James Moody Monterey Jazz Festival 2007 © Paul Slaughter

The jazz great, James Moody, passed away at 85 years old in San Diego on Thursday, December 9, 2010.

Moody was born in Savannah, Georgia in 1925 but grew up New Jersey. Over the years he worked with many jazz groups and extensively with Dizzy Gillespie. Since 1993 he headed up his own quartet. Moody was known for his skilled playing of the alto sax, tenor sax, and flute in his repertoire. He had amiable stage presence, humor and sang a song or two. Moody's latest recording is Moody 4B.

John McLaughlin © Paul Slaughter 2010

John McLaughlin, Lensic Theater, Santa Fe, NM 2010

Toshiko Akiyoshi New Mexico Jazz Festival 2010 © Paul Slaughter

The New Mexico Jazz Festival 2010 featured the Toshiko Akiyoshi Quartet wth the superb reed man, Lew Tabackin. Her quartet also featured Boris Koslov on base and Mark Taylor on drums. Toshiko, now 80, also conducted a 15 piece band with much fervor and vitality.

Gerald Wilson Monterey Jazz Festival 2007 © Paul Slaughter

This is the 90th year of the great American jazz orchestra leader and composer, Gerald Wilson. I recall playing his inventive music in the late sixties when I was a disc jockey on KBCA-FM, a jazz radio station in Los Angeles. In 2007 I had the good fortune to attend and photograph the 50th Anniversary of the Monterey Jazz Festival, and hear the exciting sounds of Gerald and his great orchestra. Another treat was having a Sunday morning breakfast with Gerald and his lovely wife, Josephine, along with a few other photographers covering the Festival. A great morning with a most gracious couple.

John Cage Los Angeles 1987 © Paul Slaughter

Today, September 5, is the birthday of John Cage, the American composer, who was born in 1912 and died, August 12, 1992. Cage was a pioneer of chance music, electronic music and non-standard use of musical instruments. Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. This photograph was taken during the Los Angeles Theater Festival in 1987.

The Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach, CA. 1969 © Paul Slaughter

I think that's a VW beetle on the right reflecting the neon lights of that once fabulous jazz club, the Lighthouse, in Hermosa Beach, California. Where did the past forty years go anyway? Just think hearing the cool sounds of Dizzy and Gabor. Oh, The entrance fee for ladies night was $ 1.50.

Dave Grusin Santa Fe 2009 © Paul Slaughter

Dave Grusin, Academy Award winning composer, peforming at the

4th Annual New Mexico Jazz Festival, Lensic Theater, Santa Fe.