit all the ebullient characters in my book "Swing It! An Annotated History of Jive"
www.billmilkowski.com/post/cat-fat...
www.billmilkowski.com/post/cat-fat...