Tom Moon
Tom Moon has been writing about pop, rock, jazz, blues, hip-hop and the music of the world since 1983.
He is the author of the New York Times bestseller 1000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die (Workman Publishing), and a contributor to other books including The Final Four of Everything.
A saxophonist whose professional credits include stints on cruise ships and several tours with the Maynard Ferguson orchestra, Moon served as music critic at the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1988 until 2004. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GQ, Blender, Spin, Vibe, Harp and other publications, and has won several awards, including two ASCAP-Deems Taylor Music Journalism awards. He has contributed to NPR's All Things Considered since 1996.
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The drummer and Virginia native's first solo project, Kinfolk: Postcards From Everywhere, introduces a restless musical spirit.
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The latest album from the Brooklyn-based Balkan party band is a rearrangement of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's Far East Suite.
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The bestselling French DJ and producer returns with his first album in 15 years, aided by the great guitarist Guimba Kouyate.
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The rangy, prolific jazz trio teams up with the tenor-sax great for a journey into the murky, terrifying, thrilling unknown.
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NPR's Melissa Block and music critic Tom Moon discuss the thrill of intimacy on three new albums by duos.
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On an assured debut, Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio pivots from jazz's bygone eras into the hyperlinked modern age and back again.
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Nearly three-quarters of a century old, the label remains a showcase for jazz soloing in every possible mood and temperament. Here are our picks for sublime moments from the catalog.
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NPR's Melissa Block talks with music critic Tom Moon about three recently released live recordings, all from around 1970, that each capture an artist at a distinct point of change in his career.
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At 78, jazz drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath is still displaying his aptitude for making songs swing while keeping them firmly in time. Critic Tom Moon reviews Tootie's Tempo, Heath's collaboration with two younger jazz players.
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The two artists are known opposites in the world of instrumental music. On Metheny's latest, the jazz guitarist wrings an unexpectedly visual listening experience from Zorn's knotty compositions.