James Moody

One of the most gifted melodic improvisationalists ever to pick up a saxophone, James Moody remains both highly respected by his peers and highly lauded by jazz aficionados. Known primarily for his long-standing association with Dizzy Gillespie’s big band and smaller side projects, Moody also knows how to strike all the right chords as a bandleader and a solo artist. Especially impressive is his 1949 version of “I’m in the Mood for Love,” subsequently known as “Moody’s Mood for Love.” Moody turned 78 in March, and he shows no signs of slowing down. He continues to tour and record regularly, serving as an unofficial ambassador to the rich history of the genre. Gillespie once said that “playing with James Moody is like playing with a continuation of myself.” In Moody’s playing, a sense of heritage combines with the feeling that there’s still plenty of history to be made.