Moffou marked the return of Salif Keita to legendary status. Full and robust yet haunting and sparse, the Malian legend erased contradictions with the turn of a chord.

Co-written by Marsalis and Yacub Addy and performed in Katrina ravaged New Orleans in the spring of 2006, Congo Square translates both the history of the site for which it was named and the protestations of a community wronged.

Every major musical movement has been driven by the magic of its iconography. From stylized album covers to re-imagined artistic interpretations to editorial photographs, every powerful musical movement has been buoyed by the mythos that surrounds the images of its greatest practitioners. The thought of musical iconography immediately brings time honored visuals to mind. The iconic images of stoic Jazz artists set in moody scenes replete with billowing smoke and Rock musicians alternating between hipster poses and performance induced mania are examples to name a few. But what are the prevailing visuals that will come to define the artists of the 20th century’s clean-up musical revolution? What will define Hip Hop for the eye? Perhaps no musical form has had such a powerfully propulsive visual component as Hip Hop. From Graffiti, Hip Hop’s own in-bred contribution to the world of Visual Art, to the genre-bending use of editing applied to its music videos, Hip Hop has always been a medium where the image has been as significant as the rhythm. But though artistic interpretations of Hip Hop iconography abound, the question still the remains, centuries from now what will be the visual remains of the Hip Hop star? continued

oscar peterson
pianist. statesman

Oscar Peterson was a large and graceful man. Even hunched over a piano, Peterson exuded a level of refinement that would define both his approach to music and his approach to life. His personal philosophy, like his music, sprung from a profound understanding of the importance of preparation and dedication. In addition to his place as a musical national treasure, Peterson was called upon to weigh in on issues far beyond the call of music, his influence extending to matters such as education and national policy. And with nearly every honor and hosanna imaginable placed neatly at his feet, Peterson still emanated an accessibility and openness that belied his exalted status. Oscar Peterson was a graceful man. continue