Posted in DefaultTag on Jan 30th, 2010
Posted in DefaultTag on Jan 24th, 2010
I had the pleasure of hosting tenor sax artist and composer Noah Preminger for an interview at WHUS on Saturday evening. Noah is one of the young creative jazz artists based in New York City that is defining the future of jazz music. He spoke with us about his background and influences, his method of composition, and some of his current projects. We get to hear from his critically acclaimed album Dry Bridge Road, and some yet to be released recordings. Noah also plays for us live in the studio. We also take the opportunity to promote a couple of live performances coming up this week in Hartford and NYC.


Dry Bridge Road from Amazon.com
or iTunes 
Track Listing
Today is OK, Dry Bridge Road
Rhythm for Robert, Dry Bridge Road
Sax of a Kind, Dry Bridge Road
My Blues for You, unreleased recording
untitled piano/sax duet
Polka Dots and Moonbeams, live in studio
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Posted in DefaultTag on Jan 16th, 2010
No radio show this week, so I am republishing a podcast originally posted in August of 2008. This tribute was first aired on the anniversary of Bird's 88th birthday, but its great to hear these tunes any time of the year. This great alto player is often considered the founder of Be-Bop music. Before Bird in the 1940's, Jazz was primarily big-band music, dance music that was perhaps the most popular genre of it's time. Bird featured a hard driving quartet and quintet format with an emphasis on improvisation, freeing the soloist to stretch out. As I listen to the 2 Bird originals on this set, each under 3 minutes, it amazes me how much music is packed into these tracks. The rest of the set features modern day jazz artists that have covered Bird's compositions as well as artists that have been influenced by his music. Actually, every great jazz artist that has played this idiom since Bird, has taken some of his chops from Charlie Parker.

Playlist
Track * Artist * Album
Now's the Time * Charlie Parker * Original Recordings of CP 
Donna Lee * Charlie Parker * Bird/The Savoy Recording 
Yardbird Suite * Dwight West * Tribute to the Masters
Dewey Square * Barbara Dennerlein * Tribute to Charlie 
Ornithology * Barbara Dennerlein * Tribute to Charlie 
This I Dig Of You * Greg Abate Quintet * Bop Lives 
Bop Lives * Greg Abate Quintet * Bop Lives 
Arriving Soon * Cannonball Adderley * Plus 
Confirmation * Jackie McLean * 4, 5, And 6 ![Jackie McLean - 4, 5 and 6 [Rudy Van Gelder Edition]](http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/images/badgeitunes61x15dark.gif)
Scrapple From The Apple * Keith Jarrett * Up For It 
Time's Lie * Joe Farrell * Moon Germs 
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Posted in DefaultTag on Jan 10th, 2010
Posted in DefaultTag on Jan 3rd, 2010
We continue last weeks retrospective of 2009 releases. Even after 2 shows dedicated to last years music, I still have a stack of music that I did not have the time to get to. I guess you can say that it was a prolific year for new music. Despite reports that jazz is dead, it is indeed thriving with new music and new artists. Check out young talented players like Jimmy Greene, Mike DiRubbo and Lauren Sevian. They are represented here as well as more established artists like Joe Lovano, Steve Davis and Joshua Redman. We end the show with some of the great masters too, in Benny Golson and Mingus.
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