Gene Seymour, a Connecticut native, spent years working for big-city newspapers as a reporter and movie and jazz critic—including at the Philadelphia Daily News, where we first crossed paths. He's the author of a young adult history, Jazz, the Great American Art. These days, he lives in Philadelphia and contributes mightily on a remarkable range of subjects from baseball to crime novels and many steps in between to The Nation, Bookforum, CNN. com, The New Republic, the Washington Post, and others. His excellent Substack is That Gene Seymour.

Ron Carter, the great bassist, was born in 1937, and you would be hard-pressed to find a notable jazz artist from the 1960s to the present he did not play with. These days he leads several groups and has an active touring schedule, which you can learn about at his website. I recommend following him on Facebook, YouTube, and virtually every other platform you happen to find yourself on. 

Photo: Ron Carter in 2009. Credit: Marek Lazarski