Guardian Music — In this first of a series of monthly columns, John Fordham picks out his musical milestones from the past few weeks. Tell us in the comments section below if there's things we've missed, plus what you'd like to see John covering in next month's colum... more info

Guardian Music — Jazz percussionist whose drumming combined intensity with restraintThe percussionist Tony Marsh, who has died of cancer aged 72, was an inspired collaborator, combining intensity with restraint and stroking the drums more than he struck them. He work... more info

Guardian Music — (High Note)Although he is a stylistic descendant of Miles Davis, Wallace Roney constantly ignores the comfortable part of the legacy. His trumpet work has none of that winsome lyricism that gave Miles his great crossover appeal. Instead, he has consi... more info

Guardian Music — Ronnie Scott's, LondonMichel Legrand has the kind of musical CV that makes everyone else's look like a sick note. He's worked with jazz legends, scored hundreds of films and won three Oscars. His heart-tugging melodies have been performed by everyone... more info

Guardian Music — Pizza Express Jazz Club, LondonBeing a jazz performer with his own vivid stories to tell, the London-based US trumpeter/vocalist Abram Wilson probably won't be bursting into grateful tears at comparisons with Wynton Marsalis. He would probably twist ... more info

Guardian Music — (Basho)Maybe because she doesn't play Radiohead or splice jazz with hip-hop, pianist Nikki Iles can be sidelined as unfashionably orthodox – but she's one of the UK's best-kept secrets, with a silvery touch and uncloying emotional warmth. This sess... more info

Guardian Music — ECMThis nine year-old occasional quartet, nominally led by former Miles Davis and Charles Lloyd drummer Billy Hart, includes a young saxophonist growing in stature, Mark Turner, and Bad Plus pianist Ethan Iverson. If it has any affinities, they might... more info

Guardian Music — A trip to North Carolina to study bluegrass yielded this lesson: Earl Scruggs was the greatest there ever wasI spent a couple of months last year studying bluegrass in North Carolina, and I learned that there are is one tune you never ask a banjo pla... more info

Guardian Music — Ronnie Scott's, LondonThe young American trumpet sensation Ambrose Akinmusire brought this quintet to Ronnie Scott's amid a clamour of superlatives last May, and the word about his remarkable live shows is due to spread further with his first UK gigs... more info

Guardian Music — You don't need a voice to communicate heartbreak when you can play the trumpet like Miles Davis in his pomp He's a touchstone in jazz conversation, a cornerstone in jazz collections, and this 1954 gemstone is just one dazzling example of his genius. ... more info