I feel fortunate that I got to see the great drummer Paul Motian, who passed away earlier today at the age of 80, last year at the Blue Note with Ron Carter and Bill Frisell, one of the many, many bands he played with over a storied six-decade career. I was a bit cranky that night, thanks to being shoehorned into a corner seat with shitty sitelines, but the set was sterling, and Motian's steady, distinctive beat was the glue that held it all together.

I only wish I'd gotten to see him more; fortunately, his artistry is preserved on dozens of recordings with everyone from Bill Evans to Keith Jarrett, not to mention his own inventive trio. A pivotal figure in jazz; he will be missed.

Times Obituary here.