Charlie "Bird" Parker blew the sound of his soul through his alto and tenor sax, and for many musicians, hearing his music was like a religious conversion. He is immortalized as jazz music's "first existential hero," a blazing talent that burned out at age 35 from heroin, alcohol, and racism. The t

Bebop, Bright, Improvised, Loose, Overflowing, Pioneering

Fusing humanist concepts, shrewd observation, social commentary, and rather simple filming techniques, London-based artist Gillian Wearing unmasks the human condition in her clever but acutely poignant photographs and single-channel videos. Winner of the prestigious Turner Prize in 1997, Wearing expo

Erotic, Event, Improvised, Intense, Urban, Young british artists

A combination of artspeak and gossip, Matthew Collings' seemingly casual ruminations can reveal surprising depth beneath their absorbing surface: in a way he is crafting a new kind of art criticism, chic, clever, and street-smart, but with an edgy self-consciousness that mimics the style of contempor

Charming, Clever, Funny, Improvised, Pop

Herbie Hancock isn't easy to pin down. From bebop to free jazz, fusion to jazz-rock, instrumental pop to hip-hop, funk to world fusion, an entire spectrum of musical forms has felt the Hancock hand. With an agile sense for diverse styles, he has continuously modulated his mood and his sonorous archit

Bright, Cool, Cool jazz, Fusion, Improvised, Lush, Pioneering, Rhythmic