Marian McPartland, 1918-2013
“Marian McPartland, who gave the world an intimate, insider’s perspective on one of the most elusive topics in music — jazz improvisation — died of natural causes Tuesday night at her home in Long Island, N.Y. She was 95. For more than 40 years, she hosted Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz, an NPR program pairing conversation and duet performances that reached an audience of millions, connecting with jazz fans and the curious alike. She interviewed practically every major jazz musician of the post-WWII era. McPartland’s soft English accent wasn’t the only thing that made her a good radio personality. She was an accomplished jazz pianist herself, which was readily evident on her program.”