Press

JAZZ DANCE SUITES
Official Press Release

As an architect of this artform who has released inventive records since 1964, the genius of Charles McPherson has been chronicled by a vast library of recordings that span the past six decades.  Now 80 years old, McPherson’s Jazz Dance Suites captures his groundbreaking collaboration with the San Diego Ballet, an association which began in 2015.  MORE

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Video Interviews (select)

Charles McPherson interviewed by Pablo Held – Saxophonist Charles McPherson is a living legend, a musician of the highest order. I’ve learned a lot by listening to him play (and speak!) over the years. When I got the chance to interview him as part of the Mingus100 Festival at @stadtgartenkoeln, I was delighted!

A Conversation with Charles McPherson –  Milwaukee Jazz Institute’s most recent Jazz Circle event was a conversation with saxophone legend Charles McPherson. The discussion, hosted by MJI artistic director Mark Davis, delved into McPherson’s amazing career. You’ll hear incredible stories about meeting and hearing Charlie Parker, learning from Barry Harris in Detroit, and working with Charles Mingus. You’ll also learn about the inspiration for his new album, Jazz Dance Suites. (2020)

NPR music – Bird & Beyond: Celebrating Charlie Parker at 100 (A Jazz Congress 2020 Session) 

Jazz Festival L’Estartit  – TV3’s report of the two concerts that last night inaugurated the 6th #JazzFestivalEstartit with Charles McPherson and Joshua Redman, Ron Miles Music, Scott Colley, and Dave King. (2019)

Nancy Barber – “Charles talks about being lucky to grow up in Detroit” – A clip from an upcoming documentary about Baker’s Keyboard Lounge and the history of Jazz in Detroit, directed by Nancy Barber. (2019)

In Person, with Jazz Times“Charles McPherson on The Jazz Cruise 2016” (2016)

Brian Pace, The Pace Report“Let The Doctor Play His Horn, Man!” (2015)

Joffe WoodwindsInterview with Dr. Edward Joffe (2015)

KSDSFM/Jazz 88.3 – Interview with Mark DeBoskey (2014)

Larry Himmel, News 8 –The Hippest Man in San Diego(1993)

Audio Interviews

WUTO 91.9fm Knoxville
McPherson Talks Bird, Mingus, and McPherson
Todd Streed, March, 2023

WZUM, Pittsburgh Jazz Channel
An extended visit with Charles McPherson, talking about his early years in Detroit, 
plus other early influences.
Scott Hanley, March 10, 2022

90.7FM Berkeley
DJ Nickel Hardaway sits down with Charles and

discusses his career and most recent release, JAZZ DANCE SUITES

Nickel Hardaway, November, 2021 

A LONG WAY FROM THE BLOCK podcast
A Conversation with Be Bop legend Charles McPherson
Anthony Thomas, September 19, 2021

KSDS FM 88.3 Ken Borgers sits down with Charles to discuss the influence of Charlie Parker on “Bird’s” 101 birthday. Many musical examples included. August 2021

“Cool Toddcast” Grammy Award-winning bassist Todd Coolman sits down with the McPherson family in a conversation about a wonderful collaboration between jazz music and dance. PODCAST Episode 7 JAZZ DANCE SUITES May 2021

Influential: McPherson’s Playlist – KPBS MIdday Edition Now in his 80s, the San Diego jazz saxophonist is still performing and recently released new work. Get to know the works that shaped him and continue to drive his music.
Brooke Ruth & Julia Dixon Evans on KPBS MIdday Edition, February 2021

90.5 WICN Public Radio PODCAST with Tom Lucci – Tom Lucci spoke with the legendary Charles McPherson recently. Charles has been a leading apostle of the alto saxophone since 1960! Clint Eastwood called him to evoke Charlie Parker’s sound in his acclaimed biopic movie “Bird,” and Jazz at Lincoln Center recently honored him on his 80th birthday. His 28th album as a leader, “Jazz Dance Suites,” is very special. Find out why, plus hear a lot of jazz history and wisdom from one of the greats in this in-depth conversation.

“All That’s Jazz” PODCAST with Allen Scott -“In this episode, we talk with both Charles, Camille, and Lynn – Charles’ wife and Camille’s mother who is not only a concert pianist and educator but also manager, promoter, and agent for her husband.”  October 2020

KSDS Inside Art with David Drexler – Charles and Grammy-award winning John Beasley sit down with Dave Drexler and talk about Charles’ upcoming 82nd Birthday Celebration Concert, a joint project recorded during the pandemic, and much more.
July, 2021

KSDS Inside Art with David Drexler – Charles & Lynn McPherson sit down with Dave and talk about Jazz Dance Suites, plus much more. October, 2020

WUSF All Night Jazz with Mike Cornette – New audio interview!

 KSDS Inside Art with David Drexler – Radio interview with Charles McPherson about his upcoming concert Charles McPherson Plays Charlie “Bird” Parker With Strings. 

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The Nikhil Hogan Show – Charles talkes about his 80th birthday and a special concert: “McCoy Tyner and Charles McPherson at 80” at Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis. (August 7, 2019)

KPBS.org – Andrew Bracken interviews Charles.“Discovering Bird” When Charles McPherson first saw “Bird” Charlie Parker play he said, “I want to be that.” Now, he’s one of the most renowned saxophonists in San Diego. (August 1, 2018)

jazz88.org – ‘Inside Art’ with Dave Drexler – Javier Velasco and Charles McPherson chat with Dave about San Diego Ballet’s ‘A Night of Jazz & Dance’ (May 8, 2018)

The Nikhil Hogan Show – Interview with Legendary Bebop Jazz Master Saxophonist & Composer | Dr. Charles McPherson (Published on Apr 30, 2018)

Jazz Bastard Podcast 132 – Charles McPherson Interviewed by Patrick Burnette – Charles discusses an early encounter with Charlie Parker, lessons from Barry Harris, a wild first night employed by Charles Mingus, what bebop means to him, and several other topics. (January 10, 2018)

90.9 WDCB Public Radio – (November 7, 2014) Chicago’s home for Jazz with Barry Winograd

Arizona Public MediaSaxophonist Charles McPherson

The Hamilton College Jazz ArchiveAudio Interview

Indiana Public Media – Charles McPherson’s Post-Bird Bop

KPBS Radio – Alto Saxophonist Charles McPherson Highlights a Career-Spanning 50 Years

WBEZ’s Morning ShiftCelebrating Charlie Parker’s foray into classical music

WBEZ ChicagoInterview with Barry Winograd (June 10, 1993)

Reviews, Articles and Published Interviews (select) 

KSDS’s Jazz LiveDivinely Inspired Music and Humanity-Inspired Jokes Reign in Return of KSDS’s Jazz Live
Matt Silver, August 11th, 2023

chicagoobservations.com – Show and Tell
“Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see.”
— Arthur Schopenhauer
Jack B. Siegel’s Photographs and Commentary, August 15th, 2023

All AboutJazzCharles McPherson Quintet At Jazz Alley AllAboutJazz logo
To be fortunate enough to see an artist of the caliber of alto saxophonist/master composer Charles McPherson perform live is a blessing, to be sure.
Paul Rauch, June 21, 2023

Berkeleyside“Charles McPherson, among the top alto saxophonist in the world, is performing Friday and Saturday…….”
Andrew Gilbert, February 14, 2023

La Scena MusicaleCharles McPherson – The Artistry of Linear Logic
Marc Chenard, September 27, 2022

MUSICA JAZZ – CHARLES & CAMILLE MC PHERSON  A new path for a saxophone master,
Traveling with his family: his daughter Camille, a very talented classical dancer, and his wife Lynn, a classical pianist. Here’s what he told us.
Samantha Mattiuzzi, Editor, July 17, 2022

JazzTimesCharles McPherson Remembers Barry Harris
The alto saxophonist pays tribute to his late mentor and friend (12/15/1929 – 12/8/2021)
Charles McPherson, February 18, 2022

The Joplin GlobeSaxophonist slates Joplin homecoming, decades in the making
Kevin McClintock, February 4, 2022

San Diego Union TribuneSan Diego Ballet’s ‘Bird/LAND’ a family affair for
sax great Charles McPherson and dancer daughter Camille

George Varga, February 4, 2022

The Philadelphia InquirerJazz Orchestra of Philadelphia celebrates the holiday season and Charlie Parker’s 100th at Annenberg Center
Shaun Brady, December 20, 2021

Arizona RepublicThe Nash celebrates 9 years with the music of ‘one of the giants of giants’: Charlie Parker
Ed Masley, November 2, 2021

San Diego Union-TribuneCharles McPherson, jazz sax great coming off a banner year, will play 82nd birthday concert.
George Varga, July 22, 2021

Stereogum.comThe Month In Jazz – Ugly Beauty
Phil Freeman, May 2012

VinylJunkies.com12 Questions with Charles McPherson
Andrew Daly,

JazzthingComposer in Residence (German)
Rolf Thomas, November 2020

San Diego TroubadourCharles McPherson: Weathering the Pandemic with New Album and Ballet Project
Jim Trageser, Sept 2020

bebop spoken hereQ & A w. Charles McPherson
Russell, July 27, 2020

JersyJazzFROM BEBOP TO BALLET Alto Saxophonist Charles McPherson: A True Giant of Jazz
Sanford Josephson, June 2020

JAZZIZ – BIRD LOVERS Bird Lovers article on Charles McPherson.
Ted Panken, Spring 2020 

IDEAL GRANADACharles McPherson, Bop exhibition at the Festival
November 8, 2019

boemradio.comCharles McPherson Quartet @ Half Note – Review
Kostis Gogios, November 6, 2019

Chusmi10Universijazz 2019, Charles McPherson Quartet 80th Birthday Tour
Chusmi, July 30th, 2019

Musica Jazz – Charles McPherson Quartet – 51st International Jazz Festival of La Spezia 
Giancarlo Spezia, July 30, 2019 

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD – Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton
Marsalis, McCoy Tyner, and Charles McPherson at Rose Hall (Apr. 5th).
MAY 5, 2019

DOWNBEATMcCoy Tyner, Charles McPherson Feted at Jazz at Lincoln Center Performance
Suzanne Lorge, April 12, 2019

The Mercury NewsSan Jose Jazz Winter Fest ready to groove with sax legend Charles McPherson
Andrew Gilbert, February 13, 2019

London Jazz NewsINTERVIEW: Stephen Keogh talks to Charles McPherson who will be 80 this year on January 03, 2019

Musica Jazz (Click to see story & photos) – Charles McPherson Quartet at the Zaragoza Jazz Festival (translation from spanish)
Giancarlo Spezia – Novemember 28, 2018

Administracion Digital (Spain)Charles McPherson
Leopoldo Simó, November 15, 2018

SFCV (San Francisco Classical Voice)With Charles McPherson, Age Never Sounded So Good
Andrew Gilbert, July 31, 2018

The New MexicanThe right place at the right time: The jazz education of Charles McPherson
Richard Sheinin, Jul 20, 2018

Vandoren.comAn Interview With Charles McPherson Part 1
Interview conducted by Michael Fenoglio and Rebecca Scholldorf

San Diego Reader – Why the great composers collaborated with ballet
Robert Bush, April 19, 2018

Dothegig.com – Charles McPherson Quintet at Dizzy’s NYC
Nathan Bellott, March 18th, 2018

New York Times – Jazz Concerts to Check Out in NYC (Dizzy’s concert)
Giovanni Russonello, March 1st, 2018

Allaboutjazz.com – Charles McPherson: The Man And His Muse
By Joan Gannij, March 15, 2018

Jazzpodium – Germany’s oldest jazz magazine (since 1952) “Keeper of Bird’s Flame” Link to PDF in German.
Peter Billaudelle, March 2018 Issue

San Diego Union-Tribune – 5 Gifts We Were Thankful For This Year

George Vargas, September 2017

SanDiegoStory.com – Synergy is Sweet, Indeed, as San Diego Ballet Pirouettes to Live Jazz

Janice Steinberg, May 25, 2017

Album cover Charles McPhersons 1975 "Beautiful"

THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD REVIEW –Beautiful! Charles McPherson (Xanadu-Elemental Music) 

Review of the re-release

Duck Baker, 20 March 2017

London Jazz NewsREVIEW: Charles McPherson Quartet at Pizza Express

Charlie Anderson, 17th February 2017

EL MUNDOCharles McPherson, la última orilla del bebop

Pablo Sanz, Madrid 20/02/2017

London Jazz News – PREVIEW: Charles McPherson in London (Pizza Express Dean Street 17/18 Feb, 2017)

SDSU News Center – “Renowned Saxophonist Collaborates with SDSU Jazz Ensemble”
Graciella Regua, October 2016

The News-Gazette – “Treat for Jazz Fans”
Melissa Merli, February 2016

‘Do The M@th’ blog –  Ethan Iverson of  The Bad Plus – The Charles McPherson Interview (2016)

Crystal Schelle, Herald Mail Media“Two jazz icons to receive Don Redman Heritage Award”

Jazz Culture – Charles McPherson October 2015 New York Jazz Culture review

All About JazzCharles McPherson Musician Profile

All About JazzCharles McPherson: Keeping the Faith

All About JazzCharles McPherson: Passionate Bopper

Chicago Jazz Magazine 2014Charles McPherson talks Charlie Parker (November 3, 2014)

Chicago Tribune – Celebrating Charlie Parker with a wide-ranging festival (November 6, 2014)

Chicago Tribune – Charles McPherson tips his hat to Charlie Parker

Chicago Tribune Review: Celebrating Charlie Parker with panache (November 8, 2014)

Chicago TribuneTwo masters celebrate Charlie Parker

Chicago ReaderCharles McPherson

Clarion JazzCharles McPherson With Strings

CulturaJazz de dos continentes (April 1988)

downbeatDansrDetroit Roots, Clint Eastwood, and Mingus

DownbeatMcPherson Talks Mingus

Evanston Review 2014Saxophonist recreates Charlie Parker’s music for jazz fest (November 5, 2014)

Global Music Foundation – Charles McPherson Quartet @ Pizza Express (April 20, 2015)

DOWNBEATI Dig JazzAt Art X Detroit

Jazz.comCharles McPherson: Nostalgia in Times Square

Jazz HouseStewart on McPherson

WNCU_postcard_proofJazzizBeboppin’ Right Alongflip ahead to page 35 for the article about Charles!

The Jazz LinkHandsome Soul: A Portrayal of Charles McPherson (May 1990)

JazzmanAt Home With Charles McPherson (February 2008)

Jazz Police – Charles McPherson / Tom Harrell Quintet Bebop Is The Future

WNCU_postcard_proof2Jazz Review – McPherson Stretches Parker  (1995)

JazzTimes – Charles McPherson: Ornithology With Strings, online version (May 2005)

JazzTimes – Charles McPherson: Ornithology With Strings, print version (May 2005)

JET MagazineHair Splitter of the Week (May 1953)

JET Magazine – Press Party in West Hollywood (Jan 1995)

Joplin Globe – When Race Didn’t Matter (2003)

Joplin GlobeCharles McPherson Feature (February 17, 2003)

Joplin Historical Guide – McPherson’s Childhood Home

La Jolla Village NewsJazz great McPherson leads quintet at Neurosciences (October 16, 1997)

London Evening StandardCharles McPherson, Pizza Express Jazz Club

London Jazz NewsReport: Charles McPherson and “balance in everything”

London Jazz NewsReview: Charles McPherson (February 18, 2010)

Los Angeles Herald Dispatch – McPherson’s First Flight Out Has Star-Studded Landing (December 22, 1994)

Los Angeles TimesMany, many articles on the LA Times website

MajazzineConcierto Charles McPherson Quartet

Majazzine – Entrevistaa Charles McPherson

Mark WeberCharles McPherson coastal obelisk

Milwaukee MagCharles McPherson and Brian Lynch

The News GazetteTreat for Jazz Fans

The New York Daily News – Imaginative, Audacious And Overlooked

New York PostMcPherson soars on alto sax (July 20, 1984)

The New York TimesAfternoon Celebration of Charlie Parker’s Jazz, online version (1996)

The New York Times – Afternoon Celebration of Charlie Parker’s Jazz, print version (1996)

The New York TimesJazz: Charles McPherson (July 19, 1984)

San Diego MagazineJazz Lives (August 2004)

San Diego MagazineMcPherson Sizzles (March 1984)

San Diego ReaderSAX (April 20, 2006)

The Reader

San Diego Reader – Quintet Burns Bright at Dizzy’s

San Diego ReaderShape & Sound: Welcome to Sax Diego

San Diego ReaderSweet Suite (January 21, 2015)

San Diego Union-TribuneVeteran Sax Player Finally Gains Fame in U.S. (August 19, 1994)

San Diego Union-TribuneMcPherson in tune as jazzman, dad (December 21, 1995)

San Diego Union-Tribune – McPherson pairs with Harrell for rare San Diego gig (October 16, 1997)

San Diego Union-Tribune – Promo for ‘Sweet Synergy Suite’ (February 1, 2015)

San Diego Union-Tribune – McPhersons team up for dance ‘Suite’ (February 4, 2015)

San Diego Union-Tribune – Sweet Family Reunion (February 5 , 2015)

Saxophone JournalCharles McPherson (Spring 1988)

Something Else! – Charles McPherson, “The Journey” from The Journey (2015) (December 2014)

Stanford JazzBarry Harris / Charles McPherson Quartet

Vancouver JazzCharles McPherson interviewed by Guy MacPherson (June 2004)

Village VoiceBebop Flambe (July 1984)

Western Jazz Tour 1998The Charles McPherson Quartet

Books  (select)

JAZZ: Photographs of the Masters

Performance Programs (select)

Blue Bird Reunion – (1994)

17th Annual Saxophone Symposium – (January 1994)

Carnegie Hall – (October 1999)

Lincoln Center – The Rites of Rhythm and Tune (1991-1992)

Lincoln Center – As of Now (October 1998)

Playboy Jazz Festival – (June 1995)

Jazz Standard PosterEvent Posters (select)

Dizzy’s San Diego/Sweet Synergy Suite – February 8, 2014

JazzJam – April 7, 2013

Jazz Standard NYC – July 2014

Sweet Synergy Suite – February 2015