Background
Born in New York, Tesser grew up on Long Island.
Born in New York, Tesser grew up on Long Island.
He attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism.
Tesser resides in Chicago. Tesser"s career has spanned over five decades, and has included work as a journalist, music critic, radio host and author Tesser was a long-time jazz critic at the Chicago Reader, beginning his work there in the 1970"son
Earlier in his career he wrote Reader"s Hot Type column, covering sports among other topics.
As a radio host, Tesser has hosted the nationally syndicated programs Miles Ahead and Listen Here!, as well as Chicago-based jazz shows on WBEZ, WSBC, WCFJ. As an author, Tesser wrote The Playboy Guide to Jazz, published in 1998 by Plume. He has composed liner notes for over 300 albums, which have garnered him one Grammy Award and another nomination.
Artists for whom Tesser has written liner notes include Blood, Sweat & Tears, John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Gil Scott-Heron, Kurt Elling, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Chick Corea, Bill Evans and Patricia Barber.
Tesser is a member of The Recording Academy, formerly serving as vice chair of the board of trustees.