Kevin Whitehead

Douglas' three very different quintet albums sound very good together, says critic Kevin Whitehead.

A new DVD set catches a rare solo Monk gig, plus sets by John Coltrane, Johnny Griffin and others.

O'Neal's Whirling Mantis is named for a defensive move in karate. The martial-arts reference suggests one way to look at how O'Neal's music operates: The players react to each other's moves, deflecting one another in stylized interaction.