On this edition of Liner Notes, Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe remembers the legendary patriarch of New Orleans Jazz, Ellis Marsalis.

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In this installment of Liner Notes with Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, we learn about multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer and arranger Ralph Towner. Born in Washington, Towner incorporates improvisation into much of his work. Blumofe encourages using Towner’s work to remind us of the multitudes within ourselves.

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How can we distance ourselves from convenient situations to allow ourselves to see fresh perspectives?

In this installment of Liner Notes with Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, we learn about jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon, one of the originators of the bebop sound. For much of his career, Gordon played in Europe and merged his sound with the nascent European jazz movement.

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How often do we engage in work by choice? How often is that work an obligation?

In this installment of Liner Notes with Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, we learn about avant-garde pianist, improviser and composer Myra Melford who uses music to transcend the everyday. Melford’s time studying classical Indian music as a Fulbright Scholar also shines through in her work.

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In this installment of Liner Notes with Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, we learn about the life and career of Jack Sheldon, a bebop trumpeter, singer and actor, who voiced beloved characters on Schoolhouse Rock. Blumofe also discusses how Sheldon’s work serves as a reminder of the endless opportunities in life.

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How does the sudden loss of a central figure change the local music community? How does the community deal with that loss?

In this installment of Liner Notes with Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, we learn about the life and career of Austin jazz pianist Rich Harney who passed away on Jan. 5, 2020.

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What does it mean to create a legacy? How do we hold at once the future and the present as we move through the world?

In this installment of Liner Notes with Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe, we learn about the life and career of jazz great Joe Lovano, who continues to collaborate and create while bringing the history of jazz into the 21st century.

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In this edition of Liner Notes, Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe talks about what the life and music of Palmieri can teach us about identity, the power of movement, and the necessity of community.

Eddie Palmieri is an American pianist, bandleader, musician, and composer of Puerto Rican ancestry. He is the founder of the bands La Perfecta, La Perfecta II, and Harlem River Drive.

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Terry Gibbs is an American vibraphonist and bandleader who remains the oldest bebopper at the age of 95. In this edition of Liner Notes, Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe talks about what Gibbs’s long career can teach us about inclusion and unity in the face of isolation and fear.

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Azar Lawrence is an American jazz saxophonist who was hired by McCoy Tyner following the death of John Coltrane. In this edition of Liner Notes, Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe talks about what Lawrence can teach us about continuing a legacy, finding our voice, and knowing our value while holding on to our mortality.

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