By: Brian Berger

She mined veins of melancholy, fatalistic, introspective truth.

By: Brian Berger

An unsurpassed fusion of energy, density, speed and lyricism.

By: Anthony Miller

His songs number in the thousands.

By: Devin McKinney

Spooky intelligence and challenging eroticism.

By: Joshua Glenn

A philosopher who didn’t take anything seriously.

By: Brian Berger

He played long, luminous tones on his trumpet.

By: Brian Berger

He created a boldly self-contained sound world.

By: Robert Wringham

Cult genius or filthy weirdo? Duh. He’s both.

By: Brian Berger

Charlie Parker vs. feebleminded ofays.

By: Jerrold Freitag

Passion, pain, uncertainty and struggle, but the music stays groovy.

By: Adam McGovern

Not just a magic spirit but also his own changeling.

By: Gary Panter

Without him, The Sixties as we know them might not have happened.

By: Devin McKinney

He served the Beatles’ music with unfaltering skill and imagination.

By: Jerrold Freitag

Takin’ ev’ry wrong direction on his lonely way back home.

By: Brian Berger

She thrived in any musical context: jazz, blues, hokum, pop.