Hi there, I’m Nate Chinen.

For the last 25 years, I’ve been a cultural critic focused in large part on jazz and improvised music. I’m the author of Playing Changes: Jazz For the New Century, which tracks the evolution of that music over the last several decades.

I’m the editorial director at WRTI, and I contribute regularly to NPR Music. Before moving over to public radio, I was a music critic for the New York Times and a columnist for JazzTimes. My column there, also called The Gig, ran in 125 consecutive monthly installments. In some ways it’s the precursor to what I’m doing here.

So what am I doing here? Musing about connections within the music, and around the culture. Whenever possible, drawing a few connections of my own. Sharing what I just heard, or what I’m listening to. Making sense out of our chaotic abundance of sound.

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Riffs on music and culture, improvised and otherwise, from critic Nate Chinen

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Nate Chinen

@natechinen

Nate Chinen is the author of 'Playing Changes: Jazz For the New Century.' A former music critic for The New York Times and former columnist for JazzTimes, he's the editorial director at WRTI and a regular contributor to NPR Music.