In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond

This show goes in many musical directions with one set dedicated to the Katrina anniversary with some New Orleans sounds and Terrance Blanchards memorial to the hurricane and the disaster that ensued. A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina) is Terrance's touching tribute and one selection from an entire suite he composed dedicated to the events of 2005 in New Orleans. Beyond that set, we get a little funky with tracks from Stefon Harris and Liquid Soul, we go Indian with Mynta, go free-jazz with Sky Steele, and finish up with some latin jazz from Chucho Valdez. How's that for going all over the map.

Featured Album

A Tale Of God's Will (A Requiem For Katrina) on amazon.com

Track * Artist * Album
Expansions ~ Lonnie Liston Smith ~ Expansions
Three Legged Tango in Jackson Square ~ John Ellis ~ Dance Like There is No Tomorrow
Tall Drink of Water ~ John Ellis ~ By a Thread
In Time of Need ~ Terence Blanchard ~ A Tale of God's Will
Shake it For Me ~ Stefon Harris & Blackout ~ Urbanus
The Fineness of You ~ Michele Rosewoman and Quintesence ~ The In Side Out
First Summer ~ Mynta ~ First Summer on amazon.com
Fuzzy ~ Mynta
Peanut Head ~ Liquid Soul ~ One-Two Punch
East Boogie ~ JD Allen ~ Shine!
Pepperoni Pizza ~ The Skye Steele Quintet ~ Late Bloomer
Both Sides ~ Chucho Valdez and the Afro Cuban Messengers ~ Chucho's Steps on Amazon

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This week's podcast is introduced by Dave Holland, followed by a track from his Pass It On CD. Then we feature a brand new killin' album by Chucho Valdez and the Afro-Cuban Messengers. Dig Chucho's fine arrangements here. His latin roots never overshadow his obvious love of the jazz form. On the two tracks we play are tributes to Joe Zawinul and the Marsalis Family. Another fine album by Skye Steele was featured last week, and we play another stunning track from his album late bloomer.

Featured Album

Chucho's Steps on amazon.com

Track * Artist * Album
Fast Track ~ Dave Holland ~ Pass it On
New Orleans ~ Chucho Valdez & the Afro-Cuban Messengers ~ Chucho's Steps amazon.com
Zawinul's Mambo ~ Chucho Valdez & the Afro-Cuban Messengers ~ Chucho's Steps amazon.com
Epistrophy ~ Ravi Coltrane ~ Blending Times
Evidence ~ Steve Lacy ~ Evidence
Shadow of Lo ~ Return To Forever ~ Anthology
Peace Pipe ~ Ben Allison ~ Think Free
Scarborough Fair ~ The Skye Steele ~ late bloomer
Lithia ~ Pat Bianchi ~ Back Home
Caravan ~ Oscar Peterson ~ Perfect Peterson

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This special podcast is from a live recording at WHUS studios with some of Hartford's finest young musicians. Recent graduate of University of Hartford's Hartt School of Music, Dane Scozzari leads the band on the drums with several of his arrangements and compositions. Another Hartt graduate from the class of '10 is accomplished pianist Matt DeChamplain demonstrating his killer chops on the keys. Sophomore at Hartt, Matt Dwonszyk plays well beyond his years on the double bass, really holding down the bottom. Just graduating from the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts are Lomar Brown (entering his freshman year at Berklee College of Music) on alto sax and brother Keaon Brown (will be attending Temple University) on trumpet.

Dangerous Dane and the Human Race performs excerpts from 2010: Profile of Humanity as well as other jazz classics.

Matt Dwonszyk - bass, Dane Scozzari - drums

Matt DeChamplain, piano

Lomar Brown - alto sax, Keaon Brown - trumpet

The Human Race with Ken Laster at WHUS

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This year's Newport review features artist that we saw, both relatively unknown and some of the greats that appeared at the festival. The lineup was once again diverse. There were performances in the smaller tents that stretched the boundaries of the genre and there were artists that are living legends of jazz. We will hear from a sampling from both catagories. JD Allen, Matt Wilson and Skye Steele represent the direction jazz is headed. Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea and Ahmad Jamal had great performances playing in more of the traditional style.

Featured Album

JD Allen, Shine! on amazon.com

Sky Steele, Late Bloomer on amazon.com

Track ~ Artist ~ Album
Sonhouse ~ JD Allen ~ Shine!
Angel ~ JD Allen ~ Shine!
Shooshabuster ~ Matt Wilson ~ That's Gonna Leave A Mark
Evelyn ~ The Skye Steele Quintet ~ late bloomer
Echo Park ~ The Skye Steele Quintet ~ late bloomer
Kramer v Kramer v Godzilla ~ Ben Allison ~ Think Free
Lullaby of the Leaves ~ Anat Cohen ~ Clarinetworks
Big Fat Hen ~ Wynton Marsalis ~ The Magic Hour
Trinkle, Tinkle ~ Chick Corea ~ Live in Montreaux
Dolphin Dance ~ Ahmad Jamal ~ The Awakening

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At Newport this week covering the Jazz Festival so I didn't record a show. This podcast is the final 40 minutes of the Groove show from a few weeks back.  It features Miles' classic So What. It doesn't matter how many times I hear this, it never looses it's appeal. Also, dig Cedar Walton's Bolivia. Some modern off-beat sounds from Burnt Sugar, and we finish with a lullaby from Anat Cohen. 

Featured Album

Kind Of Blue on amazon.com  

Track * Artist * Album
So What * Miles Davis * Kind of Blue
Bolivia * Cedar Walton * Eastern Rebellion
Thorazine/81 * Burnt Sugar * Making Love to the Dark Ages
Lullaby for the Naive Ones * Anat Cohen * Notes for the Village

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Half way through the summer, Monday night jazz series in the park is concluding and Newport Jazz Festival is next weekend. This podcast features both. This show also highlights some fine guitar work from Sinan Bakir and Larry Coryell. Dig the Hammond B3 organ track from Pat Bianchi.

Featured Album

On My Way at amazon.com or

Track * Artist * Album
The Sky is an Eye * Salo * Sundial Lotus
Karma * Sinan Bakir * On My Way
Blues for Istanbul * Sinan Bakir * On My Way
Bumpin' on Sunset -Larry Coryell * Prime Picks
Hammer Head * Pat Bianchi * Back Home
Humility * Greg Osby * 9 Levels
St. James Infirmiry * Anat Cohen * Clarinetworks
Joshua * Earl McDonald * re:Visions
Knozz-Moe-King * Wynton Marsalis * Think of One
Blue Rhondo Ala Turk * Dave Brubeck * Time Out Legacy Edition

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