Cali pals, a bunch of LA sessions this week at Blue Note LA, PRS, LAPL, Lore, Harp Center LA. Come through for cosmic music
Andy Beta
@andybeta.bsky.social
Author of Cosmic Music: The Life, Art, and Transcendence of Alice Coltrane (Spring 2026) Pre-order it here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/andy-beta/cosmic-music/9780306836169/
"There are areas where you want to stay respectful to the depth of what other people have done. The white guy playing the sitar is…you never really want to be that guy." A chat with infinite guitar god/ secret 'world music' architect, Michael Brook: andybeta.substack.com/p/michael-br... @4ad.com
Michael Brook
On building the infinite guitar, the yin-yang of Jon Hassell, Cobalt Blue sinking like a stone, and unwittingly becoming the architect for "world music"
andybeta.substack.com
“Reading about Detroit in these years, there is almost too much to take in, too rich a seam of history, anecdote, testimony. So many names, talents, geniuses, giants.” Ian Penman reviews Cosmic Music, Andy Beta’s new biography of Alice Coltrane.
All She Dreamed, by Ian Penman
Alice Coltrane’s dark night of the soul
buff.ly
Pt 2 with Steve Tibbetts, on solitary meditation retreats and the crazy lists that result, fighting ICE in his hometown, and what a badass Chöying Drolma really is: andybeta.substack.com/p/steve-tibb...
Steve Tibbetts Pt. 2
On meditation, children, his collaboration with singing nun Chöying Drolma, and fighting ICE in the streets of Minneapolis
andybeta.substack.com
"It seems that people –especially guitarists– are anxious to adopt a line of spirituality without thinking it through. It’s always the guitarists." First part of a chat about music, faith, and being in the world with one of my heroes, Steve Tibbetts: andybeta.substack.com/p/steve-tibb...
Steve Tibbetts Pt. 1
On science as faith, seven-year album cycles, seeing the Northern Lights during his first ECM session, and the "accumulation of everything."
andybeta.substack.com
Philly tonight! www.arsnovaworkshop.org/programs/cos...
Cosmic Music: The Life, Art and Transcendence of Alice Coltrane - Ars Nova Workshop
Please join Ars Nova Workshop to celebrate the release of journalist Andy Beta’s essential new biography, Cosmic Music: The Life, Art and Transcendence of Alice Coltrane, featuring a performance by ke...
arsnovaworkshop.org
Philly peeps, I'll be in conversation with @natechinen.bsky.social tomorrow night at Cosmic Myth, with a special performance after by Surya Botofasina: www.arsnovaworkshop.org/programs/cos...
Cosmic Music: The Life, Art and Transcendence of Alice Coltrane - Ars Nova Workshop
Please join Ars Nova Workshop to celebrate the release of journalist Andy Beta’s essential new biography, Cosmic Music: The Life, Art and Transcendence of Alice Coltrane, featuring a performance by ke...
arsnovaworkshop.org
What happened to me in the West Bank was an outrage. But it is nothing compared to what Palestinians face every day. It is time to share their stories that American politics have silenced and ignored. This is our first video about Palestinians we met.
Soooo many fond childhood memories of the dark, rickety, cramped HPB off Broadway in SA. Was sad to see it closed on my last trip, but glad to know they are going strong.
Half Price Books is kind of a fascinating company. I spoke to their president about the new Houston store and how the approach expansion: "Our sales are up across the chain. We are very, very healthy. We're doing great. People are coming back to reading." www.chron.com/culture/arti...
Part 1 of an archival interview with the late Jon Hassell, trumpeter/ visionary/ Fourth World explorer: andybeta.substack.com/p/in-the-fri...
In the Fried Archives: Jon Hassell Pt. 1
From 2017, a chat with the trumpeter/ composer/ Fourth World visionary
andybeta.substack.com
Charles Tyler! Marion Brown! The Visitors! McCoy! Woody! + more ❤️🔥: andybeta.substack.com/p/best-jazz-...
Best Jazz Reissues of 2026 First Half
A quick round-up of some fiery new favorites and crucial reappraisals
andybeta.substack.com
Blue Note famously didn't do "vocal jazz" but when they did, it was one-part church gospel, one-part acid trip wooziness: theshfl.com/collection/B...
Blue Note’s Take on Vocal Jazz
Read Andy Beta on Blue Note’s Take on Vocal Jazz
theshfl.com
One oppressively humid summer day back in '06, I saw James Blood Ulmer play a solo acoustic show at Brooklyn Metrotech. I mostly knew his jazz, free-funk stuff, but this was an incredible set of lowkey blues drawn from his Birthright album. Rest in Power
Some Thursday thoughts from the Sunday Review of Filles de Kilimanjaro: open.substack.com/pub/andybeta...
Filles de Kilimanjaro
Some stray notes on this week's Pitchfork Sunday Review
open.substack.com
“Richard Long’s soundsystem used to make love to me. That is the essence of what a good soundsystem can do.” daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2016/05/rich...
Magic Touch: Richard Long’s Life-Changing Soundsystems
The NYC soundman created some of the most beloved soundsystems in dance music history. Andy Beta tells his story.
daily.redbullmusicacademy.com
A tribute to the late Steve Barrow and how he transported a TX teen to the Bizarro World that is JA dub reggae
Happy Ode To Billie Joe Day to all who celebrate, which should be everyone. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaRa...
Ode to Billie Joe - Bobbie Gentry (BBC Live 1968)
YouTube video by BarnstoneworthTown
youtube.com
Just learned that Areski Belkacem has left us. His work with Brigitte Fontaine is magical stuff: youtu.be/sRrkSp77WM4?...
Brigitte Fontaine - Lettre à Monsieur le chef de gare de La Tour Carol
YouTube video by fida le rebbec
youtu.be
"In Filles, there’s summation, destruction, decay, creation, and new possibilities all within. It brings together Davis and Evans for one last collaboration, and also offers one final glimpse of the Second Great Quintet before Miles went electric." Happy 100th Miles: pitchfork.com/reviews/albu...
Miles Davis: Filles de Kilimanjaro
Read Andy Beta’s review of the album.
pitchfork.com
“Why did I do it?” Rollins said to Hilton Als in 2016 about recording Freedom Suite in 1958. “Because I was trying to get black consciousness into people.” open.substack.com/pub/andybeta...
Freedom from the Known
Sonny Rollins and the quest for black consciousness that led to Freedom Suite
open.substack.com
The Sonny Rollins Bridge Project seeks to rename NYC’s Williamsburg Bridge to commemorate Rollins’ musical sabbatical there from 1959-1961. SIGN OUR PETITION sonnyrollinsbridge.net/our-quest/
Our Quest – Sonny Rollins Bridge Project
sonnyrollinsbridge.net
Currently reading: Cosmic Music: The Life, Art and Transcendence of Alice Coltrane by Andy Beta @andybeta.bsky.social
An imaginary playlist for The Lot, plus loads of new music from Olof Dreijer, Croz Boyce, Marc Leclair, Ibrahim Alfa Jnr., Hans Reichel, and more: andybeta.substack.com/p/the-lot-fo...
The Lot for May
Ripe Fruits Mid-Journey in Fern Valley
andybeta.substack.com
Really lovely write-up of Cosmic Music on this list:
recs for spring non-fiction reading for Shortlist featuring @andybeta.bsky.social @chanda.blacksky.app @praddenkeefe.bsky.social @kitchapman.bsky.social @georgebas5.bsky.social @trillingual.bsky.social @mickacorreia.bsky.social @elusiveword.bsky.social www.shortlist.com/books/10-min...
"Great jazz clubs are always that cozy...Even the color of the Vanguard is perfect, that darkish crimson red you got going on with the curtains." Chatted with Immanuel Wilkins about his favorite albums/ memories from the Village Vanguard: www.everythingjazz.com/story/immanu...
Immanuel Wilkins - Live At The Village Vanguard - Everything Jazz
As one of the leading voices in jazz, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins recorded his latest album in one of the most revered of venues: The Village Vanguard. Read & buy on Everything Jazz
everythingjazz.com
Bucket list chat about free jazz, UK free improv, Alice, and turning into an ECM guy with Thurston Moore: open.substack.com/pub/andybeta...
Thurston Moore
On free jazz, jamming with Cecil Taylor, becoming an ECM guy, and scaring the kids with late Coltrane.
open.substack.com